At the award ceremony of a drawing contest on wildlife protection by ENV. (Photo: ENV)Hanoi (VNA) – More than 5,500 local youths have engaged in a voluntary network for wildlife protection established by Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV), Executive Director Vu Thi Quyen said during her interview with the Vietnam News Agency.
ENV carried out a range of activities last year to boost awareness on wildlife conservation in Vietnam, particularly among younger generations, Quyen said.
These include a drawing contest that received more than 155,000 entries and a run for rhinos attended by more than 500 people. As of the end of December 2015, information boards on endangered animals were put on display at the headquarters of over 104 public agencies and 54 markets in 15 major cities and provinces.
ENV held 126 exhibitions and produced six short films for their campaigns, which were broadcast on 70 domestic channels.
Meanwhile, a voluntary network for wildlife protection was set up, consisting of 15 groups in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thai Nguyen and Ho Chi City, among other localities. Each group was trained to organise its own projects, and volunteers from across the country reported thousands of violations by businesses.
Addressing wildlife poaching and smuggling in Vietnam requires a comprehensive strategy comprised of campaigns to lower domestic demand, and improvements in legal framework and law enforcement, Quyen stressed.
In 2016, the organisation plans to boost its connections with communications agencies and expand the volunteer network.
It will also call for more support to end pangolin trafficking.-VNA
