Protect Endangered Wildlife Against Exploitation

Thank you so much for all the support you have provided so far on our project to protect endangered wildlife from exploitation.

We’re already three months in, and we cannot wait to tell you about the progress we’ve made thus far. The species we’ve helped to rescue from the illegal wildlife trade since this project began include both those that are endangered, and those that are stable in population, but sadly still exploited by the trade. These included Asiatic black bears, Asian small-clawed otters, pangolins, leopard cats, and various macaque, turtle, tortoise, lizard, snake and bird species, among others.

We hit a record high number of cases in 2021, with our Wildlife Crime Unit handling 3,703 cases. From these cases, there were 1,058 live wild animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. From January to February 2022, we helped facilitate the rescue of 448 animals. Thank you to everyone who supported us in our work, especially over the holiday season and into the new year.

There was a big turtle seizure in December, where 122 turtles, weighing 186 kg were confiscated from a supplier in HCMC. This was an important case, finding the turtles from the source, and preventing their distribution amongst the smaller-scale street sellers in the city, who are notoriously difficult to pin down, with them typically selling only 1 or 2 turtles at one time. The species confiscated included the Amboina box turtle (Vulnerable), giant Asian pond turtles (Vulnerable), yellow-headed temple turtle (Critically Endangered), Mekong snail-eating turtle (Vulnerable), and the elongated tortoise (Critically Endangered). All had either ‘Vulnerable’ or ‘Critically Endangered’ conservation status, according to the IUCN.

During this reporting period, a total of nine bears were finally transferred from three facilities in Binh Duong province. One ex-bear owner was especially helpful in encouraging bear owners at one of the facilities to give up their bears. He said, “After learning about the bear sanctuaries in Vietnam, I realized that my bears deserve to have a better life. So, I transferred my bears and have tried to encourage others to do so too.” In December 2021, bear Tu Do (Freedom) was also transferred from farm to sanctuary, making Son La province the next bear bile farm-free province!

In January, a report from a member of the public enabled the confiscation of 7 caged wild birds. The informant suspected the subject had caught the birds in the wild with the intention of selling them. The Kon Tum Forest Protection Department (FPD) visited the residence, and confiscated 6 orange-bellied leafbirds and a crimson sunbird at the residence. Luckily, they were all released back into the wild they had been caught from!

As always, we have handled many macaque cases in this period, since they unfortunately continue to be a popular exotic pet. They are abundant in the exotic pet trade, being both bought from sellers and caught from the wild in Vietnam. One particular macaque case which stood out, however, was one where the subject also voluntarily gave up an eagle in his possession after the Binh Phuoc FPD educated him on the harms of keeping wildlife. In turned out that the eagle and macaque were both gifts to his late father, which he didn’t know what to do with besides keep looking after them. This demonstrates the role awareness plays in keeping animals out of the illegal wildlife trade. Had he fully considered the options, and been informed on ENV’s hotline service, he would have likely arranged the transfer of both of the animals sooner. The FPD played a key role here in educating the subject, and Binh Phuoc have been a province to continually take quick actions against wildlife crimes. We commend their sincere commitment to the cause!

ENV welcomed in the Year of the Tiger by speaking to the media and officials about the tiger problem. Unfortunately, tigers are already functionally extinct in Vietnam, however, many remain in captivity legally and illegally. Tiger bone glue is made, consumed, and trafficked in Vietnam, enabled largely by the existence of illegal tiger farms in the basements of Nghe An province. There also exists a potential risk of non-commercial facilities breeding tigers to the point the captive tiger population becomes uncontrollable, allowing for leakage into the illegal wildlife trade. ENV has plans to put the tiger issue at the forefront of our efforts this year.

A sign of the tides changing in Vietnam with regards to prosecution is the case where a 14-year prison sentence was given to a subject for importing 126 kg of rhino horn into Noi Bai Airport. This is the highest punishment ever received by a wildlife criminal, and comes very close to the current maximum sentence of 15 years. The laws have been in place since the revisions to the Penal Code in 2018, and we now begin to see them applied to their fullest extent.

Thank you again, for your kindness in protecting vulnerable animals from exploitation and imminent extinction in Vietnam and beyond.