VietNamNet Bridge – The Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) said on February 21 that 19 wild animals of rare and threatened species were rescued from illegal traders and trappers, and subsequently released back into nature in January.

An endangered monkey held captive (Photo: ENV)

Eight animals were handed over voluntarily by local people – consisting of two pangolins, one red-shanked douc langur, one python, and four monkeys – and taken to either nature reserves or released back into nature.

The ENV said that competent authorities also seized many wild animal products, including 9.94kg of elephant tusks in Vinh Phuc province. It also detected and worked to remove 54 online pages that contained illegal wildlife trading information.

According to ENV Vice Director Bui Thi Ha, the result is a vivid illustration of the radical change in public awareness of wildlife protection. Strict punishment must be meted out to any violations in order to prevent such crimes, she suggested.

As advertisements for and the illegal trading of wildlife animals on the Internet are common violations, competent authorities should enhance control to ban wrongdoers from using social networking platforms to sell wild animals, Ha said.

Some 521 endangered wildlife animals were saved in Vietnam in 2018 thanks to the engagement of people and law enforcement agencies. Up to 1,666 wildlife-related violations were also detected, of which 64 percent were involved in illegally advertising and trading endangered animals and related products. 

Source: VNA