The Hoan Kiem turtle - long sighting, eating a cat.

Seen on 6 March, 2011.

At 22" it lunges for a cat, though it's underwater so can't be seen.

At 1'52" it shows its head very clearly.

At 2'52" the cat can be briefly seen.

Legend has it that almost 600 years ago the turtle god Kim Qui gave King Le Loi a magical sword, which Le Loi used to win Vietnamese independence from the Chinese. Soon after the victory, Le Loi was boating on Hoan Kiem with his sword, when a turtle came and took it from him. Efforts were made to find the turtle and the sword, but the Kind soon accepted that the sword had been returned to the turtle god. Some say the turtle in the lake today is the same one as that which took the sword from Le Loi. Others disagree.

I'm a little unclear as to how long the turtle has been considered a real animal rather than a legend. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoan_Kiem_turtle ) tells me the very existence of the turtle was doubted until 1998, when it was captured on film. But one was discovered in the late 1960s and is now on display in Ngoc Son temple on Hoan Kiem Lake. Other sources say that it's been studied for 20 years, so I'm not entirely sure about this.

The turtle has been sighted with increasing regularity in recent months, especially in the last month (11 times - an unheard of number), which has made experts worry about its health. This is compared to (I think) once every few months or years in normal times. Injuries can be seen on it, and it isn't exactly in the cleanest water.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• hanoi
• vietnam
• hoan kiem
• ho guom
• turtle
• history
• animal
• endangered
• endangered animal
• giant
• giant turtle

[SMCUBEKOREAN]

:)) "Seen on 6 March, 2011" but the video is uploaded on March 5, 2011"

[Smasm]

@SMCUBEKOREAN I didn't spot this! My only guess is that it's US time vs. Vietnam time.

[pickAchoo2U]

Please tell me the cat was already dead!

[Smasm]

@pickAchoo2U Don't worry - it was well and truly dead before the turtle got it.

[woo1693]

@Captainevita2 The cat was already fucking dead....

[ebomate]

ha ha only 11,000 views on youtube but 12000 viewed it in real time thats one popular turtle

[pimplick]

Poor turtle..... I feel sad. They should give it cleaner water.... AT THE LEAST!

[Captainevita2]

@hillzagold oh really? so thinking the same way like you, next time we will throw you in that lake too because you are not better than a cat, a duck or a turtle and you are an animal too... !!! Cats and dogs are protected animals and this is illegal and you know that. So next time better throw yourself in that lake.

[hillzagold]

@Captainevita2 the cat is no better than a turtle or a duck, you jackass

[AndyTiran]

@Captainevita2 You are one silly human indeed. Dogs don't love. Dogs are - resigned. Cats - love only them selfs. They give a fuck about you or your family, they only care of fucking other cats, be fed, and lie lazy all day long.

[Captainevita2]

Poor kitty.. and they are laughing around you .. some people don't have a heart. Protect cats and dogs don't eat them or kill them. They are our best friends. They know what love and friendship is better than some silly humans.