[enviro-vlc] Weekly News Bulletin E398

Fri Dec 31 21:54:36 EST 2010

E398 December 31, 2010

Top News

A full version of each story can be obtained by accessing links provided on our website.

http://envietnam.org/E_News/E_398.html

Quang Ninh: Requirement of People's Committee on checking, reporting, and sanctioning the extraction and trade of bear bile

Responding for the public concerns, on December 17, Quang Ninh's People's Committee issued document number 4912/UBND-NLN2, requiring the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) to co-operate with local authorities to enhance inspections and more strictly manage the number of captive bears in the province, as well as investigate the bear farms which openly extract and sell bear bile to foreign tourists in Ha Long City in accordance with the law. The People's Committee has also asked DARD put forward a proposal on how to deal with violations. On December 24, in document number 1784/NN&PTNT-KL, Quang Ninh's DARD replied that they had checked five bear farms and did not detect any instances of the open extraction or sale of bear bile in the province. This result of Quang Ninh's DARD based on their investigation realized on June 11 2010.

(Vietnamese version)
QN yeu cau kiem tra bao cao xu ly viec chich hut mat gau
Bao cao cua so NN&PTNT QN ve viec chich hut mat gau

Hanoi: King cobras found in taxi

On December 26, authorities stopped a taxi and discovered a sack containing two cobras weighing a total of 12.5kg. The owner of the snakes admitted that she had purchased them in Vinh Phuc province to sell in Hanoi. According to experts, the cobras were in fact King Cobras (Ophiophagus Hannah), which belong to group IB of Decree 32/ND-CP - the group of rare wild animals forbidden to be in captivity, hunted, traded or killed. The cobras have been transferred to the Soc Son Rescue Center.

(Vietnamese version)
Buon ban ran ho mang chua

Survey of snake wine in Vietnam

Two Australian post-graduate students recently conducted a survey of snakes soaked in rice wine in Vietnam. The results of the survey, published in the October 2010 edition of the Research of Threatened Species magazine produced by Sydney University, concluded that "the popularity and economic values of the production of snake wine in Vietnam suggest the need to develop programs of sustainable use of these species".

Exploited snake species in Vietnam are quite diverse, the most common being the water snake (Xenochrophis flavipunctatus), accounting for 47.4%. The cobra or Chinese Cobra (Naja atra) found in north Vietnam and China fetches the highest price and includes the King cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah), common cobra (Naja kaouthia) (found in Vietnam and Myanmar) and spitting cobra (Naja siamensis) (found in south Vietnam). All three species are listed in Vietnam's Red Book and at risk of extinction. Moreover, the King cobra is critically endangered and listed in the group of rare wild animals forbidden to be transported or traded for commercial purposes. Other species are also found in rice wine, such as the Green tree racer (Trimeresurus sp), water snake and python.

The trade of snakes and snake wine raises concerns about the existence of wild snakes in the future, particularly for the most exploited species. Meanwhile, provisions relating to legal protection and prohibition of the exploitation and trade of wild snakes remain weak. Current conservation efforts usually only occur through law enforcement and seizures from the illegal trade of wildlife.

(Vietnamese version)
Quanh chuyen binh ruou ngam ran

Quang Ngai: Illegal coral haul dumped 

On December 28, authorities from Quang Ngai province seized more than 10kg of illegal coral dumped on the side of a road after the driver of a van noticed that authorities were following and managed to evade arrest. Acts of illegal exploitation and destruction of reefs is covered by a Government decree and authorities are continuing with the investigation.

(Vietnamese version)
truy lung xe tai van chuyen san ho trai phep 

Deforestation in Yok Don National Park

Yok Don National Park is widely considered one of the only areas left housing precious highland trees, but the struggle between forest guardians and poachers continues and is compounded by the existence of numerous sawmills and furniture factories in the area using illegally logged timber. Local authorities have uncovered many violations, including the purchase and processing of 500 cubic meters of illegal timber, and an illegal transportation of timber case aided by the "irresponsibility" of a regional Ranger Station officer.

(Vietnamese version)
Nhung_con_mot_go_o_vuon_quoc_gia_Yokdo

National awards for the best environmental films

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in cooperation with the Vietnam Movies Association held the 4th National Film Festival for the Environment Award Ceremony on December 29.

Mr. Nguyen Dai Dong - Deputy Director General of the Environment Department, said that the entries for the contest were very rich in content and diverse in category, and highlighted many urgent issues such as the illegal hunting of wild animals, deforestation, and indiscriminate littering. Entries are on the increase, with this year's festival receiving the most entries in the four years that the competition has been running.  

Directed by Le Hoai Phuong, Green Forest Crime won the most prestigious award: Green Vietnam. Phuong's movie examined how the illegal hunting of wildlife causes imbalance in a forest's ecosystem.

(Vietnamese version)
Trao giai phim xuat sac ve moi truong 

ENV's activities

Pygmy loris confiscated in Da Nang

On December 30, a pygmy loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus ) was confiscated from a resident following the successful cooperation between the Da Nang Forest Protection Department (FPD), ENV and the support of ENV volunteers. In early December, ENV in Da Nang learned of the case from a volunteer and immediately contacted the FPD. After the owners of the loris were made aware of relevant wildlife protection laws, they transferred the animal to the FPD to be later released into the wild.

http://envietnam.org/library/Sub%20parts%20of%20news-activities/Pygmy%20_Loris_confiscated_in_Da_Nang.html

Recruitment of volunteers to protect wildlife in Nha Trang and Quang Binh

On December 24, ENV held a recruitment drive for volunteers to protect wildlife in Nha Trang. The drive was successful and saw 15 young people from the coastal city registering to become volunteers. Twenty-one young people were also recruited in Dong Hoi in Quang Binh province during a drive conducted by ENV Volunteers, which attracted the attention of many young people in the area. Each volunteer will work with ENV's Volunteer Network to contribute to wildlife protection activities, preventing illegal wildlife trade and improving community awareness about the issue in Vietnam.

http://envietnam.org/library/Sub%20parts%20of%20news-activities/Recruitment_volunteers%20to_in_Nha_Trang_Quang_Binh.html

Stay up to date with ENV on Facebook

Join ENV's Facebook Group

The ENV team regularly updates our Facebook group with wildlife crime news, interesting cases and information about our other work. Click on this link to join our group and help save Vietnam's wildlife: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=47162312016

Correction: We would like to amend the following information published in the last Bulletin and sincerely apologize for the errors:

AAF is Animals Asia Foundation, not Asia Animal Fund. 

The Vietnam Bear Rescue Center, not Tam Dao's Rescue Center.

Please note:  Past bulletins can be found on ENV's website www.envietnam.org

Communication and Public Awareness Department 

Education for Nature - Vietnam 
No. 5, Lane 192 Thai Thinh, Dong Da District
Hanoi, Vietnam 
Phone/fax: +84 4 35148850 - ext: 201, 202
E-mail:  communication.env at gmail.com

             communication.env at fpt.vn

Website: www.envietnam.org  (English) 
              www.thiennhien.org  (Vietnamese) 
              www.savingvietnamswildlife.org  (English wildlife trade website) 

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