A photo of Chrotogale owstoni taken by camera trap (Photo: phongdiennr.org.vn)

The detected animals include “cay van” (Owston’s palm civet, or Chrotogale owstoni) and “cay giong soc” (large-spotted civet, or viverra megaspila), which are listed as endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 

The large-spotted civet was recorded in the wild most recently by camera traps in Phong Dien Nature Reserve last June. It is believed to be possibly extinct in China and Vietnam. 

Meanwhile, camera traps have only found Owston’s palm civet in Phong Dien Reserve in 2016 and in Sao La Reserve, also in Thua Thien-Hue, in 2015. 

Since 2011, scientists have been striving to spot “ga loi lam mao trang” (Edwards's pheasant, or Lophura edwardsi) by camera traps in the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue. “Ga loi lam mao trang” is indigenous to Vietnam and critically endangered as listed by IUCN. 

They expect to discover this species and other rare animals in Phong Dien Nature Reserve. 

Founded in 2002, Phong Dien Nature Reserve covers 41,433ha of land in Phong Dien and A Luoi districts. It is also the first place to record Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) and “mang lon” (giant muntjac, or Megamuntiacus vuquangensis) that have been found only in Vietnam and Laos. 

The reserve harbours 44 mammal species, including 19 in the IUCN Red List and 16 in Vietnam’s Red Data Book. It is also home to 34 reptile, 19 amphibian and 172 bird species.

VNA