VietNamNet Bridge – Phong Nha Ke National Park in the central province of Quang Binh has announced the release of six rare mammals and two turtles.

Keeled box turtles (Pyxidea mouhotii). —  Photo arkive.org

The mammals included one stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides) and one Assam macaque (Macaca assamensis), listed as threatened and near threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Four Asian palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) on the IUCN's list of least concern were also released.

According to the park's director, Le Thanh Tinh, the animals were set free last Friday along with two keeled box turtles (Pyxidea mouhotii), which are also listed as threatened species.

Tinh said the animals had been captured and caged at local home farms. Park authorities voluntarily transferred the animals to a care centre, before releasing them into the wild.

Assam macaque (Macaca assamensis). — Photo arkive.org

On the same day, a hawksbill turtle weighing three kilograms was returned to the ocean today under the authority of Quan Lan Commune in Quang Ninh Province's Van Don District.

Nguyen Duy Tuan, a resident of the commune, had caught the hawksbill turtle locally, in the sea. Tuan had then transferred the animal to the local authorities.

The hawksbill turtle is one of the seven wild sea turtle species listed in the world and Viet Nam's redbook.

VNS