Turtle Conservation Center - Vietnam

Turtle Conservation Center and Education for Nature Vietnam

 

Vietnam is home to a large number of critically endangered species, including some of the world’s most threatened primates, turtles and tortoises.  Vietnam’s Cuc Phuong National Park, the first created in the country, serves as home to the Endangered Primate Rescue Center (EPRC), Small Carnivore Conservation Centre and the Turtle Conservation Center.

 

The Cuc Phuong TurtleConservation Center (TCC) was established in 1998 by Fauna and Flora International. Transferred to park management at the end of 2001, the TCC serves as the flagship for efforts in Vietnam to conserve turtles. The TCC is involved in a range of conservation activities including establishment of assurance populations for five priority species, raising awareness, training of enforcement officers, research, and building interest and expertise, particularly amongst students in research and conservation of Chelonians.

 

In addition to utilizing the center as a resource for educational activities and raising public awareness, a major focus of the TCC’s program involves training of wildlife protection officers. Wildlife protection authorities from more than 35 provinces have received specialized training focused on the introducing front-line officers to the basic ecology of turtles and the critical threat to their survival resulting from the turtle trade in Vietnam. These training workshops also focus on building turtle identification skills amongst front-line enforcement officers.

 

Efforts at Cuc Phuong focus on rescue, captive breeding, reintroduction, the training of law enforcement officials, and raising public awareness regarding the growing threats to Asian wildlife, e.g., exploitation for bushmeat and traditional medicines.  The Houston Zoo has provided support for all of the above programs and also serves as a repository for turtles and turtles confiscated from the illegal trade.