10:54 AM
Trung
In a first-ever attempt to catch and cure the age-old turtle in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake yesterday, a net custom-made to trap the sacred animal ‘suddenly’ was torn, letting the animal swim away.
And that was the first time the Vietnamese government ever did something concrete to save the animal - believed to be in extremely poor health due to pollution at the famous lake.
At the meeting yesterday, the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has admitted its mistakes in using a poor-quality net to trap the turtle.
The department said they didn’t know about the quality of the net because they just bought it for the first time from the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Products in the northern city of Hai Phong, an agency specialized in catching marine creatures.
Hanoi has now entrusted KAT Commercial Corporation with producing a new net.
“The new net is five times bigger than old one. KAT is expected to finish it within three days starting March 9,” said Khoi.
When asked why 36 amateur workers from local civil defense forces were mobilized to capture the turtle, Khoi explained that he needed more people due to mud and a heavy net.
According to initial plan, only 20 workers hailing from KAT are responsible for catching and moving the turtle into the Turtle Tower for treatment.
Dr. Nguyen Viet Vinh, an aquatic expert, said it’s very difficult to catch the turtle again after the first failed attempt, however Khoi believed in success the next time.
“We will do everything to save “cụ rùa”. He plays an important role in our spiritual life,” said a member of the rescue team.
Hanoians and the press call the turtle in question “cụ rùa”, literally translated as the great grandparent turtle as it is believed to be hundreds of years old although no one knows the turtle's age or gender.
The turtle is among the last four of its kind - the Rafeteus swinhoei – left in the world: two are being kept in a zoo in China and the remaining one in another location in Vietnam.
As quoted by AP, Douglas Hendrie, technical adviser for nonprofit Education for Nature Vietnam and founder of the Asian Turtle Program, said that turtle experts estimate it is probably between 80 and 100-plus years old. They also believe it is probably the most endangered freshwater turtle species in the world.
And that was the first time the Vietnamese government ever did something concrete to save the animal - believed to be in extremely poor health due to pollution at the famous lake.
At the meeting yesterday, the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has admitted its mistakes in using a poor-quality net to trap the turtle.
The department said they didn’t know about the quality of the net because they just bought it for the first time from the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Products in the northern city of Hai Phong, an agency specialized in catching marine creatures.
Hanoi has now entrusted KAT Commercial Corporation with producing a new net.
“The new net is five times bigger than old one. KAT is expected to finish it within three days starting March 9,” said Khoi.
When asked why 36 amateur workers from local civil defense forces were mobilized to capture the turtle, Khoi explained that he needed more people due to mud and a heavy net.
According to initial plan, only 20 workers hailing from KAT are responsible for catching and moving the turtle into the Turtle Tower for treatment.
Dr. Nguyen Viet Vinh, an aquatic expert, said it’s very difficult to catch the turtle again after the first failed attempt, however Khoi believed in success the next time.
“We will do everything to save “cụ rùa”. He plays an important role in our spiritual life,” said a member of the rescue team.
Hanoians and the press call the turtle in question “cụ rùa”, literally translated as the great grandparent turtle as it is believed to be hundreds of years old although no one knows the turtle's age or gender.
The turtle is among the last four of its kind - the Rafeteus swinhoei – left in the world: two are being kept in a zoo in China and the remaining one in another location in Vietnam.
As quoted by AP, Douglas Hendrie, technical adviser for nonprofit Education for Nature Vietnam and founder of the Asian Turtle Program, said that turtle experts estimate it is probably between 80 and 100-plus years old. They also believe it is probably the most endangered freshwater turtle species in the world.
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