Con Dao preserves sea turtles and develops ecotourism

Conservation work at Con Dao National Park has become a model, contributing to saving the lives of millions of baby turtles and making Con Dao a member of the sea turtle conservation network.

Con Dao National Park, located in Con Dao Special Zone, Ho Chi Minh City, has long been known as one of the most important breeding sites for sea turtles in Vietnam, accounting for 90% of the number of turtles laying eggs nationwide.

Conservation work here has become a model, contributing to saving the lives of millions of baby turtles and making Con Dao a member of the Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean sea turtle conservation network.

Safe "home" for sea turtles

The importance of Con Dao in sea turtle conservation is clearly demonstrated by the large number of mother turtles returning here each year.

According to the Management Board of Con Dao National Park, in the first 6 months of 2025, 553 nests of turtles laying eggs with a total of 54,212 eggs were successfully rescued and relocated; of which, for the first time, a Pineapple Turtle was discovered on the egg-laying beach at Dat Doc beach, the nest collected 98 eggs.

In addition, Con Dao National Park rescued two sea turtles caught in nets drifting onto the beaches.

Previously, the project to relocate and rescue eggs and baby turtles to restore the sea turtle population in Con Dao against the impact of climate change was implemented in 2019 and has been maintained to date with many positive results.

Turtles come to the nesting ground at Hon Bay Canh, Con Dao National Park. (Photo: VNA)

Specifically, the project has successfully rescued more than 13,600 sea turtle egg nests, hatched and released 948,820 baby turtles into the sea under control, and tagged 2,007 mother turtles that came to the beach to nest and lay eggs.

At the same time, the project rescued 9 sea turtles caught in nets drifting onto beaches; inspected and buried 65 endangered and rare animals that died drifting onto beaches, including 4 Dugongs and 61 sea turtles; and processed 2 Dugongs and 2 sea turtles.

Within the framework of the project, Con Dao National Park has coordinated with Con Dao Resort Limited Liability Company to implement a plan to restore and conserve the turtle nesting ground at Dat Doc. Thereby, from 2021 to now, at Dat Doc beach, 13 mother turtles have successfully laid 1,443 eggs.

The unit also relocated 464 turtle nests from far-away nesting grounds to the incubation pond at Dat Doc beach, resulting in hatching and releasing more than 29,000 baby turtles into the sea.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tra, Deputy Head of the Department of Conservation and International Cooperation - Con Dao National Park Management Board, said that deeply aware of the importance of protecting the habitat of spawning and hatching turtles to release them into the natural environment, Con Dao National Park has identified three main pillars: in-situ protection, scientific research and international cooperation, raising public awareness in the work of conservation and protection of sea turtles.

Turtle egg nests were collected, counted and moved to an artificial incubation lake by staff at Hon Bay Canh Nature Management, Protection and Conservation Station. (Photo: Huynh Son/VNA)

In addition, the forces of the Nature Management, Protection and Conservation Stations continue to be the core in protecting the sea turtle's egg-laying habitat, and coordinate with volunteer forces to conduct 24/7 patrols during the peak turtle breeding season (from April to October every year) at 18 nesting grounds, to ensure that 100% of egg nests are detected and relocated to safe incubation ponds, avoiding negative impacts from tides and natural enemies.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Tra, in the coming time, Con Dao National Park will continue to strengthen cooperation with prestigious conservation organizations at home and abroad to exchange experiences, receive technology transfer and advanced conservation techniques, thereby effectively implementing conservation work and maintaining good habitats, ensuring the growth of sea turtles, and at the same time coordinate with IUCN Vietnam to implement the sea turtle volunteer program in 2025.

Developing tourism experiences to watch turtles lay eggs

Along with the work of preserving and protecting sea turtles, in recent years, Con Dao National Park has coordinated with functional agencies and travel companies to organize experiential tourism activities, watching turtles lay eggs with strict and safe procedures.

According to the Department of Ecotourism and Environmental Protection - Con Dao National Park Management Board, in the first 6 months of 2025, the number of visitors to Con Dao National Park reached over 22,000, of which nearly 3,000 visitors used ecotourism services.

A mother turtle weighing nearly 150kg came to lay eggs at Bai Cat Lon-Hon Bay Canh, Con Dao National Park. (Photo: Huynh Son/VNA)

Ecotourism to see turtles laying eggs is a unique product. The number of tourists participating in each tour will be limited, ensuring strict compliance with regulations on silence, no use of flash lights and keeping a safe distance to ensure that the mother turtles come to the egg-laying area and do not leave the egg-laying area to move elsewhere.

According to ecological experts, Con Dao National Park is the first national park and one of the two earliest recognized marine reserves in Vietnam on a global scale.

The combination of conservation, ecotourism and infrastructure improvement will help Con Dao National Park in particular and Con Dao Special Economic Zone in general become an attractive destination, both with profound historical significance and bringing unique experiences to visitors.

To promote conservation work in conjunction with tourism exploitation, Mr. Nguyen Van Nga, Head of the Department of Ecotourism and Environmental Protection - Con Dao National Park Management Board, said that ecotourism with turtles laying eggs is a unique product, but must be strictly managed.

Currently, the Department of Tourism is implementing a plan to develop eco-tourism products and services; implementing a program to experience nature conservation at Con Dao National Park in conjunction with environmental education programs being promoted in schools in Con Dao Special Zone.

The Park's environmental education center will be upgraded to become an attractive destination, providing visual and vivid information about the value of sea turtles and Con Dao biodiversity.

Along with that, according to Mr. Nguyen Van Nga, the sea turtle conservation volunteer program will continue to be expanded, attracting the participation of young people and nature lovers across the country. Thereby, the program identifies sea turtle conservation as not only the responsibility of Con Dao National Park but also a common mission of the whole community./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/con-dao-bao-ton-rua-bien-phat-trien-du-lich-sinh-thai-post1048930.vnp