Authorities in the central Nghe An Province are trying to persuade a local fisherman to release a giant endangered green turtle he caught last Monday back into the sea.
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| The 70-kilogram green turtle. |
Le Tien Lieu of Quynh Luu District had netted the 70-kilogram reptile while fishing off the coast of Quynh Phuong Commune.
Curious crowds flocked to his house to see the turtle which they said was the biggest they have ever seen. One man offered VND30 million (US$1,500) to buy the animal.
The provincial Department for Protection of Aquatic Resources said Lieu has not agreed to release the turtle back into the sea and wants a sum of money.
The Department has reported to higher authorities.
The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
It is among five species of marine turtles found in Vietnamese waters, the others being the leatherback, hawksbill, loggerhead, and Olive Ridley.
The largest nesting site for green turtles in the country is at Con Dao National Park on the island of the same name.
