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Marine Turtle Newsletter 66:14-15, © 1994

Trade in Marine Turtles and Their Products at Cau Mong Animal Market, Ho Chi Minh City

Mark R. Bezuijen
GPO Box 3151, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia 0801

The author had the opportunity to record observations concerning trade in marine turtles and their parts and products during a recent trip to Viet Nam. The items described below were encountered during a survey of the wildlife trade at Cau Mong Animal Market, Ho Chi Minh City. The hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, was the only species recorded. All measurements are estimates of straight carapace length. The official exchange rate at the time was 10,800 Dong to US$ 1. From 22-27 January 1994, I saw one live juvenile (40 cm) for sale at US$ 100 (the animal was being sold as food, but was not sold during the survey and died after five days) and three stuffed adults, each for sale at US$ 85 (none were sold during the survey). Over the survey period, marine turtle trade within the market itself did not appear to be significant. However, turtle products are still widespread for sale in souvenir shops around Ho Chi Minh City, as recorded by Baird (1993).

Baird (1993) noted marine turtle products for sale at Hanoi airport, north Viet Nam. Turtle products are also sold at Ton Son Nhat Airport, south Viet Nam. I observed the following items for sale at Ton Son Nhat Airport on 31 January 1994:

None of the stuffed specimens appeared to have been sold by 11 February, the date of my departure from Viet Nam. Again, all specimens and products were hawksbill in origin.

The trade in marine turtle products is clearly continuing, both domestically and internationally (the latter demonstrated by the fact that products were openly sold in airport stores, presumably to departing passengers). Leaving the country in possession of marine turtle products is illegal since Viet Nam acceded to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) earlier this year [see MTN 66:26]. Accession to CITES is not enough to provide protection to species in trade, but it is a much needed and positive step towards enforcement of laws to monitor and curb the trade in illegal and endangered wildlife in Viet Nam, including marine turtles. Every support should be given to the Vietnamese Government in their efforts to educate the public on the value of their unique natural heritage.

Baird, I. G. 1993. Survey of Sea Turtle Products for Sale in Shops in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Marine Turtle Newsletter 60:5-8.