Hoan Kiem Turtle

[FrKadash]

I love this guy, and thought he deserved a dedicated thread. I was very pleased to read this report that he was spotted recently.

''On New Year’s Day, 1st January 2015, the legendary Hoan Kiem Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) was seen surfacing for over to two hours between 11:00 - 13:30hrs at the turtle island in the lake. In Vietnam, the large turtle is considered sacred and seeing the animal is supposed to bring good fortune and be a positive occurrence. But the animal also highlights the plight of the species being one of only four living examples of this incredibly threatened species known in the world.''

''Hoan Kiem Rafetus surfaced on New Year's Day, 1st of January 2015, Photo by Ha Dinh Duc''

http://www.asianturtleprogram.org/p..._swinhoei2015/update_on_rafetus_swinhoei.html

 

[Krepostnoi]

Wow, I didn't know he (or she) counted as a cryptid. I've actually seen the beast in question, although it didn't surface, and while I didn't notice subsequent good fortune, it was indisputably a positive experience.

I also saw the only hummingbird I have ever seen outside an aviary over that same lake. Not on the same occasion, though.

 

[FrKadash]

Some very sad news today

Hanoi's Beloved Hoan Kiem Turtle Has Died
Published on Wednesday, 20 January 2016 11:30
Written by Saigoneer.
Hanoi's beloved Hoan Kiem turtle was found dead yesterday afternoon, much to the sorrow of the capital's residents.
Hoan Kiem management officials found the turtle floating in the downtown lake around 4:30pm near Le Thai To Street, according to Tuoi Tre. The endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle was one of only four of its kind left in the world, reports VietnamNet, with one of the surviving creatures in Hanoi's Dong Mo Lake and the other two in China.

http://saigoneer.com/vietnam-news/6171-hanoi-s-beloved-hoan-kiem-turtle-has-died

 

[Krepostnoi]

Can't "like" that, but thank you for sharing the news. Very sad.

 

[Frideswide]

Yes, thank you for saying

 

[Krepostnoi]

The Hoan Kiem turtle has returned. But, sadly, only in the same way that Ho Chi Minh returned.

Visitors welcomed the turtle’s resurrection at the popular Ngoc Son temple on Hoàn Kiếm, where the 170kg (375lb) creature was put on display last week, sitting atop a red carpet in a glass case with an ornately carved wooden frame.

 

[lordmongrove]

Near extinct giant softshell captured. At last some good news from 2020. https://asianturtleprogram.org/turt...FbytsQEAP1qSj38kuWy0ZBKhD9ILBGYPu7zXzZcpl3CL8