Vietnam’s renowned ‘turtle scholar’ Ha Dinh Duc passes away at 86

Duc died at 4:45 am at Huu Nghi Hospital in Hanoi, according to family members.

His son, Ha Dinh Long, announced the news on social media, saying his father had “passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones” and describing his life as “simple, meaningful, and well lived.”

Speaking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Duc’s daughter-in-law Nguyen Lam Phuong said the veteran scientist had suffered a stroke several months ago and had also been battling respiratory complications and a liver tumor.

He had been hospitalized for more than two months, including 50 days in intensive care and about two weeks in the respiratory and allergy department.

“Despite his serious illness, he passed away very peacefully,” Phuong said.

“Before his death, he was able to meet all of his children, grandchildren, and siblings.”

Beyond his achievements in academia, family members remembered Duc as a gentle and approachable man whose passion for turtles extended far beyond his professional work.

“At home, he could talk about turtles all day,” Phuong recalled.

“If someone sat down to discuss turtles with him, the conversation could continue for hours.”

Born in 1940, Duc was a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Biology under the University of Science, part of Vietnam National University-Hanoi.

Throughout his career, he contributed to a wide range of scientific, environmental, and cultural initiatives in the capital.

He was a member of the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment, the Hanoi Biological Sciences Association, and several research groups focusing on Hanoi’s history and culture.

However, he was most widely recognized for his pioneering studies of Hoan Kiem Lake’s giant turtle, a creature closely associated with one of Vietnam’s most enduring legends.

Beginning his research in 1991, Duc became one of the earliest scientists to systematically document and study the turtle.

He later completed six state-level research projects related to Hoan Kiem Lake and authored around 200 articles on the subject, earning him the nickname “the turtle scholar.”

His contributions to Hanoi extended beyond biology.

Duc proposed the idea of establishing the city’s Kilometer Zero marker at Hoan Kiem Lake and advocated a number of cultural preservation initiatives, including the restoration of sites associated with King Le Thai To and commemorative activities marking Hanoi’s 1,000th anniversary.

In recognition of his contributions to education and society, Duc was awarded the title of Meritorious Teacher in 2010.

He also received numerous commendations from Hanoi authorities and was twice honored with the city’s “Good People, Good Deeds” award.

In 2012, he was named one of Hanoi’s 10 outstanding citizens, a distinction recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the Vietnamese capital.