As a conservationist, he has never seen it as a sacrifice but rather an option. The charming pangolins won him over, inspiring him to dedicate the rest of his life to bringing life back to the tranquil woods of Vietnam where wild species are disappearing at an alarming rate.

The pangolins illegally transported from Laos and Cambodia to Vietnam had a flat stomach as a result of their prolonged starvation. Further agony was now upon them.

The illegal animal smugglers use a pressure pump to inject a mixture of water, flour, and eggs down the pangolins' throats and ultimately into their stomachs.

It's as though the entire intestinal and stomach walls open up at once. The pangolins, especially those that are weak, suffer from the sudden burst of intestinal wall and perish. All of this is done to help pangolins acquire the desired weight. Alternatively, water is injected beneath each scab using a syringe. Smugglers expect to benefit from each extra ounce in hundreds of thousands to millions of Vietnamese dong.

Harsh, greedy behavior

Pangolins, the world's most often smuggled animal, become fatigued after being kept in cages, net bags, or the trunk of a car for extended periods of time. The survival rate is only 60% for pangolins if found in captivity, compared to other wild species.

At Vietnam’s Wildlife Conservation Center, there is an Education Area where dozens of species, including civets, sloths, wild cats, otters and pangolins are cared for. All of these animals were saved from illicit trade and poaching.

Some animals are severely damaged, while others have been caged for too long and have lost their ability to locate food or defend themselves, making them unable to live in the wild if released. Because of this, they are chained up and forced to live in seclusion for the rest of their days.

Mr. Thai established and runs the Vietnam Center for Wildlife Conservation (Save Vietnam’s Wildlife - SVW).

Born in 1982 and having spent the past 16 years fighting for the preservation of wildlife, Thai was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize 2021, the "Green Nobel Prize."

His name was in headlines across many newspapers at the time. Thai did not even have time to visit the jungle for a month due to work obligations. However, after a period of six months, everything went back to normal.

Still, Mr. Thai maintains a serene demeanor, with a heart brimming with desire to preserve Vietnam’s wildlife.

In Vietnam, environmental concerns have gotten far less attention and funding compared to those in wealthier nations. Prioritizing short-term issues in the wake of diseases and natural catastrophes has been urgent in recent years. As time goes on, the woodlands are still shedding their blood.

Unemployment has skyrocketed as a result of Covid-19. Because of the monetary lack, people take to the woods in quest of forest products and wildlife, which they may either consume or sell for profit. To catch poachers in the act, the Forest Protection Task Force "Anti-poaching" led by Mr. Thai has had to patrol nonstop, day and night.

The pandemic also has had a negative impact on the economy, making it impossible for conservation organizations and companies to continue their financing.

There is no income to contribute to animal rescue initiatives when zoos, which have agreed to give 10% of their earnings to this cause, are forced to close.

Thai and his organization were lucky enough to be awarded the Green Nobel $5 VND billion prize, which allowed them to continue their work. He invests all of the money in the forests.

Four new national parks have been added to the "Anti-poaching" group, including Cuc Phuong, Cat Tien, U Minh Thuong, and U Minh Ha. Camera systems using AI technology have been deployed in Cat Tien and Pu Mat National Parks by SVW in order to identify persons and assist patrols in preventing illicit hunting operations.

In addition, a portion of the reward money was awarded to Nghe An police officers and a press unit that heroically revealed the illicit trade of tigers and pangolins.

Besides protecting the woods, Thai's main objective is to encourage the entire country's population to focus more on long-term concerns, such as the environment.

Why does he have to worry about things that are not his responsibility? Why make sacrifices without achieving better things for himself and his family? These are among the most frequently asked questions for Mr. Thai.

He, on the other hand, didn't see it as a sacrifice at all. It is his decision to make. The right to live one's life in any way one chooses is a fundamental human right. As a result, he has chosen to conduct his life in such a way that has a meaningful long-term impact on his nation.

Even though Mr. Thai had the chance to travel and work in several wealthy nations, he has never considered making a permanent move overseas.

His thoughts and feelings are focused only on Vietnam. Pangolins, animal ‘screams’ of anguish and fallen wooden planks in old woods all draw his attention to the silent forest.

Keeping a positive frame of mind has been crucial to Mr. Thai's ability to withstand this arduous and at times lonely path over the past 16 years.

When faced with the impotence to save individual animals, or when realizing that what they do is still a little grain of sand in a succession of accidents, many of his colleagues have become discouraged and decided to give up. Every day, people engage in illegal hunting. Thai and SVW saved over 2,000 pangolins over the course of seven years. However, it's possible that the amount of pangolin scales confiscated in a deal far exceeds those saved.

When animals are slaughtered, no matter how many years of work are put in to save them, it's like throwing salt into the sea. In spite of everything, he has stayed the course.

He is always examining the tiniest details of what he and the group have accomplished and altered. Without these measures, the pangolin population would drop considerably more quickly, possibly leading to its extinction in the wild like that of rhinos.

He enjoys the simple thrill of saving animals, taking care of them, and watching them safely return to their native surroundings.

If you focus on the negatives, Mr. Thai advises, you won't be able to surmount the current obstacles. Instead, focus on what’s been achieved.

Furthermore, he believes that the desire to conserve nature will permeate society as a whole if organizations like SVW continue to wage protests and advocate for environmental causes. Nature belongs to each individual, and each person has a responsibility to safeguard their own interests.

Thuy Chi/Duc Yen

Wildlife conservation: Risks and efforts

According to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), in the period from 2013-2017, Vietnam recorded 1,504 wildlife rule violations involving 1,461 suspects.

Nearly 500 wild animals illegally traded rescued this year

As many as 447 wild animals were rescued in Vietnam in the first six months of the year, according to Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV).