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A sound find: Rangers in Quang Ninh Province discover a truck with 36 boxes of snakes, turtles, and salamanders. These trafficked wild species have been sent to the Soc Son rescue centre in a Ha Noi suburb and were later released back in their habitats.— VNA/VNS Photo Quang Hai

Extinction concerns raised over animal smuggling cases

HA NOI — Viet Nam is facing a major wave of wildlife extinction unless more action is taken to curb poachers, the Forestry Department has warned.

Figures from the department show that last year, over 50,000 cases of wild animal smuggling were detected by rangers and the police.

According to the deputy director of the Forestry Department’s Inspection and Legislation Bureau, Do Nhu Khoa, central coast and Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) provinces such as Nghe An, Quang Binh and Dac Lac were among the worst-hit areas.

Khoa revealed that 20 tonnes of trafficked wild animals had been caught in these regions over the last few years, including many species listed as endangered in Viet Nam’s Red Book.

Early this month, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai promulgated a decree tightening the regulations on import and export of wild fauna and flora, but traffickers are still tempted by the potentially lavish profits.

Although the number of smuggling cases decreased last year from 2000, a greater number of rare and precious animals was involved.

Among the high-profile cases, last November saw the Quang Ninh Forestry Department’s rangers nab a truck ferrying 6,300kg of turtles and snakes to China.

In October, rangers in the northern province of Ninh Binh apprehended a truck with three dead Indochinese tigers.

Police quickly discovered that Hanoian Dang Van Toan, 38, was the owner of the dead animals, and he will be prosecuted under the Forest Protection and Development Law.

Forestry Department head Nguyen Ba Thu said that tackling the wild animal trade was becoming a critical issue, despite the tough measures already taken.

Wild animals are mostly consumed by restaurants or sold to other countries such as China, he said.

In central Viet Nam alone, there are 300 specialist restaurants offering wild meat dishes.

A ranger with the Quang Ninh Forestry Division said that a kilogram of cobra, which sells for around VND200,000 in Viet Nam, could fetch up to VND500,000 in China.

Thu said the first step in curbing the illegal wildlife trade was to close down all wild meat restaurants, and equip customs officers with more advanced detectors and other equipment.

He called on the Government to raise people’s environmental awareness and provide them with sufficient resources to live their lives without having to kill wild animals. — VNS

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