[enviro-vlc] Weekly New Bulletin E405

Fri Feb 25 22:10:24 EST 2011

E405 February 25, 2011

Top News

A full version of each story can be obtained by accessing links provided on our website
http://envietnam.org/E_News/E_402/E_405.html

Khanh Hoa: Douc langur transferred to rescue centre

On 21st February, according to the Tuoi tre online newspaper, the Ninh Hoa Forest Protection Department (FPD) in Khanh Hoa province rehabilitated wildlife which had been confiscated from a local restaurant a month earlier (reported in ENV's bulletin E402). A black-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nigripes) was transferred to the Cu Chi Rescue Centre (RC) and the other animals, including Chinese cobras N.VN/China (Naja atra) and brush-tailed porcupines (Atherurus macrourus), were released into the wild.

In accordance with the law, the illegal trading of the black-shanked douc langur is a criminal offence, as this species is listed in group IB of Decree 32/ND-CP - the group of rare wild animals forbidden to be exploited or used for commercial purposes. The penalty for trafficking Chinese cobras N.VN/China and brush-tailed porcupines is an administrative fine.

Vietnamese version:
http://thiennhien.org/index.php?page=newsView&id=352

Rare endangered animals need protection
Despite being listed in the world's top 16 most bio-diverse countries, Vietnam is sounding the alarm for the decrease in numbers of rare endangered species, especially those which are endemic like the tonkin snub-nosed langur (Rhinopithecus avunculus), golden-headed langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus) and white-rumped black langur (Trachypithecus francoisi delacouri). Not only are strict laws and wildlife protection institutions needed, but national parks and reserve areas also need to enforce strong methods of protection to ensure the preservation and development of Vietnam's biodiversity.
Vietnamese version:
http://thiennhien.org/index.php?page=newsView&id=354

Ho Chi Minh City: Wildlife law enforcers build skills to combat illegal wildlife trade
On February 21- 23, law enforcers in southern Vietnam were trained on how to identify threatened reptile species and familiarize themselves with international wildlife protection policies in an effort to combat illegal wildlife trade in the ASEAN region. The workshop was organized through the cooperation between CITES management in Vietnam, the wildlife trade monitoring network - TRAFFIC Vietnam and the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) at the Saigon Zoo, Ho Chi Minh City.

English version:
http://envietnam.org/library/Articles%20for%20news%20media%20section/Wildlife-law-enforcers-build-skills-to-combat-illegal-wildlife-trade.html

Dong Nai: New viper species discovered
According to the online newspaperThiennhien.net, British and American scientists have discovered a new viper species named Cryptelytrops rubeus, which shows similarities to the Cryptelytrops marcops species (discovered in 1977). The specimen was found in forests of mountain areas 500m above sea level, in Dong Nai province and Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnamese version:
http://thiennhien.org/index.php?page=newsView&id=353

Quang Binh: Illegal loggers seize timber and attack forest rangers
On February 18, two people suspected of attacking forest rangers were put into temporary detention by Bo Trach police. On February 11, as the transport team hired by the government-owned Bong Lai timber plantation were transferring a large amount of illegal talauma and platanus timber seized a day before to their offices, a group of men threatened and attacked them, resulting in rangers being injured and damage to equipment. Authorities are continuing to investigate the case. 
Vietnamese version:
http://thiennhien.org/index.php?page=newsView&id=355

ENV's activities

Hanoi: Leopard cat transferred to Soc Son Rescue Center

On February 23, thanks to the keen work of the Hanoi Environmental Police (EP), a leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) weighing 3.4kg with one injured leg was transferred to the Soc Son RC.

Having received a public tip off, the ENV Wildlife Crime Unit informed the Hanoi EP that the illegal activity of trading leopard cats was taking place at the Perfume Pagoda in My Duc District. The Hanoi EP immediately assigned a team to investigate and discovered that a cat had been sold on to a second party. The cat was then confiscated and the two suspects involved in the case were put into temporary detention by authorities. The case continues to be investigated.
http://envietnam.org/E_News/E_402/Hanoi-Leopard-cat-transferred-to-Soc-Son-Rescue-Center.html

ENV Newsletter February 2011 and Wildlife Crime Bulletin February 2011

The latest ENV Newsletter covers work carried out by ENV's departments, includes important ENV activities held last year such as ENV's Annual Volunteer Meeting 2010, programs and awareness- raising events carried out by the Mobile Team, highlights special wildlife protection cases in which ENV was involved, and discusses the analysis of attitudes and bear bile use in Vietnam as well as the illegal captivity of tigers and bears in Vietnam. 

http://envietnam.org/library/Newsletter/ENV%20Newsletter%20%28EN%2019%20Feb%202011%29%20final.pdf

Simultaneously, ENV also released the Wildlife Crime Bulletin February 2011 covering the period of November 2010 - January 2011. The bulletin features an article about tiger criminals, and another about bear farm owners in Quang Ninh continuing to ignore the law and serve Korean tourists. 

Exciting news: The Wildlife Crime Bulletin will become a monthly publication from next month.

http://envietnam.org/library/Wildlife%20Trade%20Bulletin/WLT_Bulletin_Feb_2011.pdf

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

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) 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/enviro-vlc/attachments/20110225/99245e83/attachment.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 11627 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/enviro-vlc/attachments/20110225/99245e83/attachment.jpe 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 18747 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/enviro-vlc/attachments/20110225/99245e83/attachment-0001.jpe 