Rare green turtle released by fishermen in central Vietnam

By Vi Vu   August 1, 2017 | 07:28 pm PT
Vietnam outlaws the hunting of any of its five endangered turtle species.

Fishermen in the central province of Quang Tri released a rare turtle that became trapped in their net on Tuesday.

Local officials said the green sea turtle was between 35 and 40 years old and weighed around 70 kilograms, Vietnam News Agency reported.

It was the eighth sea turtle to be rescued in the area this year.

The species, known scientifically as Chelonia mydas, is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

It is protected from exploitation in most countries.

According to the WWF, there are now only seven existing species of marine turtles left in the world, six of which range from vulnerable to critically endangered, while the conservation status of the flatback species is unclear due to a lack of data.

Vietnam is home to green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback and olive ridley sea turtles, all of which are listed in the country’s Red Book for rare and protected wildlife. The country outlaws the hunting or trade of any of the five species.

 
 
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