Help End the Illegal Wildlife Trade in Vietnam

As the year draws to a close, we are delighted to share the progress made possible by your support of ENV's efforts to eradicate the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam.

From January to September 2023, 2,125 live wild animals have been seized or voluntarily transferred, and our Wildlife Crime Unit has handled over 2,760 wildlife crime cases, consisting of over 8,500 violations. Among numerous other species, 976 turtles and tortoises, 15 lorises, six leopard cats, four gibbons, a langur, and 101 macaques have been confiscated or voluntarily transferred.

Since our last report, several new key cases have occurred. We are pleased to share them with you: 

• An Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), the last at a bear farm in Lao Cai province, was voluntarily transferred by the owner. ENV worked for years to persuade the bear's owner to voluntarily give up the bear and give it a second shot at life at a rescue center. The bear was transferred to the Hoang Lien National Park Rescue Center (Case ref. 4308/ENV).

• In September, Ham Thuan Nam District Police arrested a repeat offender who was caught en route to deliver two macaques. This individual had been reported to ENV in 2017 for illegally advertising various live animals and wildlife products online. In January 2022, the subject was arrested for the first time for illegally transporting a gibbon. In April of the same year, he was sentenced to an 18-month suspended sentence and 36 months’ probation. However, in October of that year, he was again arrested and fined VND 15 million for transporting eight pig-tailed macaques and an Asian palm civet. Despite these previous penalties, the offender was caught again and will now face prosecution (Case ref. 11291/ENV).

• In October, District 1 Police in Ho Chi Minh City arrested a man and confiscated three silver-covered bear claws and two ivory bracelets following a collaborative effort with ENV. The subject was an online seller who was reported to our Hotline back in December 2013 for advertising bear claws, bear canines, tiger claws, tiger canines, and ivory bracelets (Case ref. 5643/ENV).

• In October, during an operation undertaken by the Nghe An Economic Police in collaboration with ENV, a woman and her son-in-law were arrested, and approximately 2,846 kg of pangolin scales were confiscated (Case ref. 28974/ENV).

• In October, following a collaborative effort with ENV, Dak R'Lap District Police in Dak Nong province arrested a man for illegally possessing a pygmy slow loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) (Case ref. 28967/ENV).

• Three macaques were confiscated from a persistent violator in a case that started with a report of illegal online wildlife advertising made to our Hotline in 2018. Despite multiple warnings, this individual continued to advertise wild animals online. This time, the Dong Nai Provincial Forest Protection Department checked the subject’s home and was able to locate three macaques, which were confiscated (Case ref. 13578/ENV).

• Following a report to our Wildlife Crime Hotline, Khanh Hoa Fisheries confiscated a marine turtle illegally sold at a restaurant in Cam Ranh city and released it back into the sea (Case ref. 28177/ENV). 

Law and Policy

Our Legislation & Policy Team has released two key annual reports targeting law enforcement agencies and the judicial system in Vietnam. In August, ENV released the CWT (combatting wildlife trafficking) Responsiveness and Performance Report 2022, an independent evaluation of the performance of law enforcement agencies in dealing with publicly reported wildlife crime in Vietnam, and in September, we released the Prosecution Review: Wildlife Trafficking Cases in Vietnam 2022, a review of the performance of Vietnam’s criminal justice system in dealing with wildlife trafficking cases in 2022.

The results from both reports show that Vietnam continues to demonstrate a positive and concerted effort to address wildlife crime.                          

Below are some of the most recent prosecutions for which ENV provided input and support to law enforcement agencies and the justice system:

• In December 2022, Cao Bang Environment Police seized 22 dead Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) from the trunk of a car. Three subjects were arrested. In September 2023, Cao Bang Provincial Court sentenced two men to 6 years in prison each, while the third subject received a 5.5-year prison sentence (Case ref. 25814/ENV).

• In July 2023, Quynh Luu District Police in Nghe An province arrested two subjects while transporting a live tiger. One of the two subjects had already been arrested for transporting a dead tiger in Dien Bien in 2022. For that crime, he had received a fine of VND 500 million. In September 2023, both subjects were sentenced to 12 months in prison by Quynh Luu District Court (Case ref. 27807/ENV).

• In December 2022, Hanoi City Environment Police cooperated with the Hanoi City Forest Protection Department and seized 21 ivory products weighing 15.4 kg from a shop in Hoang Mai district. The shop owner was arrested. In September 2023, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison by Hoang Mai District Court (Case ref. 25881/ENV).

