VietNamNet Bridge - Five fauna species of Vietnam, including the Hoan Kiem Lake turtle, have been listed in the top 100 endangered species of the world.

The report named "100 most seriously threatened species in the world. They are invaluable or worthless?" is the result of more than 8,000 scientists from the International Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The list was published at the World Conservation Congress in Jeju Island, South Korea last month.

Vietnam's species on the list include: saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), Edwards's pheasant (Lophura edwardsi), Hoan Kiem lake turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), Giant pangasius (Pangasius sanitwongsei) and Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus).

In the world, there are only four individuals of Hoan Kiem turtle species, including one living in the Hoan Kiem Lake, one in the Dong Mo Lake, in Hanoi, and the remaining two in China.

Recently, for the conservation of this species, scientists took one in the Hoan Kiem Lake ashore for medical treatment and then released it back to the lake. However, experts have not made plans on reproduction.




Edwards's pheasants live in the central provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue and they are facing extinction. According to scientists, they are disappearing due to excessive hunting and habitat loss. They called for taking conservation measures to restore living conditions and implement breeding programs.

Saola or "Asian unicorn" is one of the species of mammals facing the risk of extinction in Southeast Asia. There are only few individuals of saola living in the Truong Son mountain range, along the border between Vietnam and Laos.

Snub-nosed monkey is one of the 25 primate species being in danger of extinction on the global scale and it is endemic to Vietnam. Currently, there are only four snub-nosed monkey species in the world, including three in China and one in Vietnam.

Although this species is protected by the law, they are still hunted and the number of snub-nosed monkeys is severely declining. It is estimated that there are less than 200 individuals in the wild, in the northeastern forests of Vietnam.

Giant pangasius lives mainly in the Mekong River Basin, Vietnam. It was named in the Red Book since 1996. Photo: WWF.

In the list of 100 endangered species selected in 48 countries, researchers emphasized that the Bradypus pygmaeus - the world's smallest species - is facing the most serious risk of extinction. This species is only found in the island of Escudo, off the coast of Panama, Central America, about 17 km.

M. Lan