Quang Ngai, June 23 -- Four rare wild animals were released back into the wild on June 22 following a coordinated effort by the Biodiversity Conservation and Ecotourism Centre at Chu Mom Ray National Park, local authorities, and relevant agencies.

The animals included a monitor lizard, a pangolin, an elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) and an impressed tortoise (Manouria impressa).

The 1kg monitor lizard had been under the centre's care since March 18 after being confiscated in a case involving the illegal captivity of wildlife detected by local police. The 2.5kg pangolin was voluntarily handed over by a resident after it was found wandering near a residential area and was transferred to the centre on June 1.

The two tortoises we...