• In February 2023, Ba Vi District Police arrested a man for transporting two live Bengal slow lorises (Nycticebus bengalensis). A seller was arrested as well. In August 2023, Ba Vi District Court sentenced the seller to 13 months in prison, while the transporter was sentenced to 12 months (Case ref. 26605/ENV).

• In March 2023, Tuy Duc District Police arrested a man for illegally transporting a Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica). Following the investigation, the police also arrested three men who had been responsible for hunting the pangolin in Bu Gia Map National Park. In September 2023, the four subjects were sentenced by Bu Gia Map District Court to prison terms of 2 years and 6 months each (Case ref. 26383/ENV).

• In January 2023, Dien Chau District Police in Nghe An Province seized a tiger trophy, a tiger head trophy, six tiger skins, a leopard (Panthera pardus) skin, and a suspected wild buffalo head trophy (which could later not be identified) at a residential house and arrested four men. In October, the main subject was sentenced to 6 years in prison, while three of his accomplices each received suspended sentences ranging from 15 to 18 months and 30 to 36 months’ probation (Case ref. 26137/ENV).

• In November 2022, Trang Bom District Economic Police confiscated six pygmy lorises (Nycticebus pygmaeus), three leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis), a clouded monitor (Varanus nebulosus), two long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), and a Burmese python (Python bivittatus). A man was arrested and given an administrative fine of VND 30.8 million. In October 2023, the subject was sentenced to a prison term of 2 years by Trang Bom District Court (Case ref. 25639/ENV).

• On December 20, 2022, Phu Xuyen District Police in Hanoi confiscated three African elephant (Loxodonta africana) ivory bracelets and two Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) claws that were being shipped via post by a subject in Dak Lak province. The man was arrested in April 2023. In September, he was sentenced to an 18-month suspended sentence and 36 months’ probation, in addition to an administrative fine of VND 195 million (Case ref. 17881/ENV).

Communications and Public Awareness

As part of our continuous efforts to increase awareness and mobilize public action to protect wildlife, thus far in 2023, the ENV Communication and Public Awareness team has hosted more than 30 public events and exhibitions all over Vietnam.

In October, our team and volunteers organized an exhibition at a popular shopping mall in Hanoi.

The aim of the event was to raise awareness among visitors about the importance of protecting wildlife and to collect pledges not to use wildlife. The exhibition featured various games for children, informative sessions, and the screening of our latest public service announcements, and more than 500 pledges were signed by the visitors.

In November, we released ENV’s 56^th Public Service Announcement, “Knock Knock,” which aims to raise public awareness about everyday wildlife crimes and the negative consequences associated with these violations. In the PSA, examples of common wildlife crimes are shown through a series of snapshots featuring individuals of different genders, ages, and social statuses. Some of these people seem to be engaged in “normal” daily activities without realizing that they are doing something in violation of the law and might face consequences.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support of ENV's efforts in combating the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam.

We appreciate your generous contributions, which have enabled us to make substantial progress in this fight. We look forward to sharing more updates with you in the future regarding the impact of your support.

Thus far, 2023 has seen many highlights and victories in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam. As of the end of June, 1,740 live wild animals have already been seized or voluntarily transferred, and our Wildlife Crime Unit has handled over 1,844 wildlife crime cases. Among numerous other species, the first half of 2023 has seen the confiscation of 733 turtles and tortoises, 11 otters, five lorises, two leopard cats, two gibbons, a langur, and 62 macaques.

It is our pleasure to share with you some of the key cases that have occurred in the second quarter of 2023.

These cases were made possible thanks to your support:

• A farm owner voluntarily transferred six Indochinese tigers to Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center.

• Nam Tu Liem District Police in Hanoi arrested a seller and confiscated 2.6 kg of ivory products during a sting operation.

• A subject was arrested and 10 bear claws and 23 unidentified skin pieces were confiscated in Dak Lak province.

• The Dak Lak Environment Police confiscated several pieces of ivory jewelry from a local shop. As a result, the Dak Lak People’s Committee fined the shop owner VND 195,750,000 for illegally selling 37.1 grams of ivory.

