Rangers and Swedish tourists brought the stranded rare green turtle back to sea on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

BÀ RỊA-VŨNG TÀU — The forest protection department at Côn Đảo National Park on Wednesday rescued and released back to the sea a rare green turtle (Chelonia mydas), which was stranded on a beach in the southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu.

The animal was found by two foreign tourists while they were wandering at Lò Vôi Cape beach in Côn Đả District on the same day. The tourists immediately informed the Côn Đảo National Park Forest Protection Department about the finding.

Upon receiving the information, the department quickly sent forest rangers to the site to rescue the stranded green turtle and return it into the natural environment.

Nguyễn Thái Hậu, deputy head of the department, said the turtle swam close to the shore while searching for food, then the tide receded so quickly that it became stranded.

Beaches in Côn Đảo see the largest number of sea turtles come to nest and lay eggs in Việt Nam, accounting for about 80 per cent.

In 2023, Côn Đảo National Park successfully rescued and relocated 2,262 turtle nests with 212,644 eggs. It also helped hatch and released more than 166,000 baby turtles into the sea. Meanwhile, tracking devices were attached on nearly 400 mother turtles coming to lay eggs on Côn Đảo beaches. — VNS