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| Viet Nam to protect, breed endangered Owston's Civet | |
| HA NOI
— Cuc Phuong National Park near Ha Noi recently shipped three breeding
pairs of Owston’s Civet to England, marking the beginning of an
international conservation programme to breed the endangered species.
Owston’s Civet (Chrotogale owstoni) is a species of small carnivore that lives in forests in northern and central Viet Nam, Laos and southern China. Listed as globally threatened, it is one of the highest priority species for conservation action by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) /SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group. It is under serious threat from widespread hunting and trapping – its meat is supplied to restaurants, body parts to traditional medicine makers and beautiful skin to taxidermists in Viet Nam and China. The Owston’s Civet Conservation Programme in Cuc Phuong has been working to conserve this and other species of small carnivores in Viet Nam for the last nine years. It has been established to minimise the risks associated with holding all the animals in one location and aims to maintain a captive population of these civets until Viet Nam’s protected areas are under less threat and more is known about the animals’ exact ecological needs. The programme has taken in a number of civets seized by forest protection rangers from illegal wildlife traders. England’s Newquay Zoo, Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens and Paradise Wildlife Park are the first zoos to receive the civets under the programme. But next year, more breeding pairs will be sent to the US and maybe even Australia. "I am overwhelmed to be involved in such a progressive and landmark programme for Viet Nam and for English zoos," Stewart Muir, the director of Newquay Zoo, said as he received the animals in England. This is first time a project like this has been established in Viet Nam, linking the conservation of a wild species to an international breeding programme. It also marks a step forward in the battle to conserve Viet Nam’s natural heritage. Technical advisor to the programme, Scott Roberton, says it is an honour to be involved in it. But at current levels of illegal hunting and trade of animals, it is highly likely that conservation-breeding programmes will be needed for a range of species. |
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