ENV

News Brief (E175, 22nd - 28th July, 2006)

Wildlife cache seized
Hau Giang province – On July 12, 2006, Hau Giang provincial Forest Protection Department (FPD) in collaboration with other functional agencies inspected the houses of two residents in Nga Bay ward of Tan Hiep town and discovered illegally kept wildlife.  Hidden inside were 84.4 kg of snakes, 11.5 kg of Malayan snail-eating turtles (Malayemys subtrijuga) and 38 common birds (unidentified species).  The two violators were fined a total of VND 6 million.

(Website of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment dated July 20, 2006; Hau Giang provincial FPD)

Over 300 violations on law on forest protection and development
Binh Dinh province – During the first half of 2006, a total of 302 violations of the forest protection and development law were recorded in the province.  The local FDP seized 317 kg of snakes, turtles and wild pigs; handled 259 cases of illegal logging and timber smuggling; and impounded over 100 vehicles.

(Labor issue 176 dated July 24, 2006)

Activities

Ho Nguyen Bao presenting his essay 3R: Reduce - Reuse – Recycle Source: tuoitreonline

Contest: Wild Natural Environment 2006
Nguyen Hai Nhu, Ho Nguyen Bao and Pham Anh Thu won the 2006 Wild Nature Environment contest after competing against 100 candidates.  They will participate in a nature course held in the Botshabelo Nature Reserve of South Africa between August 22 and 30.

Cathay Pacific Airlines has organized the student contest annually since 1994.  Each candidate must submit 500 words on an environmental theme.  The finalists must present their essay and answer questions in English.

(Website www.vnexpress.net dated July 24, 2006; www.tuoitreonline.com.vn dated July 24, 2006; Youth issue 186 dated July 24, 2006)

New publications

Conservation action plan of Tonkin snub-nosed monkey in Vietnam
In July, 2006, Vietnam’s Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), supported by South East Asian Primatological Association (SEAPA) and Primate Conservation, Inc (PCI), has just released a plan to conserve the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus).  A Conservation Action Plan of Tonkin Snub-nosed Monkey in Vietnam (English and Vietnamese) was compiled by Dr. Le Xuan Canh of IEBR and SEAPA and Dr. Ramesh Boorantana of SEAPA.  They gathered information from stakeholder consultations and a 2005 workshop in Tuyen Quang province on building a conservation plan for the primate.  Among actions recommended are species and habitat protection programs, expanding protected habitat available to the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey, strengthening protected area management, public awareness-building and conservation education.

The English version can be downloaded from the website:
http://www.primate-sg.org/TSMAP.htm

(Website http://www.primate-sg.org/TSMAP.htm; Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources)

Updates from ENV’s Wildlife Trade Hotline 1800 1522

On July 20, Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV) was informed by a foreigner that monkeys were kept for sale in poor conditions in Hanoi’s Dong Xuan market.  On July 25, Hanoi FPD inspected the market and seized four pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) and seven turtles (unidentified species) at a stand.  All of the wildlife was transferred to Soc Son Rescue Center in Hanoi that same day.  The owner was fined VND 1,165,000.

(Education for Nature – Vietnam)

Links to environmental articles (Vietnamese)

United Nations: Pacific mangrove forests in danger of vanishing
http://www.khoahoc.com.vn/view.asp?Cat_ID=7&Cat_Sub_ID=1&news_id=7126

Ho Chi Minh City: Five environment protection programs launched
http://www.vnagency.com.vn/TrangChu/VN/tabid/58/itemid/155130/Default.aspx

Kien Giang province: Conservation and development of the wild swiftlet
http://www.vnagency.com.vn/TrangChu/VN/tabid/58/itemid/155406/Default.aspx

Nghe An province: Wild elephants continuously appear at tourist spot
http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/Tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=152443&ChannelID=100

Photograph of the Week

Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus), Vietnam’s endemic primate, protected under Decree 32/2006/ND-CP, group 1B – forest animals prohibited from exploitation, use for commercial purposes Source: Tilo Nadler – Frankfurt  Zoological Society

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