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| Sao la. |
VietNamNet – Expenditure from local and foreign projects to protect rare birds and animals in Truong Son has extended into the millions of dollars, yet hunting and exploitation is as rife as ever.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and BirdLife have compiled a report regarding animal and bird populations in the Truong Son mountain range section running from central Quang Tri Province to Thua Thien – Hue Province. The report shows a bleak situation in what was once a kingdom for many rare birds and animals.
85 species of rare birds
Cao Dang Viet, an official from Quang Tri Provincial Forest Protection Department, said that after several forest surveys were conducted in Huong Lap Commune, Quang Tri Province, Vietnamese and foreign scientists had identified 85 rare species of birds that live in the area. Among them, there are birds that are threatened throughout Asia such as bong chanh rung (Buceros bicomis), the Malaysian eagle, the red necked blue woodpecker, the white crested water magpie-robin, and the racked-tail tree pie.
In addition, there are seven species listed in the Vietnam Red Book of threatened species, which includes rare birds such as pheinardian ocellata, the grey-headed laughing-thrush, and both the white and black crested blue pheasant (lophura edwardsi, lophura imperialis).
South of Quang Tri province, scientists identified several traces of communities of bos gaurus, estimating 12-15 head. The animal lives along the banks of the Ba Long and Vinh Dinh rivers. Another kind of rare animal, the red-haired wolf (cuan alpinus), was found in the Cua area, in Cam Lo District. They now live in packs of just three to five members, whereas once hundreds of the wolves roamed the Cua area.
Tigers for sale
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Finding sao la (pseudoryx nghetinhensis) in southern forest of Quang Tri Province and A Luoi forest of Thua Thien Hue Province is recorded as a break-through by local and foreign scientists. The Sao la was previously considered extinct. Around 150 of the animals live in Dakrong and A Luoi districts. |
Rare birds and animals in the central area of Truong Son are being hunted to the verge of extinction. In mid-June 2006, a gayal in fell into trap placed by hunters Quang Tri forest, and although staff of the Dakrong nature reserve found the animal, they were unable to save it.
In Phong Dien District, Thua Thien – Hue Province, rangers recently caught animal traders transporting a tiger by taxi to the north for sale. The tiger was rescued and released back into the forest.
Many kinds of rare animals are hunted by local people. Many ethnic minority people in A Luoi and Dakrong districts said that they trap sao la (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) for their horns, which they sell to traders. So far this year, Quang Tri and Thua Thien – Hue authorities have seized and released many tonnes of animals back into forest.
Khong Trung, chief of the Quang Tri Provincial Forest Protection Department, said that it exceedingly difficult for rangers to protect rare birds and animals when so many people live inside the confines of natural reserves. These people lived in the reserves before the reserves were established, so local governments cannot justifiably move them. In addition, human resources available for forest protection are modest and as they are underpaid, are prone to corruption. According to Mr Trung, each individual ranger must to patrol and protect up to 4,000ha of forest.
In the central area of Truong Son, two new natural reserves have been established: Dakrong in Quang Tri, and Phong Dien in Thua Thien – Hue. Another reserve is about to be established in Huong Lap Commune, Huong Hoa District, Quang Tri Province. However, according to Mr Trung, the state should set up more nature reserves to ensure protection of wild birds and animals.
(Source: NLD) | 
