Hundreds of big-headed turtles, which are listed as highly endangered in the Red Book, were apprehended and confiscated from unlawful transit.
The leader of Pu Mat National Park said on April 6 that the unit had just cooperated with the Wildlife Conservation Center in Vietnam to receive and rescue 59 big-headed turtles. All of the following animals were collected from unlawful trafficking in the Dien Chau area by the Environmental Police Department of Nghe An Provincial Police.
Veterinarians examining the health of large-headed turtles
Previously, the authorities detected a resident of Dien Hong commune in the Dien Chau district carrying 34 large-headed turtles. The cops uncovered another 25 turtles, some living and others died when searching this person’s home. In addition, three Java pangolins were discovered with all of their scales and organs removed.
All of the turtles were immediately brought to the Pu Mat National Park rescue facility for rehabilitation. These turtles are suffering in critical condition; several of them have been harmed and are being treated in intensive care.
Several large-headed turtles were seized during illicit transit
The big-headed turtle is a tortoise that lives in streams 600 meters above sea level in woods. The World Red Book classifies this turtle as severely endangered. Vietnamese regulations zealously preserve large-headed turtles. Big-headed turtles are designated as a strictly protected species in Decree 06/2019/ND-CP and as an endangered and uncommon wildlife species in need of conservation in the Government’s Decree 64/2019/ND-CP. Violations involving large-headed turtles will be sternly prosecuted.
