Rescue rare species of tortoise in India and Vietnam

Many tortoises are also caught or smuggled, and then shipped to meet demand for turtles in some other countries. When tortoise are confiscated from street sellers, traffickers, and other wildlife criminals, it is vital that the species is correctly identified to ensure the law is correctly applied based on the species, and that the tortoises are handled based on their ecological needs prior to transfer to a rescue center or release.

In India on 28th March, a heartwarming incident, three youngsters in Raha town of Nagaon district in Assam have rescued a rare specie of tortoise.

3 youngsters in Assam have rescued a rare specie of tortoise3 youngsters in Assam have rescued a rare specie of tortoise

As per reports, the teens Rahul Krow, Hirakjyoti Nath and Jintu Teron who are studying in X, IX, VII respectively, sighted a rare yellow-footed tortoise while working in a field adjacent to their house. Upon noticing the tortoise, which weighted around 2 kgs, the boys rescued the reptile and later released it into the Kopili River which flows nearby their house in Khalihamari village.

Meanwhile, the locals and nature lovers have showered appreciation and praised the three lads for releasing the tortoise without harming it and showing their love for nature as well as their selfless service towards it.

And in Vietnam, seven species of turtles and tortoises have been discovered at Xuan Lien Nature Reserve in the central province of Thanh Hoa as a result of the 2020-2023 project on conserving, rescuing and raising turtles at the facility.

A box turtle at Xuan Lien Nature Reserve (Photo: VNA)

Forest rangers detected four box turtles (Cuora galbinifrons), two big-headed turtles (Platysternon megacephalum), two impressed tortoises (Manouria impressa), one black-breasted leaf turtle (Geoemyda spengleri), one four-eyed turtle (Sacalia quadriocellata), one keeled box turtle (Cuora mouhotii), and softshell turtles (Pelodiscus sinensis).

These species have been listed in the Vietnam Red Book and need to be conserved.