Hanoi takes measures to treat sacred turtle

The committee has assigned the Sword Lake Turtle Protection Steering Board to implement measures to approach and lead the turtle believed to be one of the only four of its kind in the world, to the foot of Thap Rua (Turtle Tower) to be contained in a specially-designed swimming pool for treatment and care.

The Sword Lake Turtle Treatment Council will be set up and international veterinarians specialising in turtle protection will be invited to become involved in the rescue project.

Together with all assigned tasks to be carried out as of February 26, relevant agencies will implement synchronous measures to treat the polluted water environment, seize alien red-eared tortoises turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) and use German technology to dredge mud in the lake.

Turtles are important in Vietnamese culture, particularly the Ho Guom turtle. It is considered holy because of a 15th-century legend that King Le Loi drove out invading Chinese with a magical sword which the gods gave him and he later returned by giving the sword to the lake's turtle.

The turtle could be up to 300 years old and may be the last of its kind in Hoan Kiem Lake.