Wildlife release tour raises public awareness of nature conservation

Hanoi (VNA) - "Going home" - a newly-launched free tour at the Cuc Phuong National Park in the northern province of Ninh Binh allows tourists to release animals back to nature, thereby helping to spread the message of nature conservation among the public.

For the first time in a national park in Vietnam, visitors can join authorities in releasing rescued wild animals back to nature.

According to the Director of the national park Nguyen Van Chinh, each visitor joining the tour will become an “ambassador” who helps raise public awareness of nature conservation.

Established in 1962, Cuc Phuong is the first and largest nature reserve in Vietnam. The park is located around 120km southwest of Hanoi and nestled in the convergence of three provinces: Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa.

Covering an area of 25,000 hectares, the park is a typical tropical rainforest that is home to a diversified system of flora and fauna and contains several highly endangered species.

On par with the most famous primeval forests in the world, Cuc Phuong National Park has experienced many historical changes since its creation, yet it still retains its wild beauty and precious ‘treasures’ endowed by Mother Nature such as the fossils of Con Moong Cave, its many ancient trees and caves once home to prehistoric man.

The park is the natural habitat of more than 2000 plant species and 2600 species of animals including 2000 species of insects, 135 mammal species, 122 species of reptiles and amphibians, 65 species of fishes and more than 336 species of birds. Many endangered species have been found and protected here including the flying lizard, spotted deer, golden monkey, bear, leopard, fox, horse, and the famous black and white douc langur.

It is also famous for its numerous mountain cave landscapes. The park includes many limestone mountains and valleys.

In the past, the park was home to more than 2000 Muong people. Today there are still a few small villages located around the park’s territory and the Muong still thrive with their intriguing history and distinctive culture.

The ideal time to visit Cuc Phuong National Park is between December and May - when the weather is cool, dry and pleasant. Visitors should avoid going during the stormy season in the north around June to August - a very dangerous time for trekking in the park.

Visitors will be particularly amazed during the colourful butterfly season in the national park in May when a sparkling and brilliant painting is painted by millions of butterflies of all kinds, making them feel like they’re lost in a fairyland.

Over the last six decades, Cuc Phuong has not only served as a ‘cradle’ for staff training to be specialised in the forestry sector but also an ideal place to promote environmental education activities, Chinh said.

In recent times, the management board of the park has synchronously implemented three pillars: forest protection and biodiversity conservation; scientific research and international cooperation on conservation; and environmental education and ecotourism development.

Chinh emphasised that forest protection is the most important function of the park.

“The root of a "peaceful" forest as you say is forest protection”, he stressed.

According to Chinh, the Cuc Phuong forest protection station - the main unit performing this task, has made many changes in personnel arrangement and has improved the professionalism of forest rangers.

Environmental education through ecotourism activities is an effective channel to raise public awareness and convey a message of love of nature and its preservation, he said.

As the first-ever tour service of its kind in Vietnam, the "Going home" aims to spread a message of nature conservation far and wide among the public, he noted.

So far, five wildlife re-releases involving nearly 140 visitors have been carried out during the project, with 101 individual animals from 17 different species released back into the wild, Chinh said./.