Over the past decade, 78,000 turtles have been released into the ocean in south China's Guangdong Province. 

The province has nature reserves for aquatic animals spanning nearly 18 thousand square kilometers.

These reserves aim to maintain sound ecological environments for rare species including turtles, pearl oysters and Chinese white dolphins.

Provincial governor Huang Huahua says that Guangdong will establish 150 more nature reserves in the coming ten years to further protect its valuable marine resources from pollution and exploitation.

(CRI December 25, 2003)