Illegal hunting and trade threatens to push the Big-headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum) to extinction. In Vietnam, law enforcement needs to be strengthened and public awareness of the plight of the species and its legal protections need to be increased.

The EDGE project for the Big-headed Turtle is a collaboration between the Asian Turtle Program of Indo Myanmar Conservation and its partners, with both the Turtle Conservation Centre of Cuc Phuong National Park and Pu Mat National Park playing important roles in the coordinated rescue and release of this highly threatened species. The new informative video has been produced to help spread awareness of the law surrounding the endangered turtle species. The video script was developed by the ATP/IMC with artwork from several talented Vietnamese illustrators, Jeet Zdung, Nguyen Ngoc Hoan, and Dinh Kieu Duong.

The Asian Turtle Program has been working with numerous international and local partners to raise the awareness for the species in Vietnam as a part of Assessment of release strategies for confiscated and Endangered Big-headed turtles in Vietnam project supported by the Fondation Segré Conservation Fund and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. We have been especially pleased to see the strong cooperation between rescue centres and national parks in Vietnam as part of this project, with Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Centre, the Turtle Conservation Centre in Cuc Phuong National Park and Pu Mat National Park all involved.

Video editing by: Dinh Kieu Duong
Artwork by: Jeet Zdung, Nguyen Ngoc Hoan, and Dinh Kieu Duong

22^nd March 2021
Press release by: Ha Hoang – ATP/IMC

Download the English version here
Download the Vietnamese version here