QUANG NGAI: A rare sea turtle has been released into the sea at Sa Huynh estuary in the central province of Quang Ngai, said Maj Pham Van Sang, deputy head of the Sa Huynh Border Guard Station, on Wednesday (Jan 14).
The turtle was discovered entangled in a fishing net at around 6pm on Jan 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 Jan 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 Vietnam's Red Data Book as it faces ongoing pressures from illegal hunting, marine pollution, and habitat loss. — Vietnam News/ANN
