ENV

News Brief (E151, 27th Jan - 10th Feb, 2006)

Wildlife trade
Quang Ninh Province – On February 2nd, the Quang Ninh Provincial Police stopped a car transporting 61 crab-eating macaques (Macaca fascicularis) (198kg). According to an initial investigation, the wildlife was being transported from Nghe An province to Mong Cai town (Quang Ninh province) where it probably would have been taken across the border into China. The animal were reportedly in poor health condition and handed over to the provincial Forest Protection Department (FPD).

(Website of Ministry of Natural Resources and Development dated February 8th 2006; People’s Police issue 331 dated February 9th 2006)

U Minh Ha National Park established
Ca Mau Province – On January 20th, the Prime Minister issued Decision No.112/2006/QD-TTCP on approving the establishment of U Minh Ha National Park, a part of which was formerly the Vo Doi Nature Reserve. U Minh Ha is the 29th park to be established in Vietnam, and was created to preserve the unique peat-swamp forest and wetlands.

U Minh Ha Park has a total area of 8,286ha and is located in U Minh and Tran Van Thoi district of Cau Mau Province. This area includes three sub-areas; a peat-swamp forest conservation zone, an eco-recovery zone and an administrative and service zone. The park is dominated by Melaleuca cajuputi and home to many wetland birds.

(Pioneers issue 26 dated February 6th 2006; Sai Gon Liberated issue 10280 dated February 7th 2006; Website of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment dated February 7th 2006; Vietnamnet dated February 5th 2006; Vnanet dated February 4th 2006; Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee)

White dolphins observed in Do Son Sea
Hai Phong City – According to the Hai Phong Department for Marine Resource Preservation, on January 25th, a group of hundreds of white dolphins were seen three nautical miles east of Hon Dau Island in the Do Son sea area. To local fishermen, the dolphins are a good omen for the new year.   Environmental agencies say that dolphins are extremely sensitive to habitat changes and live only in clean water.

(People’s Police issue 330 dated February 7th 2006; Website of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment dated February 6th 2006; The Hai Phong Department for Marine Resource Preservation)

Violations of the Forest Protection and Department Law
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, around 2,200 violations of the Forest Protection and Development Law have occurred since the beginning of the year, a decrease of 57.5% in comparison with last year. Of these, 440 cases related to illegal trade and the shipment of forest products. Forest Protection Departments have imposed fines on 1,870 cases; confiscated 2,300m³ of timber; 4,800 kg of wildlife and 300 vehicles. The fines have contributed more than 9 billion VND to the state budget.

(Website of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment dated February 8th 2006)

New reptile species found
Quang Binh Province – On February 7th, Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park announced the discovery of two new reptile species that were found in the Cha Noi limestone area of Quang Binh province by Thomas Zegler, a German scientist. The new lizard (Tripidophrus noggei) is the 26th member of the genus, according to Zegler, most of them living in Southeast Asia, including seven in Viet Nam. They are observed to live near streams. The second new reptile was a snake (Calamaria sp.) that has a shining dark brown body and four light yellow stripes.

(People’s Police issue 331 dated February 9th 2006; Website of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmeny dated February 9th 2006; Sai Gon Liberated issue 10282 dated February 9th 2006; Research Department of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park)

Links to environmental articles (Vietnamese)

Phu Tho Province: Initial assessment of environmental pollution in Thach Son “cancer commune”
http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&ItemID=11074

Ho Chi Minh City: Deseases caused by environmental pollution http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&ItemID=11017

Viet Nam has the richest biodiversity in the world http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&ItemID=10995

Preserving biodiversity to help protect natural resources and environment http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&ItemID=10977

Wildlife Watch

Bear bile being extracted from a bear in Ha Tay Province (Source: Education for Nature – Viet Nam)

For more information, please contact:

Nguyen Phuong Dung
Education for Nature - Vietnam (ENV)
No.2/C5 tap the Dai hoc Ngoai Thuong, pho Chua Lang, Ha Noi.
Tel/Fax: 04-775 3685
env@fpt.vn or communication.env@fpt.vn