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Endangered Turtle Species benefit from the 2012 student training course
Following the annual Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Field Skill Training Course held in Cuc Phuong National Park during March 2012 one student participant went home and started putting his new knowledge into action. Nguyen Thanh Luan from Hue University of Science was conducting a research project in Ba Na Nature Reserve, Da Nang Province, when he heard of an individual in Cam Le district of Da Nang keeping several turtles. Luan was able to locate the household where four endangered Chinese striped-neck turtle (Mauremys sinensis) and one Malayan box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) were being kept in a small four meter square tank. The animals had been given to the owner ‘Thai' for religious reasons. Once Luan had explained how the Chinese Striped-necked turtles are increasingly rare in Vietnam, with the lowland wetland dependent species severely reduced by intensive hunting and habitat loss, it was agreed that the animals should be transferred to the Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) in Cuc Phuong National Park. On the 02 nd of May 2012 the TCC received the five turtles. The adult female Chinese striped-neck turtle is of reproductive age and had laid eggs last year, none of which hatched. Its hoped that the animals will settle in their new home and become an important part of the breeding efforts for the species at the centre with the possibility of release back into the wild for these animals or their offspring in the future. “It's great to see such positive action following the training course, it makes us realise how worthwhile the training is.” said Hoang Van Ha the Vietnam program coordinator for the Asian Turtle Program (ATP).
Press release by: Hoang Van Ha – ATP |
Above: Mr. Pham Hong Thai of Cam Le Education Department hands over one of the four Chinese striped-neck turtle ( Mauremys sinensis ) to Nguyen Thanh Luan, this year training course student
Above: One of the four Chinese striped-neck turtle (Mauremys sinensis), IUCN Red list 2011 Endangered, is happy to join other animals at the Cuc Phuong Turtle Conservation Center.
Above: The small enclosure in Da Nang where the animals had been kept |
Thank you: |
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We would like to thank the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), Ocean Park Conservation Foundation (OPCF), for their support of the ATP's annual student field skill training course and the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund for the animal rescue. |
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Support Our Conservation Activities, if you would like our program and activities please visit our donations page or click the donate button |
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For more information please contact: Asian Turtle Program
(ATP) of Cleveland Metoparks Zoo, |
