On the 10th and 11th of September 2019, a joint effort by the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC), Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Centre, supported by Animals Asia, and Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW) led to a total of 120 endangered Big-headed Turtles (Platysternon megacephalum), critically endangered Indochinese Box Turtles (Cuora galbinifrons), and endangered Keeled Box Turtles (Cuora mouhotii) being released in a protected area in northern Vietnam. Those animals were confiscated in Quang Ninh province, Northern Vietnam, in May 2019. The turtles have all successfully undergone a period of rehabilitation at both Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) of Cuc Phuong National Park and the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Centre over the past four months.
We would like to thank the Quang Ninh provincial authorities for making the confiscation, and Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Centre and Turtle Conservation Centre for their tireless work, caring for the animals during their rehabilitation. Special thanks go to Save Vietnam’s Wildlife for their collaboration and support for this release.
We would also like to thank Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and our other donors that make the rescue, care 
and release of tortoises and freshwater turtles possible in Vietnam.
We hope that more joint releases like this will take place in future.
12th September 2019
Press release by: Nguyen Tai Thang – ATP/IMC
Photo gallery
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- One of the good streams selected by release team for our lucky Big-headed Turtles in this release. Photo by: Hoang Van Ha – ATP/IMC.
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- This Indochinese Box Turtle is enjoying a second chance in the wild following its ordeal in the wildlife trade before it as rescue. Photo by: Hoang Van Ha – ATP/IMC.
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- Luong Xuan Hong, the Director of Ha Noi Wildlife Rescue Centre, happily released one endangered Keeled Box Turtle back to the wild. Photo by: Hoang Van Ha – ATP/IMC
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- ATP’s Vietnam Programme Coordinator, Hoang Van Ha, is delighted to release these turtles and has been working hard with colleagues to make it happen! Photo by: ATP/IMC
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- Carrying a large number of turtles into deep jungle is definitely not an easy task for everyone who involved with this release. Photo by: Hoang Van Ha – ATP/IMC.
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- Carrying a large number of turtles into deep jungle is definitely not an easy task for everyone who involved with this release. Photo by: Hoang Van Ha – ATP/IMC.
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- This Indochinese Box Turtle is the oldest ever to be rehabilitated and released by our team, following confiscation. Photo by: Hoang Van Ha – ATP/IMC.
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