Running event slated for December to protect endangered turtles
The "Run for Turtles" 2023 is scheduled to take place in Bac Tu Liem district, Hanoi on December 3, according to the Environmental Education Centre (ENV).
The event is expected to draw more than 400 people from conservation organisations and businesses across the distances of 21km, 10km, 5km and 1km.
It aims to raise public awareness of the captivity, trade and release of Vietnamese freshwater and terrestrial turtles. Additionally, there is a commitment to refrain from engaging in illegal turtle trading and consumption, contributing to the protection of endangered and rare species that are currently on the brink of extinction.
Apart from five species of sea turtles, Vietnam is also home to 26 species of freshwater and terrestrial turtles, 23 of which are listed as endangered or critically endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List of Threatened Species. Among them, eight are strictly prohibited from exploitation and use for commercial purpose.
Proceeds from the event will be used to support conservation activities for freshwater and terrestrial turtles in Vietnam. Various interactive activities and exhibition will also transmit the message of protecting freshwater and terrestrial turtles.
