Authorities in Gia Lai Province have received a rare yellow-headed tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) after a local resident voluntarily surrendered the protected wild animal.
On July 28, police in Ia Ly Commune, working with local forest rangers, took custody of the tortoise following its handover by a resident.
Earlier, while working on farmland in Ia Lam Village, Hoang Thi Phuong, 58, discovered the tortoise, which weighed about 3kg and measured approximately 30cm in length.
Recognising that it was a protected wild species, she contacted Ia Ly Commune Police and voluntarily handed the animal over to the authorities.
Police and forest rangers subsequently inspected the tortoise, verified the circumstances of the discovery and completed the required procedures in accordance with regulations.
The yellow-headed tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) is listed as a Group IIB endangered, rare and precious forest species under Vietnamese law, making it a protected wild animal.
After completing the necessary procedures, authorities will care for the tortoise, assess its health and release it back into its natural habitat once it is deemed fit for survival in the wild.
