The Ha Tinh Forest Protection Department said on August 31 that its mobile forest ranger and firefighting unit had worked with authorities in Thanh Sen Ward to receive the turtle from a local resident.
Dinh Sy Bien found the turtle after it wandered into his garden. Realising it was a protected wild animal, he contacted authorities and voluntarily handed it over.
The turtle weighed about 2 kg and is classified as an endangered, rare species in Group IIB, with restrictions on exploitation and commercial use.
Forest rangers and local authorities later completed procedures to transfer the turtle to Vu Quang National Park for care before its release back into the wild.
