Binh Thuan: Launching the 2019 sea turtle conservation program (26-04-2019)
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Vietnam and Hon Cau Marine Protected Area (MPA) call for volunteers to participate in the Sea Turtle Conservation and Rescue Volunteer Program at Hon Cau MPA, Tuy Phong and Binh Thuan in the summer of 2019.
Deadline for submission of applications is on May 12, 2019. This program is promised to be the start of an exciting, knowledgeable and experiencing season for volunteers. If you are interested in preserving endangered animals, especially sea turtles and want to contribute to environmental protection activities in Vietnam, joining the Volunteer Sea Turtle Conservation Program by IUCN is a great chance. After participating in the program, the organizers hope that each volunteer will be an active "messenger" of marine turtle conservation in particular and marine conservation in general in their communities.
Tuy Phong sea area in general and Hon Cau island in particular is the nesting beach for sea turtles when it comes to breeding season. In 2013, the Hon Cau MPA Management Board discovered 10 individual turtles on the area of Hon Cau island bred and successfully protected the eggs. In 2014, the Management Board discovered 3 individuals of sea turtles to lay eggs; In 2015, there were 10 individuals on breeding grounds, and in 2016 there were 13 individuals of breeding turtles on Hon Cau island. Hon Cau island is also the traditional fishing ground of fishermen in Tuy Phong district. Although Hon Cau MPA Management Board has propagated, prevented and handled many cases of violation of protected areas, there are still cases of violation in the MPA, so when the turtles come to the breeding season, they are trapped in fishing nets. The marine turtle conservation program is organized to raise public awareness about the value and importance of marine conservation and conservation of marine turtles by providing opportunities for them to participate in patrols and protecting marine turtles at breeding ground in Hon Cau island; at the same time, training a team of knowledgeable and skilled volunteers, who can assist marine conservation staff in marine turtle conservation; on the other hand, strengthen communication capacity for marine protected areas. The breeding season for marine turtles in Vietnam lasts from April to October every year, in which from May to August is the time that the largest number of sea turtles lays eggs. Therefore, the volunteer program will be implemented from the end of May to the middle of August.
Huong Tra