Rich biodiversity database debuts
A web portal collecting data of natural resources and wildlife conservation in Da Nang City has been introduced.
A photo of a family of the endangered primates – red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus) langurs is taken in jungle of the Sơn Trà Nature Reserve in Đà Nẵng. Photo courtesy of Bui Van TuanIt will provide information, documents, photographs and statistics from nature reserves in Son Tra and Ba Na-Nui Chua, as well as a special-use forest of South Hai Van in the central city.
The portal (thiennhiendanang.vn), was jointly-built by lecturers of Environment & Biological Resource (DN-EBR) group and Faculty of Biology and Environment from the Science and Education University (University of Da Nang), and the Centre of Biodiversity Conservation, GreenViet.
It contains 1,100 documents, with 1,000 photos and 53 video clips, from a number of organisations, photographers, biologists and the local community.
Biologist Nguyen Thi Tinh from GreenViet said the portal is the first ever data of nature, forest protection, wildlife conservation and research on biodiversity covering a total 43,722ha of nature reserves.
She said the portal will provide a database and information serving for studies and curriculum among 10,000 teachers and 300,000 students in Da Nang.
School teachers could use material from the portal to give lively lectures on nature of Da Nang to students, she said.
“It’s the first time a knowledge data on biodiversity and endangered species has been built in Da Nang," Tinh said.
"Most of the data and information was voluntarily contributed by the community, organisations, researches and photographers.
“The portal introduces seven items on typical ecological system and species in the two nature reserves and forest in showing off rich nature value of Da Nang and improves the awareness among the community on the importance of biodiversity protection and conservation.”
Tinh said the portal focuses on the conservation of two endangered primates – red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus) and grey-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix cinerea) – and key protected flora and fauna of central Vietnam that are existing in Da Nang.
The development of the portal had received support from the UK-based Synchronicity Earth, VisualViet and Comclick, she said.
The GreenViet-managed Nature Education and Experience Centre on Son Tra Peninsula has provided nature awareness education activities for more than 25,000 school students and 3,000 local residents exploring the biodiversity of the reserve.
The European Union (EU) also funded a biodiversity protection and environmental sustainability project in Da Nang City in 2020-23 with total funding of 650,000 euros (686,000 USD).
The Son Tra Nature Reserve, 10km from Da Nang downtown, is home to more than 1,300 red-shanked douc langurs and more than 1,000 plant and 370 animal species.
It’s also the easiest site in Vietnam to see red-shanked douc langurs at close range from 30m to 50m in jungle.
The city’s People's Committee approved a master plan on biodiversity conservation in 2030 in line with long-term socio-economic and sustainable development goals./.
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