A captive turtle estimated to be over 500 years old was recently released back to sea by an elderly man in south China's Hainan Province.

When Ye Fangrong, 63, a retired official from the Danzhou City Branch of the Agricultural Bank of China, learned that a fisherman captured a large turtle near his hometown of Paipu, he went and bought the turtle with 590 yuan (about US$71).

The turtle is about 68 centimeters long and 42 centimeters wide.Judging from the 13 large shells on its back, experts estimated it has lived for over 500 years.

A businessman from Haikou, capital of the island province, proposed to buy the turtle with 15,000 yuan, and was refused by Ye.

Ye attached two pieces of aluminum to the shells of the turtle, on which were carved eight Chinese characters saying this creature has been freed after being captured and asking people not to hurt it.

"I wish people would never kill wild animals, as they are mankind's friends," said Ye.

(People's Daily March 2, 2003)