KHÁNH HÒA -- Since April, Núi Chúa National Park, part of the Núi Chúa World Biosphere Reserve in Khánh Hòa Province, has successfully rescued and released 1,301 baby turtles into the sea.
The event represents the park's commitment to conserving endangered sea turtle populations nesting on Việt Nam's mainland beaches.
From April to date, 57 female turtles have been recorded coming ashore at beaches within the park to search for nesting sites, with 30 successfully laying eggs. Of these, 16 nests have hatched with 1,631 eggs, while 14 nests are still being monitored.
Rescue teams and volunteers have successfully released 1,301 hatchlings, mainly of the endangered green turtle species, which is listed in both Việt Nam's Red Data Book and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
According to Trần Văn Tiếp, director of the Núi Chúa-Phước Bình National Park Management Board, Núi Chúa remains one of the few mainland sites in Việt Nam where sea turtle populations return to nest each year.
To protect this rare species, the park is implementing a series of comprehensive conservation measures to safeguard turtle populations, habitats, and other endangered marine life.
The park has set up strict protection zones at nesting beaches, built conservation stations, and formed volunteer groups consisting of local residents and hundreds of young people from across the country.
In collaboration with scientific organisations, the park has also enhanced training in turtle rescue and care for staff and volunteers.
Alongside conservation efforts, awareness-raising campaigns are being intensified among fishing communities, encouraging them to report nesting turtles or stranded individuals to rescue teams.
A nationwide network for receiving live turtles has also been established, enabling their treatment, rehabilitation, and training before release back into the wild.
Education and outreach activities targeting students, tourists, and local communities are being actively carried out to highlight the importance of sea turtle conservation.
Statistics show that between 2014 and early October 2025, Núi Chúa National Park recorded 585 female turtles coming ashore to nest, 203 successful nests, and a total of 12,749 hatchlings released safely into the sea. -- VNA/VNS