Many sellers in HCM City are re-trapping birds that have been released as part of the traditional First Full-moon Festival.

On February 22, people flocked to pagodas to pray for peace and good luck. Many people then buy trapped birds to set them free, a practice that aims to communicate the importance of life as well as help people develop compassion and kindness toward others. But this practice is now tainted by unethical sellers.

The birds are sold at VND10,000 (USD47 cents) each around Vinh Nghiem Pagoda. The sellers don’t feed the birds so when they are released, they can't fly far. The sellers quickly capture the birds to resell them.

Meanwhile people blatantly set traps around the Tomb of the Marshal in Ba Chieu so they can catch the released birds easily. Many birds are exhausted and died on the ground.

Captured birds

Releasing birds at pagodas

Some birds are too exhausted and can't fly when they are released

Bird traps around the Tomb of the Marshal

Many birds died from exhaustion