A New Signboard to Raise Community Awareness About the Hoan Kiem Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) Conservation.
Over the past decade, the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC) has conducted several surveys to identify priority areas of conservation and research for the Swinhoe’s Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) known locally in Vietnam as the Hoan Kiem turtle, the world’s most endangered freshwater turtle species. Dong Mo Lake, where one of three living individuals known globally of the species lives, sits predominantly within Phu Yen village of Yen Bai commune (Ba Vi district, Ha Noi). Therefore, the daily activities of these local people have a significant impact on the conservation for this species here. Raising the awareness of the local community about the conservation of Hoan Kiem Turtle and the sustainable use of aquatic resources at Dong Mo Lake is extremely necessary.
With this in mind, on 30th December 2019, ATP/IMC coordinated with the Ha Noi Fisheries Department to set up an educational signboard in front of the community house (the cultural and sports center of Phu Yen village), helping people easily access information of signpost. The signboard calls for local people to join hands to protect Hoan Kiem turtle, as well as highlighting some activities which negatively impact on this species. Local authorities and people have actively supported ATP/IMC during the process of building this signboard, and we hope it will be read and celebrated by the whole community.
Students of Yen Bai primary school stop after school to read the information.
Press release by: Pham Nhu Quynh – ATP/IMC.
09th January 2020
Acknowledgement:
We would like to thank Yen Bai Commune People’s Committee, Ba Vi district for allowing us to organize the signpost building and the Vietnamese authorities: the Forest Protection Department (FPD), Fisheries Department, the Biodiversity Conservation Agency (BCA) of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) who we partner with. We also would like to thank the donors, partners and supporters of this activity, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (CMZ) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) a number of private donors.
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