Vietnam moves to conserve critically endangered ungulates

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – To restore the population of critically endangered ungulates, the Centre for Nature Conservation and Development and the Department for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity jointly held a consultation meeting on November 22 to finalise a project to receive and raise, and restore the populations of Indian hog deer (Cervus porcinus), Rucervus eldii, giant muntjac, and Truong Son (Annamite) muntjac.

In Vietnam, these ungulates, which only live in the central and southern Truong Son mountain range, are in danger of extinction due to illegal hunting and capture and loss of habitat.

However, there have been to date no conservation proposals or intervention measures to restore populations of these species in the country.

They are in danger of quietly disappearing and becoming extinct, if no actions are taken in the next five years, stressed Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan, deputy head of the Department for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

An overview of the consultation meeting (Photo: VNA)

Nguyen Manh Ha from the Centre for Nature Conservation and Development said that the project aims to build a programme to receive, breed, release and monitor four species of the deer family. From experience collected in the implementation of the project, more lessons are expected to be drawn to apply in the conservation of other endangered species./.

VNA