Grace and beauty: Eastern sarus cranes roost in Tram Chim Reserve in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Dong Thap. They are among the country’s most endangered bird species. — VNS Photo Minh Loc

Viet Nam vows to protect its environmental assets

HA NOI — Viet Nam is committed to environmental protection and conservation, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Cong Tan said on Monday.

Since 1962, when the country marked off its first national park in Ninh Binh Province, more than 100 areas have been gazetted for protection, he told a four-day meeting of conservation experts from 42 countries that began on Monday.

Many rare and valuable plant and animal species have been discovered in Viet Nam over the past decade.

Some are only found in these parts.

Newly discovered plants and animals include the Sao La (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), Giant Muntjac (Megamutiacus vuquangensis) and Truong Son Muntjac (Caninmuntiacus truongsonensis).

The Government has also promulgated a raft of regulations to protect and develop forests, endangered plants and animals, Tan told the 17th meeting of the Animals Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Forest rangers, the key force in forest protection and management, have been empowered with more responsibilities.

They have also received improved training, better equipment and the backing of forest protection laws.

These rangers, in collaboration with relevant authorities, have met with initial success in curbing the illegal trade in endangered wildlife.

Controlled wildlife breeding farms have been established in localities, in a bid to raise people’s living standards and help protect flora and fauna, Tan said.

CITES was established in 1973 with a membership of 12 nations and now counts 154 nations as members.

Viet Nam officially acceded to the CITES Convention in April 1994.

At the time, the Vietnamese Government appointed a CITES management authority and two scientific authorities.

A CITES office was also set up to act as a standing body of the CITES management authority. — VNS

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