A section of Cham Island beach will be demarcated for turtle conservation (Photo: vietnamnet.vn) Quang Nam (VNA) - A 40sq.m beach and water area on Cham Island will be restored anddemarcated to protect and conserve the green turtle (Chelonia mydas)species.
A decision to this effect has been taken by themanagement board of the island’s Marine Protected Area (MPA).
Le Xuan Ai, a researcher, told VietnamNews that a scientific study will be undertaken in the area for threeyears (2017-2019) under the green turtle conservation project to ensureprolonged restoration of the endangered species.
Ai, who has 30 years of experience in studyingconservation of the turtle in the Con Dao Island National Park in Ba Ria-Vung Tauprovince, said the Cham Island MPA was the most favourable site in the central Vietnamfor the project.
“We are eyeing Bai Bac (north beach) of the ChamIsland for building a convenient site for turtles to lay and hatch eggs. Wewill offer in-situ and ex-situ conservation of the green turtle at the ChamIsland in co-operation with Con Dao National Park in coming years.
“Green turtle eggs will be taken from Con DaoIsland – where we’ve succeeded in conserving the turtle species for years – andhatched on beaches in Cham Island. Meanwhile, we’ll also restore a safe habitatfor turtles to lay eggs as they used to in previous decades, on the beaches ofcentral Vietnam,” he said.
He added that baby turtles (hatchlings) oftenreturn to the beach – where it was born and grew up – to lay eggs when itreaches maturity.
Ai said beaches in central coastal Vietnamincluding Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai were favoureddestinations for turtle reproduction, but rapid urban development, speedyconstruction of beach resorts and hotels as well as exploitation of seafood andpollution had destroyed their habitat.
He said coral reefs, safe and quite beaches andclean environment must be “seriously restored” to revive turtle populations incentral Vietnam.
He said the well-protected sea area of ChamIsland had optimum conditions for the turtle conservation project, includingstrict rules on species protection, fresh and quiet environment, as well aslimited human activities.
In 2014, a small colony of young coral reef wasfound growing back in the coastal area of Tam Hiep Islet – in Cham Island, 20kmoff the coast of Hoi An city.
According to the island’s MPA management board,the small polyped stony corals had reproduced young corals on a rock off thecoastal area in Bai Lang Port.
Biologists and scientists said the coral reefrevival was a result of effective protection of the environment in the area,including the non-use of plastic bags and the 3-R (reduce, reuse and recycle)programmes that began implementation in 2011.
Over 4,800 colonies of coral had grown on anarea of 4,000sq.m since 2012. According to Chu Manh Trinh, an expert, islandersgradually recognised the importance of protecting coral reefs in the sea area.
He said that local people have almost stoppeddumping garbage and nylon bags, creating a clean and safe environment for thecoral reef to grow again.
He added that this young coral reef is thebeginning of a reef ecosystem in the area.
The Cham Island, 20km off the coast of Hoi An city,is home to 1,500ha of tropical forests and 6,700ha of sea featuring a widerange of marine fauna and flora, including many endangered species such assalangane (swallows), the long-tailed monkey and the crab-eating macaque (Macacafascicularis).
The islands are also home to 1.26sq.km of coralreefs. The islands are the only location in Vietnam effectively promoting thenon-use of plastic bags and the 3-R (reduce, reuse and recycle) programmes.
The 3,000 inhabitants of the islands, whichinclude eight islets with vast ecological diversity, hosts around 100,000tourists annually, of which 10 per cent are foreigners.
Last year, the MPA of Cham Island and the Centreof Biodiversity Conservation, GreenViet, inked a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) on the protection of flora and fauna in the islands’ forests.
Under the MoU, a survey of the current flora andfauna will be carried out and a detailed database and biodiversity map coveringCham Island-Hoi An city – a world biosphere reserve recognised by UNESCO in2009 – will be set up.
Cham Island hosts around 100,000 touristsannually, 10 percent of whom are foreigners.-VNA
A decision to this effect has been taken by themanagement board of the island’s Marine Protected Area (MPA).
Le Xuan Ai, a researcher, told VietnamNews that a scientific study will be undertaken in the area for threeyears (2017-2019) under the green turtle conservation project to ensureprolonged restoration of the endangered species.
Ai, who has 30 years of experience in studyingconservation of the turtle in the Con Dao Island National Park in Ba Ria-Vung Tauprovince, said the Cham Island MPA was the most favourable site in the central Vietnamfor the project.
“We are eyeing Bai Bac (north beach) of the ChamIsland for building a convenient site for turtles to lay and hatch eggs. Wewill offer in-situ and ex-situ conservation of the green turtle at the ChamIsland in co-operation with Con Dao National Park in coming years.
“Green turtle eggs will be taken from Con DaoIsland – where we’ve succeeded in conserving the turtle species for years – andhatched on beaches in Cham Island. Meanwhile, we’ll also restore a safe habitatfor turtles to lay eggs as they used to in previous decades, on the beaches ofcentral Vietnam,” he said.
He added that baby turtles (hatchlings) oftenreturn to the beach – where it was born and grew up – to lay eggs when itreaches maturity.
Ai said beaches in central coastal Vietnamincluding Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai were favoureddestinations for turtle reproduction, but rapid urban development, speedyconstruction of beach resorts and hotels as well as exploitation of seafood andpollution had destroyed their habitat.
He said coral reefs, safe and quite beaches andclean environment must be “seriously restored” to revive turtle populations incentral Vietnam.
He said the well-protected sea area of ChamIsland had optimum conditions for the turtle conservation project, includingstrict rules on species protection, fresh and quiet environment, as well aslimited human activities.
In 2014, a small colony of young coral reef wasfound growing back in the coastal area of Tam Hiep Islet – in Cham Island, 20kmoff the coast of Hoi An city.
According to the island’s MPA management board,the small polyped stony corals had reproduced young corals on a rock off thecoastal area in Bai Lang Port.
Biologists and scientists said the coral reefrevival was a result of effective protection of the environment in the area,including the non-use of plastic bags and the 3-R (reduce, reuse and recycle)programmes that began implementation in 2011.
Over 4,800 colonies of coral had grown on anarea of 4,000sq.m since 2012. According to Chu Manh Trinh, an expert, islandersgradually recognised the importance of protecting coral reefs in the sea area.
He said that local people have almost stoppeddumping garbage and nylon bags, creating a clean and safe environment for thecoral reef to grow again.
He added that this young coral reef is thebeginning of a reef ecosystem in the area.
The Cham Island, 20km off the coast of Hoi An city,is home to 1,500ha of tropical forests and 6,700ha of sea featuring a widerange of marine fauna and flora, including many endangered species such assalangane (swallows), the long-tailed monkey and the crab-eating macaque (Macacafascicularis).
The islands are also home to 1.26sq.km of coralreefs. The islands are the only location in Vietnam effectively promoting thenon-use of plastic bags and the 3-R (reduce, reuse and recycle) programmes.
The 3,000 inhabitants of the islands, whichinclude eight islets with vast ecological diversity, hosts around 100,000tourists annually, of which 10 per cent are foreigners.
Last year, the MPA of Cham Island and the Centreof Biodiversity Conservation, GreenViet, inked a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) on the protection of flora and fauna in the islands’ forests.
Under the MoU, a survey of the current flora andfauna will be carried out and a detailed database and biodiversity map coveringCham Island-Hoi An city – a world biosphere reserve recognised by UNESCO in2009 – will be set up.
Cham Island hosts around 100,000 touristsannually, 10 percent of whom are foreigners.-VNA
VNA
