A rare sea turtle has been released into the wild on January 13 at Sa Huỳnh estuary. — VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG NGÃI — A rare sea turtle has been released into the wild at Sa Huỳnh estuary in the central province of Quảng Ngãi, said Maj. Phạm Văn Sáng, deputy head of the Sa Huỳnh Border Guard Station, on Wednesday.

The turtle was discovered entangled in a fishing net at around 18:00 on January 12 by a 68-year-old local fisherman working in a brackish lagoon. Measuring about 40cm in length and 30cm in width, and weighing roughly 3kg, the animal was found to be in good health.

Border guard officers took immediate custody of the turtle and asked the fisherman to provide temporary care.

It was successfully returned to its natural habitat on January 13 in a joint effort involving the border guard station, local authorities, and other relevant agencies.

The turtle was preliminarily identified as an Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), a species listed as endangered and strictly protected on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and Việt Nam's Red Data Book as it faces ongoing pressures from illegal hunting, marine pollution, and habitat loss. — VNA/VNS