An endangered monkey held captive (Photo: ENV) Hanoi (VNA) – The Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) said onFebruary 21 that 19 wild animals of rare and threatened species were rescuedfrom illegal traders and trappers, and subsequently released back into naturein January.
Eight animals were handed over voluntarily by local people – consisting of twopangolins, one red-shanked douc langur, one python, and four monkeys – andtaken to either nature reserves or released back into nature.
The ENV said that competent authorities also seized many wild animal products,including 9.94kg of elephant tusks in Vinh Phuc province. It also detected andworked to remove 54 online pages that contained illegal wildlife tradinginformation.
According to ENV Vice Director Bui Thi Ha, the result is a vivid illustration ofthe radical change in public awareness of wildlife protection. Strictpunishment must be meted out to any violations in order to prevent such crimes,she suggested.
As advertisements for and the illegal trading of wildlife animals on the Internetare common violations, competent authorities should enhance control to banwrongdoers from using social networking platforms to sell wild animals, Hasaid.
Some 521 endangered wildlife animalswere saved in Vietnam in 2018 thanks to the engagement of people and lawenforcement agencies. Up to 1,666 wildlife-related violations were alsodetected, of which 64 percent were involved in illegally advertising andtrading endangered animals and related products. –VNA
VNA
