VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam should immediately invite leading international experts on turtles and veterinary medicine to participate in catching and curing the ancient turtle at Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake, Vietnamese and foreign experts have advised.

Douglas Hendrie, an American expert on turtles, who has been in Vietnam for 14 years, said that the Hoan Kiem turtle’s health is seriously threatened by three factors: wounds, age and water pollution. The scientist who is an advisor for the Education of Nature Vietnam (ENV) noted that Vietnam should invite top international experts to treat the turtle.

Timothy McCormack, coordinator of the Asian Turtle Program, conducted a survey at Hoan Kiem Lake last week, said that he was impressed by Hanoi’s quick action to clean up the lake and it is good to bring the turtle ashore for treatment.

Leading foreign experts in Singapore on February 24 sent their urgent recommendations on catching and treating the ancient turtle to Vietnam but they have not received Vietnam’s detailed plan on the turtle’s treatment.

Many foreign experts expressed worries over Hanoi’s plan to save the legendary turtle. Doctor of veterinary medicine Nimal Fernando from Hong Kong told Tien Phong Newspaper that he presented a detailed plan to assist the turtle at the Hanoi Department of Science and Technology’s workshop on February 15.

He warned: “Hanoi should not simplify the treatment process. I’m willing to come to Vietnam to join the treatment, if I’m invited. But I have not received any official invitation”.

Zoological expert Vu Ngoc Thanh from the Hanoi-based University for Natural Sciences noted: “At that time, we should not focus on proving the qualification of local scientists because the life of the Hoan Kiem turtle is extremely important. We should have invited foreign experts to participate in the treatment from the beginning”.

Thanh, who has been researching zoology and reptiles for 30 years, confirmed that China has many high-grade veterinary experts but they still invited Dr. Nimal Fernando to treat two Hoan Kiem turtles in China.

Timothy McCormack told Tien Phong that Vietnam has not invited any foreign experts to be involved in saving the ancient turtle.

“The turtle is very old and weak now and he may die even with the best veterinary intervention. I hope to see a positive result and this is the chance to think of how to preserve the race of the Hoan Kiem turtle as a national treasure,” he said.

In Vietnam, two senior international veterinary experts are willing to join the campaign. They are Daniela Schrudde D.V.M., director of the project to preserve Cat Ba langurs, and Dr. Ulrike Streicher, veterinary expert on wild animals.