Based in Northern Vietnam, Cuc Phuong National Park is home to the Asian Turtle Program’s Turtle Conservation Center (TCC). The TCC was established in 1998 as a rescue and holding centre for tortoises and freshwater turtles which were confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade. Today, the centre includes specialised breeding and holding facilities for 22 of Vietnam’s 26 native tortoise and turtle species. A breeding programme for the Vietnamese Pond Turtle has been underway at the TCC for several years, with animals confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade. The TCC is now caring for a group of over 900 Vietnamese Pond Turtles, most of which were born at the centre.

The Vietnamese Pond Turtle is listed as Critically Endangered under the IUCN Red List and is not known to occur in any protected areas in Vietnam. The species has suffered a 99% reduction in their population size over the last 50 years, primarily due to poaching for sale into the international wildlife trade. Like most species, the Vietnamese pond turtle is also threatened by habitat loss. Today the species is believed to persist only in tiny pockets of suitable habitat.

The Vietnamese Pond Turtle population at the TCC is incredibly important to the continued survival of the species, and can be used for future reintroduction projects. The Asian Turtle Program is working hard to identify suitable habitats for the future reintroduction of Vietnamese Pond Turtles, where they will be protected from poaching. To achieve this, they have been undertaking field surveys, and using eDNA (environmental DNA), to find the last remaining populations of wild Vietnamese Pond Turtles.

The TCC is also committed to raising public awareness about the plight of Vietnam’s turtles. Visitors to Cuc Phuong National Park can visit the TCC and view incubation rooms and outdoor enclosures. Since 2005, the TCC has also hosted the annual Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Field Skill Training Course for university students and rangers from Vietnam. To date, over 150 students from universities and colleges have taken part.