Hoan Kiem Turtle
Encyclopedia
The Hoan Kiem turtle is a species of turtle
from Southeast Asia. Its status as a distinct species is questionable, with the most recent review strongly suggesting Rafetus leloii is a synonym
of Rafetus swinhoei
.
_in_ceramics.jpg)
Stories of the Hoan Kiem turtle began in the fifteenth century with Lê Lợi, who became an emperor of Vietnam
and founder of the Lê Dynasty
. According to legend, Lê Lợi had a magic sword
given to him by Kim Qui, the Golden Turtle God. One day, not long after the Chinese had accepted Vietnam's independence, Lê Lợi was out boating on a lake in Hanoi
. Suddenly a large turtle surfaced, took the sword from Lê Lợi, and dove back into the depths. Efforts were made to find both the sword and the turtle, but without success. Lê Lợi then acknowledged the sword had gone back to the Golden turtle God and renamed the lake Hoan Kiem Lake (or Ho Guom Lake), "The Lake of the Returned Sword".
is located. On June 2, 1967 a Hoan Kiem turtle died, and was preserved and placed on display in the temple. That particular specimen weighed 200 kg (440 lbs) and measured 1.9 meters long (6 ft 3in). Until that time, no one was sure if the species still lived.
Professor Ha Dinh Duc gave the Hoan Kiem turtle its scientific name, Rafetus leloii.
On March 24, 1998 an amateur cameraman caught the creature on video, conclusively proving the elusive creatures still survived in the lake. Prior to its recent rediscovery, the turtles were thought to be only a legend and were classified as cryptozoological
.
As of 2008, three Hoam Kiem turtles were in captivity, two of them in Chinese zoos. Another was being taken care of in the Hoan Kiem Lake.
By the Spring of 2011, concerned with the creature's more frequent than usual surfacing, and apparent lesions on its body, the city authorities started attempts to capture the giant reptile of Hoam Kiem Lake, and take it for medical treatment. On February 9, a local turtle farm
operator, KAT Group, was chosen to prepare a suitable net to capture the sacred animal.
The first attempt, on March 8, 2011 failed, as the turtle made a hole in the net with which the workers tried to capture it, and escaped. An expert commented, "It's hard to catch a large, very large soft-shell turtle." On March 31, in an unusual act, the turtle went to the shore to bask in the sun.
Finally, on April 3, 2011 the giant turtle was netted in an operation that involved members of the Vietnamese military. The captured creature was put into an enclosure constructed on an island in the middle of the lake, for study and treatment.
of, R. swinhoei
.
Duc has also hypothesized that Emperor Thái Tổ of the Lê Dynasty
brought the turtles from Thanh Hóa Province and released them in Hoan Kiem Lake. Recently, Duc and some researchers found skeletons of giant turtles in Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Hoa Binh Provinces.
, a renowned turtle biologist, believes that there are no more than five specimens left.
The lake itself is both small and shallow, measuring 200 meters wide, 600 meters long, and only two meters deep. It is also badly polluted, although the turtles could conceivably live underwater indefinitely, coming to the surface only for an occasional gulp of air or a bit of sun. According to Pritchard, the turtles are threatened by municipal "improvements" around the lake. The banks have been almost entirely cemented over, leaving only a few yards of rocky beach where a turtle might find a place to bury her clutches of 100 or more eggs.
Plans are underway to clean the lake of pollution, and the construction of an artificial beach has been proposed to facilitate breeding. Dredging the lake, to clean up its bottom, was carried out in March 2011.
Professor Duc is currently organizing people to protect this animal and is quoted as saying, "We hope that we will find a partner for the turtle in Ho Guom, so that our legendary animal could avoid extinction."
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
from Southeast Asia. Its status as a distinct species is questionable, with the most recent review strongly suggesting Rafetus leloii is a synonym
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
of Rafetus swinhoei
Rafetus swinhoei
The Yangtze giant softshell turtle is an extremely rare species of softshell turtle found in Vietnam and China. It is also known as the Red river giant softshell turtle, Shanghai softshell turtle, or Swinhoe's softshell turtle. In Chinese it is known as the specked softshell turtle...
.
Mythology
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and founder of the Lê Dynasty
Lê Dynasty
The Later Lê Dynasty , sometimes referred to as the Lê Dynasty was the longest-ruling dynasty of Vietnam, ruling the country from 1428 to 1788, with a brief interruption....
