Vietnam scrambles to save Hanoi's sacred turtle
A rare Swinhoe's soft-shelled turtle swims in Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Hoan Kiem turtle is rooted in Vietnamese folklore and some believe the turtle in the lake today is the same mythical turtle. -- PHOTO: AP
HANOI - HUNDREDS of people are working around the clock to clean up a lake in the heart of Vietnam's capital in hopes of saving a rare, ailing giant turtle that is considered sacred.
Experts say pollution at Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake is killing the giant freshwater turtle, which has a soft shell the size of a desk.
It is one of the world's most-endangered species, with only four believed alive worldwide.
Teams of people are cleaning debris, pumping fresh water into the lake and building an artificial island to serve as a 'turtle hospital.' The rescuers may even try to net the beast for the first time as part of the effort.
The Hoan Kiem turtle is rooted in Vietnamese folklore, and some even believe the creature that lives in the lake today is the same mythical turtle that helped a Vietnamese king fend off the Chinese nearly six centuries ago.
The creature in Hanoi's lake swims alone and in the past has been glimpsed only rarely sticking its wrinkled neck out of the water. -- AP
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