About the Asian Turtle Program

The Asian Turtle Program (ATP) was established in 1998 and incorporated into the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo/Cleveland Zoological Society’s Asia regional program in 2003. Since the ATP originated with the development of the Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) at Cuc Phuong National Park together with our local partner NGO, Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV), we have been working on the conservation of tortoises and freshwater turtles (TFT) in southeast Asia with a focus on Vietnam’s priority species including critically endangered and endemic species of greatest conservation concern, such as the endemic Vietnamese Pond Turtle (Mauremys annamensis), Indochinese Box Turtles (Cuora bourreti) and (Cuora picturata) in central Vietnam; and the legendary Hoan Kiem Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) also known as Swinhoe’s Softshell Turtle in northern Vietnam, largely recognised as the most endangered turtle species in the world. With the aim of establishing a safe and sustainable future for Asian turtles, and ensuring that no further turtle species become extinct in the region, we implement strategic interventions that directly contribute to the conservation of Asian turtles, helping to ensure efficient use of limited resources, as well as developing capacity, strengthening leadership, and ultimately effecting positive attitudinal and behavioural change within society. Various prominent events and activities have taken place in Vietnam including enforcement training for forest rangers, raising public awareness about the importance of protecting Vietnam’s turtles, conducting conservation-focused research, and building the next generation of young scientists and professionals with expertise in Vietnam’s turtles.

In March 2015, ATP has been incorporated into Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC), a not-for-profit corporation established as an NGO under Companies House and received its registered Charity Commission number in 2008 in London, United Kingdom and its Certificated of Registration No. 299/CNV-HD granted by Ministry of Foreign Affair of Vietnam in 2015. IMC was established to meet the need in the Indo-Myanmar Region, including Vietnam, Cambodia. Lao PDR, Thailand, and Myanmar, for a conservation organization with a species focused research and community focused approach to achieve successful conservation. The incorporation of the ATP into IMC will support and strengthen a decade of practical tortoise and freshwater turtle conservation experience including captive management, field research and awareness and community engagement. Beside a focus of conservation work on TFT, the skills available within IMC will allow greater scope for work in additional fields for example additional taxa, alternative livelihoods in the near future.

The ATP/IMC would like to thank all of our partner and donor organisations for your  kind and generous support to us during the time. If you would like to contribute to the ATP/IMC please visit our support page or contact us at support@asianturtleprogram.org