The recent sentencing of a man to six years in prison for breeding and selling white-crested pheasants - classified as rare and endangered wildlife in Vietnam’s Red Book - has sparked strong public concern. Local officials, forest rangers, family members, and legal experts are all weighing in.

Since her husband, Thai Khac Thanh (born 1980, from Thinh Tam Hamlet, Do Luong Commune, Nghe An Province), was sentenced by the People's Court of Region 5, Hung Yen Province, to six years in prison for violating wildlife protection laws, Nguyen Thi Oanh (born 1992) has been unable to find peace.

“Our family had no idea the birds were banned. Had we known, we would never have done this,” she said with anguish.

Oanh shared that she and her husband, Thanh, have been married for many years and have three children - the eldest is seven, and the youngest just over a year old. She works at a local factory, while Thanh works in agriculture, raises birds, grows ornamental plants, and occasionally performs at weddings for extra income.

In 2022, Thanh bought a male white-crested pheasant from an unknown seller via social media. Two years later, he traded a fire-chested songbird with someone in the former Dien Chau District for two female pheasants, which he raised together with the male. In early 2025, the female birds laid eggs and hatched 10 chicks.

When the birds matured, Thanh posted them for sale online. He priced them at about VND 500,000 (approximately USD 20) each. During a sale transaction, he was caught by police in possession of the 10 young pheasants. Authorities later searched his home and seized three more.

“My husband raised the pheasants in the backyard alongside domestic chickens. He loves animals and ornamental plants - it was just a hobby. If he had known the birds were protected, he wouldn’t have done it. Over five million dong (just over USD 200) from selling those birds cost him six years of his life, and now our children are left without their father,” said Oanh.

Since Thanh’s arrest, Oanh has had to quit her job to care for her three young children and aging mother-in-law. “I hope higher authorities will consider our circumstances and reduce his sentence so he can return to support the children and his elderly mother. She’s nearing the end of her life, and we fear he won’t get a final chance to see her. The children ask every day when their father will come home, and I don’t know what to tell them,” she added tearfully.

A quiet man, a devastated village

Thai Khac Dung, head of Thinh Son Hamlet, said hundreds of villagers were shocked and saddened by Thanh’s arrest. “No one in the village knew Thanh was raising endangered animals. He’s a quiet man who spends his days farming, raising birds, and singing at weddings to make ends meet,” Dung said.

Several years ago, Thanh raised songbirds like the white-rumped shama and red-whiskered bulbul. Later, he traded them for the pheasants. “He got two female pheasants in exchange for plants and a bird, and raised them alongside a male he already had. Eventually, the birds laid eggs, and 10 chicks hatched,” Dung recounted.

“At the time, he just wanted to sell the birds to buy a television for his children to enjoy during summer break. If he had known they were protected, I don’t believe he would have done it. He’s an honest, law-abiding person,” Dung emphasized.

Dung also shared that the entire village had signed a petition requesting a reduced sentence for Thanh due to his good character and difficult circumstances.

Authorities, legal experts weigh in

Tranh Van Son, Chairman of Do Luong Commune, confirmed that local authorities were unaware of the pheasants in Thanh’s home. “His family is struggling financially. He’s known to be a decent, well-behaved citizen who likely acted out of ignorance, not malice. Many people genuinely don’t know which animals are banned and which are allowed,” said Son.

Lawyer Phan Van Chieu, Director of Ha Chau Law Firm (Ha Tinh Bar Association), affirmed that legally, raising and selling endangered wildlife without proper permits violates Vietnam’s laws. However, he noted that Thanh’s actions - breeding and selling birds, rather than killing or harming them - indicate low societal risk.

“If the defendant appeals the initial ruling, the appellate court will consider all circumstances, including the intent and consequences, and may reduce the sentence if warranted,” Chieu said.

A forest ranger official from Ha Tinh explained that the white-crested pheasant is now listed as a rare and endangered species requiring strict protection. “Previously, people were allowed to breed and sell these birds. However, after their inclusion in the Red Book, this is now prohibited - similar to tigers. When we find people unknowingly raising them, we should encourage voluntary handovers, not rush to criminal charges unless there's clear intent,” he noted.

The case file and criminal charges

According to the case file, in 2024, Thanh purchased a male white-crested pheasant for VND 4.5 million (about USD 180) from a stranger in Can Tho. Later, he acquired two females in a bird-for-bird trade with someone in the former Dien Chau District.

Authorities stated that Thanh never registered the birds with competent authorities. After the pheasants laid 13 eggs (three of which failed), 10 chicks successfully hatched. By March 2025, Thanh began posting the birds for sale online.

On April 2, 2025, Thai Binh police caught a car transporting 10 white-crested pheasant chicks. The driver said he was hired by Thanh. A search of Thanh’s home yielded three additional adult birds, all identified as Lophura nycthemera - classified as endangered under Category IB of Vietnam’s wildlife protection laws.

In total, Thanh was found to have raised, owned, and attempted to sell 13 white-crested pheasants.

Thien Luong