>> Experts discuss ways to save Hanoi’s legendary turtle
>> Protecting Hoan Kiem’s famed soft-shell turtle
Hanoi set up a taskforce to protect the rare soft shell turtle in Hoan Kiem Lake on February 17.
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| The old turtle shows his head |
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| Some water pipes in the lake have been causing trouble for the turtle to move |
The taskforce, led by Nguyen Van Khoi, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, will be responsible for treating the injuries of the soft shell turtle, or Cụ Rùa, along with the problem of lake pollution.
The priorities of the group will be on the degradation of the lake bed and catching red-eared turtles, which threaten the turtle’s habitat.
The committee has also asked the departments of Science and Technology, Construction, and Agriculture and Rural Development to form interdisciplinary team to solve the problem of red-eared turtles, an invasive species. The Department of Science and Technology is assigned to gather public opinion on how to deal with these issues.
In addition the city will repair dykes around Hoan Kiem Lake and move the current waste treatment system. This system has pipes on the surface of the lake and may cause the turtle harm by swimming into it. This will be replaced by a system underneath the lake’s bed.
Additionally, guards will tighten control around the lake to prevent people from releasing red-eared turtles into the lake and mitigate crowds who gather to see the turtle.
At a recent seminar, many local and foreign experts urged the city to save the legendary turtle, which has been harmed fishing hooks and pollution.
Dr. Ha Dinh Duc, who has been doing research on the ancient turtle for over 20 years, said the turtle was spotted 14 times in January.
This turtle, Cụ Rùa, is very important in Vietnamese culture. It is reclusive and rare and considered holy because of a legend dating from the 15th century. According to legend, King Le Loi drove out invading Chinese with a magical sword, which the gods gave to him. He later returned it to the lake by giving it to the turtle. The name of the lake, Hoan Kiem, is derived from this story.
