Art contest raises public awareness on turtle conservation

On the 21^st of June 2021, the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC) in collaboration with People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature) and Humane Society International Viet Nam (HSI in Viet Nam) launched an art contest titled “Let’s Save Turtles” to create a platform for sharing knowledge and raising awareness of turtle species, their roles in ecosystems and threats to their existence. Participants were invited to submit original art pieces, both hand-crafted and digital, which centre around turtle conservation…..

The Turtle Conservation Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought numerous changes and challenges to life all over the world and this is no less true than for the countless wildlife conservation projects that operate globally. In Vietnam, the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo Myanmar Conservation (IMC) has been working closely with Cuc Phuong National Park to operate Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) safely and efficiently during this difficult period…

Vietnam’s frog hotspot reveals another new species of leaf-litter frog

Nearly one year after the publication of the description of tadpoles of the Botsford’s Leaf-litter Frog (Leptobrachella botsfordi) in Vietnam, in August 2021, we welcomed the scientific recognition of another new member of the Leptobrachella genus, the Mount Pu Ta Leng Leaf-litter Frog (Leptobrachella graminicola). These tiny brown frogs, at only 2-3 cm in body length, have only been observed in a small stream at over 2,300m a.s.l. within the mountainous forest on Vietnam’s Mount Pu Ta Leng, located within the Hoang Lien range…

Help us keep the Turtle Conservation Centre going throughout the current crisis

On the 8^th and the 9^th of November 2019, 47 Right now, the world is going through an unprecedented crisis; people around the world are in lockdown while we hope and pray that the coronavirus pandemic passes swiftly and with as little cost to human life as possible. In Vietnam, and at the Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) of Cuc Phuong National Park (CPNP), we are also struggling to cope with governmental restrictions….

In Search of the Legend – The Story of the World’s Rarest Turtle

In Search of the Legend is the story of the world’s rarest turtle a short, informal review of the Swinhoe’s Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), a species on the brink of extinction for which only three living animals are currently known.

The story was written shortly after Dr Peter Pritchard and Sibille Pritchard visited Vietnam in 2015. Peter had long been interested in the species and had been involved in a number of surveys with us in the early 2000s. It was a fantastic opportunity and privilege for us to spend time with such an amazing man and turtle expert who sadly passed away on the 25^th of February 2020….

Dr Bonnie Raphael supports the TCC once again

Between 6^th and 16^th December 2019, the TCC was again delighted to welcome Dr Bonnie Raphael of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Bonnie travelled to Vietnam to bring her extensive knowledge and expertise of wildlife medicine to the staff of the Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) of Cuc Phuong National Park.

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47 critically endangered Bourret’s Box Turtles have returned home

On the 8^th and the 9^th of November 2019, 47 Bourret’s Box Turtles (Cuora bourreti) were taken back to the wild in our third release of 2019. A protected area within the species’ native range in central region of Vietnam was selected for these lucky turtles. They were likely poached from forest areas in Lao PDR and central region of Vietnam and had spent several months in the illegal trade network before they were confiscated in Quang Nam province in May 2018…

Developments at Dong Mo

As ATP increases its presence at Dong Mo Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam, we have been developing new projects to help us monitor Swinhoe’s Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei).

Following the construction of a floating raft in June, we have now begun a bait testing trial to work out its favourite foods!

Training to strengthen wildlife protection capacity for Quang Binh province

On the 1^st and 2^nd October 2019, we collaborated with Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park (PNKBP) Management Board in Quang Binh province, north-central Vietnam, to hold a two-day training course for 67 law enforcement officers of PNKBP and the wider Quang Binh province…