. According to legend, Lê Lợi had a magic sword
Magic sword
The term magic sword refers to any kind of mythological or fictional sword imbued with magical power to increase its strength or grant it other supernatural qualities. The archetype originated in myth and legend, and occurs regularly in fantasy fiction....
given to him by Kim Qui, the Golden Turtle God. One day, not long after the Chinese had accepted Vietnam's independence, Lê Lợi was out boating on a lake in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
. Suddenly a large turtle surfaced, took the sword from Lê Lợi, and dove back into the depths. Efforts were made to find both the sword and the turtle, but without success. Lê Lợi then acknowledged the sword had gone back to the Golden turtle God and renamed the lake Hoan Kiem Lake (or Ho Guom Lake), "The Lake of the Returned Sword".
Rediscovery
Near the northern shore of Hoan Kiem Lake lies Jade Island, on which the Temple of the Jade MountainTemple of the Jade Mountain
The Temple of the Jade Mountain is located on Hoan Kiem Lake in central Hanoi, Vietnam.- History :Being built on the Jade Islet and dedicated to Confucian and Taoist philosophers and the national hero Trần Hưng Đạo, the small temple was expanded in 1865....
is located. On June 2, 1967 a Hoan Kiem turtle died, and was preserved and placed on display in the temple. That particular specimen weighed 200 kg (440 lbs) and measured 1.9 meters long (6 ft 3in). Until that time, no one was sure if the species still lived.
Professor Ha Dinh Duc gave the Hoan Kiem turtle its scientific name, Rafetus leloii.
On March 24, 1998 an amateur cameraman caught the creature on video, conclusively proving the elusive creatures still survived in the lake. Prior to its recent rediscovery, the turtles were thought to be only a legend and were classified as cryptozoological
Cryptozoology
Cryptozoology refers to the search for animals whose existence has not been proven...
.
As of 2008, three Hoam Kiem turtles were in captivity, two of them in Chinese zoos. Another was being taken care of in the Hoan Kiem Lake.
By the Spring of 2011, concerned with the creature's more frequent than usual surfacing, and apparent lesions on its body, the city authorities started attempts to capture the giant reptile of Hoam Kiem Lake, and take it for medical treatment. On February 9, a local turtle farm
Turtle farming
Turtle farming is the practice of raising turtles and tortoises of various species commercially. Raised animals are sold for use as gourmet food, traditional medicine ingredients, or as pets...
operator, KAT Group, was chosen to prepare a suitable net to capture the sacred animal.
The first attempt, on March 8, 2011 failed, as the turtle made a hole in the net with which the workers tried to capture it, and escaped. An expert commented, "It's hard to catch a large, very large soft-shell turtle." On March 31, in an unusual act, the turtle went to the shore to bask in the sun.
Finally, on April 3, 2011 the giant turtle was netted in an operation that involved members of the Vietnamese military. The captured creature was put into an enclosure constructed on an island in the middle of the lake, for study and treatment.
Classification
R. leloii is now generally believed to be identical to, and therefore a synonymSynonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
of, R. swinhoei
Rafetus swinhoei
The Yangtze giant softshell turtle is an extremely rare species of softshell turtle found in Vietnam and China. It is also known as the Red river giant softshell turtle, Shanghai softshell turtle, or Swinhoe's softshell turtle. In Chinese it is known as the specked softshell turtle...
.
Duc has also hypothesized that Emperor Thái Tổ of the Lê Dynasty
Lê Dynasty
The Later Lê Dynasty , sometimes referred to as the Lê Dynasty was the longest-ruling dynasty of Vietnam, ruling the country from 1428 to 1788, with a brief interruption....
brought the turtles from Thanh Hóa Province and released them in Hoan Kiem Lake. Recently, Duc and some researchers found skeletons of giant turtles in Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Hoa Binh Provinces.
Conservation concerns
Professor Duc believes that there is only one specimen left in the Hoan Kiem Lake. Peter PritchardPeter Pritchard
Dr. Peter Pritchard is a leading turtle zoologist. Educated at Oxford University and the University of Florida, where he earned his Ph.D. in Zoology, he is most commonly known for his campaign of almost 40 years for the conservation of turtles...
, a renowned turtle biologist, believes that there are no more than five specimens left.
The lake itself is both small and shallow, measuring 200 meters wide, 600 meters long, and only two meters deep. It is also badly polluted, although the turtles could conceivably live underwater indefinitely, coming to the surface only for an occasional gulp of air or a bit of sun. According to Pritchard, the turtles are threatened by municipal "improvements" around the lake. The banks have been almost entirely cemented over, leaving only a few yards of rocky beach where a turtle might find a place to bury her clutches of 100 or more eggs.
Plans are underway to clean the lake of pollution, and the construction of an artificial beach has been proposed to facilitate breeding. Dredging the lake, to clean up its bottom, was carried out in March 2011.
Professor Duc is currently organizing people to protect this animal and is quoted as saying, "We hope that we will find a partner for the turtle in Ho Guom, so that our legendary animal could avoid extinction."