Releasing a Sea Turtle Back into the Ocean
In recent days, a heartwarming story about love for nature and environmental conservation has been widely shared across various news outlets. It’s the tale of a rare sea turtle that was accidentally caught in a fishing net but was fortunately rescued and released back into the ocean by fishermen in Quang Nam province. This kind act not only demonstrates a love for wildlife but also contributes to the conservation of marine biodiversity.
On July 18th, while fishing about 10 nautical miles from the coast of Quang Nam, a group of fishermen discovered a leatherback turtle, measuring approximately 1.6 meters long and weighing nearly 200 kilograms, entangled in their net. It’s known that leatherback turtles are the largest sea turtles in the world and are listed as critically endangered species requiring strict protection.
Mr. Vo Cong Hau, one of the fishermen involved in the release, shared that thanks to the strong propaganda efforts of local authorities in Quang Nam regarding the protection of endangered species, especially sea turtles, local fishermen have always enthusiastically responded. Whenever a turtle is caught in a net, it is always released back into the ocean to live and reproduce.
The leatherback sea turtle, about 1.6 meters long and weighing nearly 200 kg, was caught in the net. (Photo: Natural Resources & Environment Newspaper)
Releasing the turtle back into the ocean not only helps protect wildlife but also sends a powerful message about environmental awareness and the protection of endangered species. They recognize that protecting endangered species is not only the responsibility of government agencies but also the responsibility of every individual.
Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are one of the largest sea turtles and can live for over 50 years. They can grow up to 2.5 meters long and weigh up to 900 kilograms. However, the global population of leatherback turtles is declining drastically due to threats from humans, such as hunting for their shells, meat, and eggs, as well as other environmental factors like plastic pollution and climate change.
