Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) haspublished documents in support of law enforcement officers to strengthenthe fight against illegal trading of tortoises and freshwater turtles.

The collection of guides, a joint work by the ENV, the Cuc PhuongTurtle Conservation Centre and the Asia Turtle Programme in Vietnam ,included electronic identification guides on native tortoises andfreshwater turtles and a short documentary film on dangers facingturtles in the wild due to rampant poaching and illegal trading.

Vietnam is home to 25 species of tortoises and freshwaterturtles, including some found only in the country.

Take a huge, soft-shell turtle scientifically termed as RafetusSwinhoei as an example. Only four individuals of the species are foundexisting in the world with two living in a Chinese zoo and two inVietnam , including one in the famous Hoan Kiem lake.

ENV reported that turtles in Vietnam and other Asian countries arelargely threatened to extinction by an increasing demand in Chinafor tonics and medicines.

The number of wild tortoises and turtles in Vietnam has been sharplydropping since 1990 as tonnes of the huge reptile are being traffickedinto China daily.

Vietnam has red-listed six species of turtle as criticallyendangered and in need of special protection.

ENV was established in 2000 and was the first local non-Governmentalorganisation in environmental education. Its key goal is to increasepublic awareness on the need for natural and environmental protection./.