The Turtle Conservation Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought numerous changes and challenges to life all over the world and this is no less true than for the countless wildlife conservation projects that operate globally. At the start of the pandemic, illegal hunting and trade of wildlife was predicted to slow in response to the news that the virus most likely originated from wet markets with many different species crowded together. However, the number of animals we are seeing in the trade is still high and these threats continue to put pressure on wild populations and threaten endangered species, in particular tortoises and freshwater turtles. In Vietnam, the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC) has been working closely with Cuc Phuong National Park to operate Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) safely and efficiently during this difficult period.

Let's learn more about the intensive rescue, care, conservation breeding, release as well as enclosure improvements at the TCC during the period.

New publication on the hunting and trade of Big-headed Turtles in two protected areas in northern Vietnam

On the 10^th of August, 2021, a new paper from the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo Myanmar Conservation (IMC) team and its partners was published in Herpetology Notes, presenting the findings of a Big-headed Turtle threat assessment in northern Vietnam. This publication is a part of the EDGE of Existence Program Fellowship of the ATP/IMC team, led by Ha Hoang, as well as a broader project aimed to assess release strategies for confiscated Big-headed Turtles (Platysternon megacephalum) in Vietnam. This is even more important now that this species has been upgraded to Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List in 2021.

Art contest raises public awareness on turtle conservation

On the 21^st of June 2021, the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC) in collaboration with People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature) and Humane Society International Viet Nam (HSI in Viet Nam) launched an art contest titled "Let’s Save Turtles" to create a platform for sharing knowledge and raising awareness of turtle species, their roles in ecosystems and threats to their existence. Participants were invited to submit original art pieces, both hand-crafted and digital, which centre around turtle conservation.

Vietnam's frog hotspot reveals another new species of leaf-litter frog

In August 2021, we welcomed the scientific recognition of another new member of the Leptobrachella genus, the Mount Pu Ta Leng Leaf-litter Frog (Leptobrachella graminicola). These tiny brown frogs, at only 2-3 cm in body length, have only been observed in a small stream at over 2,300m a.s.l. within the mountainous forest on Vietnam’s Mount Pu Ta Leng, located within the Hoang Lien range.

Both names given to the species denote an aspect of the habitat in which it was found; the common name, the Mount Pu Ta Leng Leaf-litter Frog, is clearly a reference to the mountain. The scientific name, Leptobrachella graminicola, refers to the grassy microhabitat each individual was observed in.

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