A group of 50 students aged 12 to 15 visited Cat Tien National Park in Dong Nai province last weekend as part of a year-long programme organised by the HCM City-based non-profit organisation Wildlife At Risk (WAR) in coordination with Khan Quang Do (Red Scarf) magazine.

During the visit, the students had first-hand experience of releasing rehabilitated wildlife to their natural habitat.

The trip is part of a year-long nature conservation and wildlife protection programme that aims to promote environmental and wildlife preservation and ends in May. Fifty endangered animals, including eight monitor lizards, two wild cats, a loris and a group of turtles, were released into the forest during the trip following a period of rehabilitation in the Cu Chi Rescue Centre.

Nguyen Chuong, deputy director of the centre, said the animals had been rescued from illegal traders or donated by pagodas in the southern provinces of Ben Tre and Kien Giang and HCM City .

The pagodas often take care of animals, especially turtles, which are given to them by Buddhist followers who use them in praying ceremonies.

The animals were in good health and able to survive in a natural habitat, Chuong said.

Participants who are members of clubs for teenagers such as Em Yeu Thien Nhien (I Love Nature) Club and Phong Vien Nhi (Little Reporters) Club and Guong Mat Tuoi Hong (Teenagers' Faces) Club also took a walk through the forest, watching wildlife at night and visiting the Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary./.