Bãi Cát Lớn-Hòn Bảy Cạnh in Côn Đảo National Park. — VNA/VNS Photo

BÀ RỊA-VŨNG TÀU — The Côn Đảo National Park off the coast of the southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu received the ASEAN Heritage Park certificate at a ceremony held on April 28.

The ceremony also celebrated the park’s 30th founding anniversary (March 31, 1993 - 2023)

The Côn Đảo National Park covers more than 15,000ha, including over 6,000ha of land and 9,000ha of sea. It comprises 14 islands of Côn Sơn Archipelago, located to the southeast of Việt Nam.

With its rich biodiversity, the park was included by the World Bank among the top priority areas among global maritime reserves. In 2013, it was named the world’s 2203rd wetland of international importance by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Secretariat, making this park the 6th Ramsar site in Việt Nam and the first maritime site earning this title in the country.

The park is harbouring and conserving hundreds of vascular plant species, many of which are listed in the Red Data Book.

Meanwhile, the sea turtle conservation programme implemented here over the last 30 years has helped recover the population of the rare green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). Nearly 2.5 million baby turtles have been released to the nature so far.

Besides, the Côn Đảo National Park was listed as an ASEAN Heritage Park thanks to not only its unique marine biodiversity but also rich historical and cultural values.

At the ceremony, the park was also granted with a certificate of merit from the Prime Minister for its achievements in turtle conservation. — VNS