An agency in Nghe An province has succeeded in persuading a fisherman to release a very rare tortoise to the sea.

Black tortoise released on May 3

The all black turtle, which is 1.8-metres long and one-metre wide, weighing between 350 and 400 kilogrammes, was set free on May 3.

The fisherman, from Quynh Luu District’s Tien Thuy Commune, found the dark coloured turtle on May 1 on a beach where it had been washed ashore. Local people cooperated in catching the animal.

After some local wildlife agencies were informed they followed up on the situation, discovering that the turtle was a rare animal. Still, it took half a day of persuasion, and a promise of money for the fisherman to agree to release his find.

The sea around this area is home to a number of endangered species.

On January 3, a fisherman in Quynh Phuong Commune, in the same district, caught another enormous sea turtle while fishing. He handed the animal over to authorities, who released it into the sea.

Also, in April, 2010, fishermen in Quynh Lap Commune caught a 30.5-kg and 80-centimetre long “ocean sun” fish, or mola mola. They gave the fish to the Vietnam National Museum of Nature.

Turtle caught on January 3

Ocean sun fish