Hanoi (VNA) – Rare Vietnamese marine turtles are critically threatened due to illegalhunting, despite the animals having the highest level of legal protection.
Leatherback turtles (Dermochelyscoriacea), green turtles (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricate) and loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) are all in danger, with the hawksbill themost severely depleted species, according to the Education for Nature – Vietnam(ENV).
Despite playing a crucial role in the ecologicalsystem, the number of hawksbill turtles has fallen by up to 80 percent mainlybecause of illegal hunting to take their shells to create handicrafts like jewellery.
Green sea turtles face a similar situation, withonly one out of 1,000 have a chance to survive to adulthood.
Statistics from ENV showed that on average, about 150,000 young green turtlesreturn to the ocean each year. The number of mature ones is estimated at a mere150 annually.
According to a study conducted by the International Union for Conservation ofNature, only about 10 green sea turtles give birth in beaches in Quang Ninh andQuang Binh provinces yearly. This species has not appeared in Son Tra peninsulain Da Nang citysince 2015.
Given the situation, a representative from the ENV said it is necessary to betterexecute legal regulations to protect rare marine turtles.
The prosecution of illegal traders and carriers of sea turtles and their eggs isone effective means to prevent violations.
At the same time, it is essential to raise public awareness of the protectionof sea turtles.
A large volume of sea turtles were arrested to make artworks at a facility in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province (Photo: ENV)
Under the amended and supplemented Penal Code 2015, hunting, catching, killing,rearing, caging, transporting and trading sea turtles and parts of their bodiesis punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison.
In September 2017, Con Dao became the first locality nationwide to launchcriminal proceedings in a case involving turtle eggs.
In June 2018, the People’s Court of Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province, gavefour years and six months imprisonment sentence to Hoang Tuan Hai on charges ofillegal collection and trade of more than 10 tonnes of sea turtles. The casewas uncovered in late 2014 with the largest volume of sea turtles seized in theworld.-VNA
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Green sea turtle (Photo: ENV) 
A large volume of sea turtles were arrested to make artworks at a facility in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province (Photo: ENV)
