The elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) has been found at the Côn Sơn Station under the Conservation and International Cooperation Division of the Côn Đảo National Park. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Côn Sơn Station under the Conservation and International Cooperation Division of the Côn Đảo National Park has recently received an elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) from Radar Station 32 under Regiment 294, Division 367 of the Air Defence – Air Force, according to the park’s Management Board.

The elongated tortoise, belonging to the Testudinidae family, is listed as an endangered, precious, and rare forest animal in Group IIB under Government Decree No. 84/2021/NĐ-CP dated September 22, 2021.

The individual, identified as a female, weighs about 1.6kg, with a carapace length of 34cm and width of 19cm. Upon receiving it, park officials conducted a thorough health check to ensure the tortoise was neither injured nor diseased. This step was considered crucial not only to assess its condition but also to prepare it for release back into the wild, giving it the best chance of survival.

After the assessment, Côn Sơn Station, in coordination with representatives of Radar Station 32, released the tortoise into a natural forest habitat as part of conservation efforts.

Nguyễn Thái Hậu, deputy head of the Conservation and International Cooperation Division, said that the release site was carefully chosen. The area features abundant vegetation, sufficient water sources, and minimal human disturbance, enabling the tortoise to find food and water easily and reintegrate into its natural habitat.

The elongated tortoise is one of the most beautiful and rare terrestrial tortoise species, listed in both the Việt Nam Red Data Book and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. It typically inhabits tropical and subtropical forests and plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance. However, due to illegal trade and habitat loss, its wild population has been declining sharply. — VNA/VNS