(VNF) - 900 baby marine turtles have been returned to the sea in the last five months, the maritime protection pision of the Nui Chua National Park in south central Ninh Thuan Province said.

The turtles belong to the green sea, hawksbill and loggerhead turtle species, which are facing high risk of extinction.

The park’s Ngang beach and Thit beach are the only inland areas, and the second area in Vietnam where maritime turtles come to lay eggs during the breeding season, apart from the Con Dao National Park.

Some 70 turtles have built 21 egg nests and laid some 1,400 eggs in the area since the beginning of June.

Baby maritime turtles are raised in Nui Chua National Park’s artificial zone until they are well enough to be returned to the sea. (Photo: Nguyen Thanh/VNA)

Pham Anh Dung, deputy head of the pision, said this was the highest number of turtles laying eggs in the area in the last five years due to this year’s early rainfall and sufficient humidity.

The park’s staff regularly examined and supported the turtles during their nesting time.

In June, the park established a semi-artificial maritime turtle rescue zone to rescue, provide treatment, recover and raise maritime turtles that had been caught by fishermen and held captive before returning them to the sea.

The maritime turtle protection project by the park in the 2008-15 periods rescued and returned some 6,000 baby turtles to the sea. It also provided medical treatment for 25 injured mature turtles.

Nui Chua National Park is located in Ninh Thuan Province, with a total natural area of ​​29,865 hectares, including mainland area and marine area. Nui Chua National Park is is one of six national Parks with both mainland area and marine area. Therefore, Nui Chua National Park has not only the value of forest resources conservation but also the value of marine resource conservation./.

( Compiled by VNF )