80-year-old sea turtle weighing over 50kg found dead on north-central Vietnam beach

Police in Ben Hai Commune, Quang Tri Province, said on Saturday morning that authorities and local residents had buried the dead turtle to ensure environmental sanitation.

At around 7:00 am that day, residents spotted the turtle washed ashore at Trung Giang Beach.

After receiving the report, Ben Hai Commune police coordinated with local authorities to inspect the scene and agree on how to handle the animal.

The forces mobilized vehicles and personnel to transport the turtle to a burial site.

Earlier, on October 28, Phan Van Trieu, a local resident, found a hawksbill turtle caught in a fishing net and washed ashore.

Police then coordinated with local authorities as well as local residents to rescue the turtle and release it back into the wild.

Ben Hai Commune police advised residents not to illegally hunt, trap, capture, transport, keep or trade wild animals, particularly endangered and rare species.

When they find rare marine animals caught in fishing nets or washed ashore, residents should immediately notify the authorities so that appropriate guidance and rescue measures can be provided, helping protect biodiversity and marine ecosystems.