12 endangered turtles released from captivity in Phu Quoc

By Vu Minh   September 18, 2018 | 08:22 pm PT
12 endangered turtles released from captivity in Phu Quoc
Authorities on Phu Quoc Island released a olive ridley sea turtle to the sea. Photo by info.net
Authorities in Phu Quoc Island have returned back to the sea 12 olive ridley turtles they had seized from a local trader.

Border guards on the island off Vietnam’s southern coast found Pham Van Tuan, 50, in possession of the turtles, which ranged in weight from eight to 52 kilograms.

Tuan had bought the turtles from fishermen early this month and planned to sell them in HCMC, an official from the Phu Quoc Marine Protected Area told the media on Monday.

They would have possibly ended up being sold at VND10 million ($430) each to people for releasing them to earn some good karma.

Olive ridley sea turtles are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List as well as Vietnam's Red Data Book.

Vietnam is home to green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback and olive ridley sea turtles, all of which are listed in the latter and protected.

 
 
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