Ca Mau (VNA) – An Asian water monitor lizard (Varanus Salvator) was released into the Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary Nature Reserve on August 5 after being voluntarily handed over to authorities by a local resident, highlighting growing public awareness of wildlife conservation.
The release was carried out by the Bac Lieu forest protection unit under the Ca Mau Forest Protection Sub-Department in coordination with the management board of the Bac Lieu special-use and protection forest and local authorities.
The lizard, weighing about 6kg and measuring around 2 metres in length, is classified as a Group IIB endangered, precious and rare forest animal under Vietnamese regulations.
The day before, Le Hoang Tho, a resident in Hiep Thanh ward, discovered the reptile when it wandered into his home. Tho promptly notified local police, and then worked with them to hand it over to the local forest protection authority. The animal was found to be in good health at the time of its rescue.
The Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary Nature Reserve was chosen as the release site because its habitat is well suited to the species, improving its chances of survival and adaptation in the wild.
The same day, authorities in Khe Sanh commune, Quang Tri province transferred a crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela), weighing about 1.4kg, to the Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park for rehabilitation after it had been voluntarily handed over by a local resident who found the injured bird unable to fly.
The eagle will be cared for and released into the wild once it is fit for survival./.
