News Brief (E185, 30th Sep - 6th Oct, 2006)
Asiatic black bear seized from traders
Thanh Hoa province – During the morning of September 27, traffic police of Thanh Hoa province stopped a car transporting vegetables and fruits for an inspection. They found an Asiatic bear (Selenarctos thibetanus) and 23 kg of snakes. The animals were on their way from Gia Lai to Hanoi and were reportedly in poor health. The bear’s front leg was amputated and another leg had been injured in a trap, according to the driver.
Thanh Hoa Forest Protection Department (FPD) took over the case and care of the injured bear. However, after two days the bear reportedly died as a result of its wounds. Thanh Hoa FPD then auctioned off all the animals in accordance with Decree 139 that allows the state to action off wildlife that is confiscated in trade.
(Website www.monre.gov.vn dated September 28, 2006; Thanh Hoa Forest Protection Department)
Reptile seizure in Hai Duong
Hai Duong – Hai Duong detectives held a joint operation with Ba Hang traffic police on the 28th of September, seizing a truck illegally transporting wildlife. Police found 200 kg of various snakes, 175 kg of turtles, and 115 kg of monitor lizards on the truck headed from Hai Duong to Quang Ninh province.
(People Police issued 497 dated October 2, 2006; Hai Duong Forest Protection Station)
Dust chokes Hanoi and costs the city bundles
Hanoi – According to a new set of statistics released by the Hanoi Natural Resource and Environment Department, local air quality suffers severely from dust pollution and is generally contaminated with noxious gases. The dust level in the air is 1.5 to three times the safe level. Newly constructed urban areas and roads used to transport construction materials are seven to ten times dustier. In older industrial zones, the air is polluted with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. The new statistic also set estimated that air pollution costs the city of Hanoi as much as one billion VND in health and environmental costs.
(Website www.morne.gov.vn dated September 28, 2006)
Links to environmental articles (Vietnamese)
Expired business licenses and increasing pollution
http://www.hanoimoi.com.vn/vn/41/102330/
New “cancer village” emerges: imperative issues from the ”poisoned village” http://www.nea.gov.vn/thongtinmt/noidung/nt_2_10_06.htm
Tra Vinh: raising tiger prawn sustainably http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&idmid=&ItemID=17604
Planting nearly 49,000ha of new coastal protective forests http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&idmid=&ItemID=17605
Cat Tien National Park: project delayed, forest dying http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/Tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=164313&ChannelID=17
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 Thi Phuong Ngan
Education for Nature - Vietnam (ENV)
No.2/C5 tap the Dai hoc Ngoai Thuong, pho Chua Lang, Ha Noi.
Tel/Fax: 04-775 3685
Email: env@fpt.vn or communication.env@fpt.vn
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