News Brief (E356, 12 Mar, 2010)
Top News
Ha Tinh: Residents and wild elephants in close contact
According to one article in the Nong Thon Ngay Nay newspaper, locals and wild elephants in Vu Quang district have been coming into very close contact. A mother and child were killed in their home after being attacked by wild elephants. Increasingly, wild elephants have been destroying agriculture and telephone poles in the area. Many experts believe that the elephants are leaving the forest because their habitats are shrinking.
http://thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Hoang_hon_vi_voi_rung_ghe_tham.pdf
(Vietnamese version)
Ha Noi: Wildlife meat publicly sold in Huong Pagoda
The lively environment of tourists and pilgrims flocking to Huong Pagoda after Tet holiday was marred by the public sale of wildlife meat. A reporter from the Labor newspaper saw wildlife meat, such as sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) and common barking deer (Muntiacus muntjac) being sold openly during this spiritually significant event. Sellers called for the attention of tourists and pilgrims to buy wildlife meat, but tried to avoid being photographed.
http://www.thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Nan_xa_thit_thu_rung_o_chua_Huong.doc
(Vietnamese version)
Rare timber cases prosecuted
The Bac Tra My District FPD leader in Quang Nam province has prosecuted a group of people for violating regulations on exploiting and protecting forests by cutting down 30m3 of rare ironwood. Another 35 people in Hanoi have been prosecuted for cutting down the rare ”sua” tree (Dalbergia tonkinensis).
http://www.thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Quang_Nam_Khoi_to_chat_go_lim_xanh.doc
http://www.thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Truy_to_35_doi_tuong_chat_trom_go_sua.doc
(Vietnamese version)
Nam Dinh: Toxic waste warehouse found
On March 5, when checking a residential area in Truc Ninh District, the Environmental Police Team discovered a car transporting 20 iron barrels of used oil included in a toxic waste list. Seventeen more barrels were found at a nearby warehouse. All the barrels reportedly belong to one woman who bought the oil from motor repair shops to sell at a higher price.
http://www.thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Phat_hien_kho_chua_so_luong_lon_chat_thai_nguy_hai.doc
(Vietnamese version)
Lam Dong: Fake ranger prosecuted
A man in Cat Tien District has been prosecuted for posing as a ranger and stealing money. Declaring himself as a ranger from Cat Tien National Park (NP), he asked for a bribe from a timber smuggler. In an interesting twist, the cheated smuggler decided to sue the imposter after realizing he had been swindled when he was stopped by a real ranger.
http://thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Buon_lau_go_hoi_lo_kiem_lam_dom.pdf
(Vietnamese version)
A busy week for wildlife trade
According to one article in the Cong Ly Newspaper, on March 2, a Ha Dong Police Team stopped a suspicious-looking taxi in Ha Dong District. When checking the taxi, the police found two king cobras (Ophiophagus Hannah), four unspecified wildlife horns and wildlife bone glue inside a carton. The couple in the taxi admitted to transporting the wildlife to sell. Five days later, the Labor Newspaper reported that a Hanoi Police Team confiscated seven pangolins weighing a total of 26kg from a man living in Ba Dinh District. On the same day, 60kg of turtle and 1,225kg of wild animal fat were discovered on a coach in Bac Kan Province. The following day in Binh Phuoc province, a man driving a car was stopped and found with eight king cobras (Ophiophagus Hannah).
http://thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Thu_giu_8_con_ran_ho_mang_chua.pdf
http://thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Bat_qua_tang_cap_vo_chong_buon_ban_dong_vat_hoang_da.pdfhttp://www.thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Phat_hien_vu_van_chuyen_mo_dong_vat_va_rua_song.dochttp://www.thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Giu_mot_doi_tuong_van_chuyen_te_te.doc
(Vietnamese version)
Fire in Hoang Lien National Park
A group of reporters from the Labor Newspaper went to the Hoang Lien National Park after a huge forest fire in early February. They witnessed the great efforts still being made by locals and rangers battling remaining fires in the park. Hot and dry weather were named as the main reasons for the fires. The newspaper also raised questions about the way the authorities allowed locals to conduct agricultural burning and the shortage of firefighting equipment.
http://www.thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Khoc_rung_tren_noc_nha_Dong_Duong(1).doc
http://www.thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Kiet_suc_voi_giac_lua.doc
http://www.thiennhien.org/userfiles/file/Tinh_ngo_boi_nui_lua_Hoang_Lien.doc
(Vietnamese version)
Stay up to date with ENV on Facebook
Join ENV’s Facebook Group
The ENV team regularly updates our Facebook group with wildlife crime news, interesting cases and information about our other work. Click on this link to join our group and help save Vietnam’s wildlife: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=47162312016
Please note: Past bulletins can be found on ENV's website www.envietnam.org
Tran Phuong Minh
Communications officer
Education for Nature - Vietnam
No. 5 Ngo 192 Thai Thinh, Dong Da District
Hanoi, Vietnam
Phone/fax: +84 4 3514-8850
E-mail: env@fpt.vn
www.envietnam.org (English)
www.thiennhien.org (Vietnamese)
www.savingvietnamswildlife.org (English wildlife trade website)