The Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV), a non-governmental organization, recorded 1,666 cases of wildlife-related violations in 2018, and 521 wildlife animals were saved in Vietnam thanks to the engagement of people and law enforcement agencies.According to some experts, Vietnam is becoming a hot spot for trading and using wild animal and plant products. Many transnational trafficking cases with a large number of wildlife have been detected.
A wildcat was captive in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: ENV
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According to ENV, the illegal advertising and trading wild animals and products made from them is a common violation, accounting for 64% of the total.
To evade law enforcement forces, poachers take advantage of the internet as an exchange platform.
In 2018 alone, ENV detected nearly 800 wildlife violation cases on the internet, with more than 1,200 links showing signs of violation.
At the beginning of September 2018, police in Ba Thuoc district of Thanh Hoa province seized a 12-litre bottle of alcohol with two bear legs inside. The bottle was advertised on Facebook. A week later, two other people were also arrested for selling bear alcohol.
Keeping illegal wildlife animals’ captive and storing wildlife products remain common practices, especially with monkeys, turtles, bears, tigers and sea turtles or alcohol soaked in many other wildlife species, ENV said.
Saving wildlife animals just by calling a free hotline 1800-1522
In 2018, the ENV’s hotline (1800-1522) received 819 wildlife violation reports. 65.5% of these cases were handled, up from 48% in 2017. On average, ENV's Wildlife Protection Department receives 3.3 new violation reports through hotline 1800-1522 daily.
In addition, in 2018, many owners voluntarily handed over their captive animals to sanctuaries, bringing a better life at the rescue center for 67 wildlife animals.
ENV Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung stressed the importance of proactive engagement of the society in protecting endangered species and fighting against wildlife violations.
Via the hotline at 1800-1522, ENV expects to become a bridge connecting people and law enforcement agencies to handle reports of wildlife violations as well as voluntary handovers, Dung added.