• A big seizure was carried out at a pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City including a long-tailed macaque, a Malayan box turtle, 13 yellow-headed temple turtles, two elongated tortoises, an alligator snapping turtle, and seven red-eared sliders.

• Authorities in An Giang province confiscated a leopard cat from a church after which it was released back into the wild.

• Phu Quoc Island authorities confiscated 73 turtles being illegally sold at a market kiosk on Phu Quoc Island. In all, eight Chinese stripe-necked turtles, 29 red-eared sliders, and 36 Chinese pond turtles were confiscated from the vendor and removed from the illegal wildlife trade.

• 100 illegally-bred turtles were confiscated from a local farm in Hai Duong City. The turtles comprised 97 live Asian yellow pond turtles, a live Asian stripe-necked leaf turtle, and two dead turtles, all of which were transferred to the Turtle Conservation Centre in Cuc Phuong National Park.

Law and Policy

Our Policy and Legislation Team continued to communicate with prosecutors and other authorities on critical wildlife crime cases, as well as disseminating information and sending correspondence regarding modifications and proposals to wildlife protection legislation and policy in Vietnam.

ENV sent communications to a wide range of stakeholders, including commercial wildlife facilities and non-commercial facilities, notifying them of legislation relevant to the operation of their establishments and urging them to fully comply with the law.

In 2023 so far, we have sent correspondence on wildlife protection to 3,419 pagodas and churches, as well as postcards to 2,414 traditional medicine shops in nine cities/provinces, inviting them to join ENV’s Wildlife-friendly Traditional Medicine Businesses/Practitioners Network and to commit not to sell traditional medicines derived from endangered wildlife.

Key prosecutions    

Thus far in 2023, ENV has monitored the prosecution of around 50 wildlife-related criminal cases, providing support and inputs to members of the judicial system where necessary. Some of the most notable prosecutions from the first half of 2023 are detailed below:

• In July 2022, 11 sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) claws and some African elephant (Loxodonta africana) ivory pendants, an African elephant (Loxodonta africana) ivory bracelet, and numerous fake wildlife products were seized from an online seller in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. In March 2023, the online seller was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

• In September 2022, a man in Nghe An province was arrested for illegally transporting five Indochinese box turtles (Cuora galbinifrons), a big-headed turtle (Platysternon megacephalum), a tokay, and two hoary bamboo rats by motorbike. Police later inspected his house and seized 0.17 kg pangolin scales, as well as various other live and dead wildlife species. In March 2023, the subject was sentenced to 13 months in prison and fined VND 6 million.

• In October 2022, two Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) and other wildlife were seized in Ha Tinh province. In March 2023, the transporter was sentenced to a prison term of 15 months.

• In September 2022, Hanoi Environment Police confiscated two rhino horn pieces weighing 1.61625 kg and 0.25558 kg from the trunk of a car and arrested two men. The police searched one subject's house and found more pieces of rhino horn, and another man linked to the case was later arrested as well. In May 2023, Hanoi Court sentenced each of the three traffickers to prison sentences ranging between 30 and 41 months.

• In July 2022, Con Dao District Economic Police in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province inspected a shop and confiscated 50 green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) eggs. The seller was arrested, and in June 2023 was sentenced to 30 months in jail.

Communications and Public Awareness

The communications team at ENV has been working around the clock to continue to raise public awareness through a variety of channels. These include in-person events held in different cities across Vietnam, Public Service Announcements (PSAs) aired on national TV, viral campaigns on social media, and sharing wildlife protection news with local press.

A particular highlight of the second quarter of 2023 was the June release of ENV’s 55^th Public Service Announcement (PSA) to date, bringing attention to the illegal hunting, trade, and advertising that is threatening the survival of marine turtles. The PSA features a sea turtle getting trapped in the net of unscrupulous fishermen and depicts the horrifying reality of dead turtles being stacked and stored, with the result of such atrocities being displayed in the form of jewelry in a souvenir shop. A young couple is drawn to the merchandise, but the store owner reveals that the objects are crafted from hawksbill sea turtle shells. The informed couple, clearly unhappy with the killing of marine turtles to make souvenirs, leaves the gift shop abruptly, passing the scene to a law enforcement officer who delivers the key message that buying and trading wildlife products is both illegal and morally wrong, and urges the public to report violations to authorities.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of ENV’s efforts in the fight to end the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam.

Until next time, when we get to share more updates on what your generous contributions have enabled us to accomplish!