April 27, 2007

PRESS RELEASE

Efforts to Bring an End to the Illegal Consumption and Trade of Wildlife in Ha Tay

During the last week of April, the ENV Wildlife Crime Monitoring Unit conducted a survey of restaurants and hotels along the Lang-Hoa Lac Highway and Route 21A in Chuong My and Thach That districts in Ha Tay province.  

The aim was to document wildlife crimes and establish baseline information for a new ENV campaign focused on combating the illegal advertisement, sale, and consumption of wildlife in restaurants operating within the area, which is an infamous hotspot for wildlife consumption and trade. 

The results of the baseline survey indicated that all but one of 38 restaurants and hotels surveyed openly advertised, sold, or offered wildlife products to patrons in direct violation of the law.

Live animals observed during the survey included a leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), masked palm civets (Paguma larvata), a suspected common palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), brush-tailed porcupines (Atherurus macrourus), Malayan porcupines (Hystrix brachyura), bamboo rats (unidentified) and macaques (Macaca sp.). 

Porcupines were the most common item found on menus or offered verbally by restaurant staff (25 establishments).  Other species groups found on menus included bamboo rats (17), civets (12), wild pig (11), and monitor lizards (10).  Sambar deer and muntjac were each offered in seven restaurants (19% of the total surveyed).

The highly endangered pangolin was offered for sale at a total of five restaurants, including at a popular hotel that has been the subject of several previous cases.

There were also several cases of wildlife being preserved in wine, including snakes such as crates (Bungarus fasciatus), rat snakes (Ptyas sp.), cobras (~Naja sp.), and other unidentified species. 

Bear bile was offered or advertised in ten establishments. Two establishments displayed several bear cubs preserved in wine.

One restaurant offered tiger bone glue on their menu.

In total, the survey uncovered 12 cases involving live animals, and 28 in which wildlife was observed in wine.  The monitoring team documented 104 incidents of wildlife being advertised (11 species groups).  A total of 154 potential violations were recorded.  Three violations involved Decree 32, Group 1B-listed species. A further sixteen incidents involved Decree 32 Group IIB-listed species.

Out of the total 154 potential violations, five or more potential wildlife law violations were recorded in 17 restaurants.  Eight potential violations were recorded in two restaurants, and ten potential violations were recorded in a single restaurant.

Defining “potential” violations

Some of the wildlife observed or advertised during the course of the survey may be of legal origin, from farms or even from the auctions that routinely take place to deal with wildlife that has been seized from the trade.  Wildlife species that may originate,from farms include bamboo rats, sambar deer and brush-tailed porcupines.  In such cases, the restaurant owners would be required to possess certificates to demonstrate their legality.  

Follow up action

Following notification by ENV, a joint inspection team comprised of district rangers and members of the new Mobile Enforcement Unit of the National Forest Protection Department raided one restaurant where a leopard cat had been observed and confiscated it. 

ENV is working with local authorities on other priority cases that emerged from the survey, and additional enforcement actions are expected to result.

ENV also plans to initiate a campaign aimed at encouraging restaurant owners to voluntarily comply with wildlife protection laws, and to initiate ongoing monitoring and enforcement actions against restaurants that fail to comply with such laws.

The monitoring survey was carried out by the ENV Wildlife Crime Unit in cooperation with the new ENV Mobile Wildlife Awareness Team. 

For more information, contact:

ENV Wildlife Crimes Monitoring Unit
Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Anh
Education for Nature - Vietnam (ENV)
No.2/C5 Tap the Dai hoc Ngoai Thuong, pho Chua Lang, Ha Noi.
Tel: 04-775 5790
Fax: 04-775 3685
Email:hotline@fpt.vn