Mission Black River 2025

Turtle Sanctuary’s primary mission is to ensure the conservation of the Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) in its natural habitat. Since 2019, our organization has been developing a research program dedicated to this species, initiated through the collection of data on its geographic distribution and ecology in the river basins of northern Vietnam. This methodological approach relies on the rigorous conduct of structured interviews with local populations, combined with spatial modeling analyses to identify potential habitats for R. swinhoei across Vietnamese territory.

A mission was conducted from March 6 to May 21, 2025, along the Black River, across four provinces in northern Vietnam: Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien, and Lai Chau.

During this period, 212 interviews were carried out with local fishing communities, covering more than 1,500 kilometers by scooter and 600 kilometers by boat. These investigations yielded valuable information regarding R. swinhoei, as well as Palea steindachneri, notably revealing the first evidence of natural reproduction for the latter species in northern Vietnam.