Environment
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| The management board of the Chàm Islands Marine Protected Area has released a rare sea turtle that was accidentally caught by a local fisherman back into its natural habitat.– Photo vnexpress.net |
HÀ NỘI – The management board of the Chàm Islands Marine Protected Area has released a rare sea turtle that was accidentally caught by a local fisherman back into its natural habitat.
Trần Thôi from Cẩm Kim commune in Hoi An, found the turtle, which is 43cm in length and 7.6kg in weight, in his net while fishing on the Thu Bồn river.
He handed over the animal to the management board on January 30.
Known as the olive ridley sea turtle, the species is included in the red book of threatened species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, indicating it is endangered.
Confirmed to be in a good health, the turtle was released from Cửa Đại beach the next day.
Encountering a sea turtle in the river mouth is very rare. The animal may have gotten lost while foraging for food.
In recent years, the board has worked to increase public awareness of sea turtle conservation and develop a voluntary network to promptly report trapped turtles.
In the past two years, approximately 1,400 baby turtles have been hatched along the beaches of the Chàm Islands. The eggs were brought from Côn Đảo Island, believed to be the largest nesting site for sea turtles in the country.
The Chàm Islands, 20km off the coast of the city of Hội An, are home to 1,500ha of tropical forests and 6,700ha of sea featuring a wide range of marine fauna and flora, including many endangered species. It also houses 1.26sq.km of coral reefs. –VNS
