Education for Nature Vietnam
News Brief (E170, 17th - 23rd June, 2006)
Phuoc Binh Nature Reserve established as National Park
On June 8 2006, Phuoc Binh National Park was established in Ninh Thuan province as the provinces second national park. This park comprises a total area of 119,814 ha, consisting mainly of highland evergreen forest with mixed timber and bamboo.
The addition of Phuoc Binh brings the total number of national parks in Vietnam to 29.
(Vietnam Economic Times issue 120 dated June 16; Decision No. 822/QD-Ttg dated June 8, 2006; Phuoc Binh NP)
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Anh vu (Semilabeo notabilis) |
Rare fish (Anh vu and Lang cham) in risk of extinction
According to the Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 1, two freshwater fish species; anh vu (Semilabeo notabilis) and lang cham (Hemibagrus guttatus), are in the risk of extinction. Reproduction of these two fish species in the wild has been reduced to 10-15% compared with 30 years ago.
The Hemibagrus guttatus is highly valuable fish species while the Semilabeo notabilis is considered endemic to Vietnam. However, over-exploitation and use of destructive fishing methods such explosives and electrictro fishing, as well as water pollution have resulted in sharp declines in their population. In addition, construction of dams has resulted in the loss of traditional spawning areas.
(Vietnamnet dated June 15, 2006; Research Institute for Aquaculture No. I )
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Source: www.vtv.vn |
Exporting Seahorses Legally
In April 2006, Dong Thanh Hung farm became the first commercial seahorse breeding enterprise in Vietnam that has been granted an export license by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). According to the breeder, the success rate for seahorse reproduction has reached 50-60%. Presently, each seahorse can be exported at a price ranging from 20,000 to 25,000 VND each. Traders can earn twice as much selling seahorses abroad as they can in domestic markets. Dong Thanh Hung farm can export an average of about 1,000 seahorses to the US and Taiwan each week, and gains tens of million VND.
(Website www.vtv.vn dated June 19, 2006)
Over 12,000 Law of Forest Protection and Development violations recorded nationwide
According to the National Forest Protection Department (FPD), over 12,000 violations of the Forest Protection and Development Law have occurred over the past six months. These include 3,000 cases involving illegal timber violations and forest destruction. Provincial FPDs have confiscated nearly 3,500 m3 of timber and about 300 vehicles. Fines have contributed more than 14 billion VND to the state budget.
(Website of the Ministry of Natural resource and Environment dated June 16, 2006)
Environmental Education Activities
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Trainees participated in a lesson plan for students at a local school. |
“Communication and Environment Education” training course
Education for Nature – Vietnam has just completed hosting its first intensive training course focused on building communication and environment education (EE) skills amongst university students.
The training took place at ENV’s new training center at Tam Dao National Park from the 13th to 20th of June. Eleven students from universities in Hanoi, Hue, and Ho Chi Minh participated in the training course.
In addition to classroom training, students had the opportunity to take what they had learned and apply their skills in an actual school and village setting within Tam Dao communities.
The course was the second major training initiative carried out by ENV in 2006, and the first scholarship training course that ENV has carried out for young and highly motivated university students.
Wildlife Trade Hotline Update
Another Young Gibbon Lost to the Trade
At the beginning of June, ENV received an email from a foreigner reporting a yellow-checked gibbon (Hylobates gabriellae) kept in captivity in the Malibu resort located in Phan Thiet City of Binh Thuan province. ENV passed the information to the local FPD. However, when the rangers inspected the site, the animal had been moved to another place. Staff of the resort refused to provide further information on the current whereabouts of the gibbon or contact information about the owner so that he/she could be contacted directly. ENV continues cooperating with the local authorities to investigate the case and will target the Malibu Resort as a monitoring site to ensure that animals are not displayed at the resort in the future.
Yellow-checked gibbon is protected under Group 1B, Decree 32.
Slaughtering of wildlife in Hoa Binh Restaurants Continues Despite Action
In the previous bulletin (No.169), ENV reported on the situation of wildlife specialty restaurants in the area of Xuan Mai (Ha Tay province) and Luong Son (Hoa Binh province) along Highway No.6. Rangers reportedly confiscated 11 kg of wildlife from Thanh Loan Restaurant and fined the restaurant owners 2,000,000 VND. The owners of the other restaurants were also required to sign commitments not to serve wildlife in the future. However, according to a member in conservation community who recently visited one of the restaurants while returning from the field, the situation has not improved. The witness reported observing the kitchen staff in one Hoa Binh restaurant openly slaughtering monitor lizards and preparing specialty dishes for restaurant patrons. According to the witness, the restaunrant served wildlife with no apparent concern for the law, nor for any previous commitment that has been made not to sell wildlife. ENV has contact the Hoa Binh FPD to pursue further action on this case.
STOP THE WILDLIFE TRADE
If you observe wildlife being displayed, sold, transported, or kept illegally in captivity, notify your local Forest Protection Department or contact the ENV Wildlife Trade Hotline
1800-1522
YOU can make a difference!
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