Rescuing a 6.2kg green sea turtle in Tien Giang

Earlier, Mr Tran Anh Khoa, owner of a seafood purchasing facility in Street 2, Vinh Binh Town, Go Cong Tay District, Tien Giang Province, discovered a turtle while buying crabs from locals in Phu Tan Commune, Tan Phu Dong District, Tien Giang Province. Mr Khoa negotiated to purchase the green sea turtle from the locals and reached an agreement.

Subsequently, Mr Khoa brought the sea turtle home and posted information about the discovery in a sea turtle conservation volunteer group on Facebook to seek community support for returning the turtle to the sea.

On May 15, the Tien Giang Department of Fisheries received the information. Upon verification, the sea turtle was identified as a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), weighing 6.2 kg and still alive, caught by fishermen at sea. The facility owner voluntarily handed the turtle over to wildlife conservation authorities for rescue, care, and nurturing. The authorities documented the handover to transfer the turtle to a conservation organization.

On the morning of May 19, the Tien Giang Department of Fisheries received the green sea turtle from Mr Tran Anh Khoa and brought it to the Dau Tieng Wildlife Conservation Station for care, nurturing, and release back into the sea as per regulations.

It is known that the green sea turtle is one of the rare sea turtle species listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Vietnam Red Data Book. It is a precious and endangered species that is prioritized for protection.