114 turtles, including striped turtles and box turtles, have been handed over to rangers by the Nam Son pagoda in Hoa Chau commune, Hoa Vang district. These turtles were voluntarily surrendered by the pagoda on April 25 and were living together in the lake at the temple, sunbathing under concrete pillars. The turtles had been released by people at the temple over the years, leading to a mix of species living in the lake.
The Hoa Vang Forest Ranger District received a total of 114 turtles from Nam Son Pagoda. The forest ranger department had urged the temple to hand over the turtles and contacted the nature protection center in Hanoi to assist in taking them to Cuc Phuong National Park. By relocating the turtles to Cuc Phuong National Park, researchers can study and classify their species, determine their habitat needs, and release them back into the wild where they can thrive.
Nam Son Pagoda is a popular destination in Da Nang that attracts many visitors and tourists who come to visit and pray. The temple grounds feature a large lake where people often release turtles and fish. However, due to the variety of species released into the lake, their habitat is not well-preserved. By relocating these endangered creatures to Cuc Phuong National Park, we hope that they will be able to find a safe haven where they can continue to live and breed freely without any interference from humans or other predators.
Overall, this move shows how important it is for communities around wildlife habitats to work together with conservation organizations and authorities to protect endangered species like these poor little turtles.