To create behavioral changes in wildlife protection, propaganda must have appropriate methods of impact, based on scientific studies on the mechanism of behavior change of individuals and social groups. . This mechanism depends on many factors such as the subject of information and communication impacts; characteristics of content, language of media impact…
Barriers
Experts from the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center directly carry out the re-release of king cobras and Chinese cobras to the forest. Photo: Thanh Dat/VNA Master Ha Hong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Environment and Urbanism, a person with 30 years of experience in environmental propaganda, including wildlife, said that there are barriers when performing this task. According to Master Ha Hong, when social networks develop, one of the factors that “help” reduce biodiversity is the rampant appearance of advertising pages for wildlife trade. In 2019 alone, the Wildlife Protection Department of the Nature Education Center has recorded more than 2,400 cases of wildlife advertising on facebook, youtube, zalo, tiktok and other websites. This number shows no signs of decreasing when the first 4 months of 2020 recorded 424 violations. Meanwhile, the force of news and propaganda for this segment is both lacking and in-depth. In other countries, reporters writing about environmental protection are required to have two university degrees (journalism and environment or equivalent). In Vietnam, reporters mostly have only one of two university degrees (journalism or environmental related majors). Journalism schools and journalism departments of many universities do not have training courses for specialized reporters. Many international organizations, journalism schools, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment sometimes organize field trips and seminars in the field of wildlife, but only at the level of “riding horses to see flowers”. Many press agencies have rotated reporters continuously, there are no correspondents specializing in the field. Master Ha Hong emphasized, to approach investigating a hot incident in a city, industrial park, or factory is not simple, but it is nonetheless much more convenient when crossing passes, wading streams, and crossing forests every week. It takes months, even years, to obtain documents documenting the illegal cutting of precious and rare tree species or hunting and catching wild animals. Access to reporters is also very dangerous because violators are often familiar with the terrain and are ready to use weapons to defend themselves. Currently, many press agencies have to account for their own operating expenses, so the funding for a group of reporters who travels for many days to write investigative reports is limited, causing difficulties due to the inability to access the checkpoints. , border gate, customs to collect information related to the transportation and consumption of wild species. Therefore, the propaganda information is not much, mainly news and articles based on reports of the management agencies, so it is not lively and not detectable. Adding another barrier if not “sticking” to the end, finding out clearly to have specific recommendations when monitoring and information about wild species and vice versa will achieve high propaganda effectiveness. Master Ha Hong shared that 5 animals are listed in Vietnam’s list of 100 most endangered species in the world, including saola, white-crested pheasant, Ho Guom turtle, marlin and snub-nosed langur. More than 20 years of propagating about the cultural land of Ho Guom, including the Ho Guom turtle, even after the turtle died, with the author having 194 direct sightings of floating turtles. These events were published on the websites of the mass media. Many photos of red-eared turtles appearing in Hoan Kiem Lake are also warned because this is one of the animals that threaten the food source of turtles and other species living in the lake. In addition, it is warned that the use of excavator buckets to dredge the lake will seriously destroy the mud ecosystem of Sword Lake. In early 2011, the photo reportage of the Ho Guom turtle swimming with a series of mottled and scratched marks on the back of author Ha Hong was published, attracting the attention of readers, contributing to urging the authorities of Ha Hong. Hanoi accelerates treatment plan for Hoan Kiem Lake turtle. The cause of the turtle’s scratches is that the turtle often goes through the sewage pipe from Ngoc Son temple to the sewer at Dinh Tien Hoang double street. Previously, this water pipe was pinned to the bottom, then turned up, floating on the water surface. Therefore, the city quickly replaced the sewage pipe, buried underground under the columns of The Huc bridge. Thanks to providing scientists with a set of close-up photos of the Sword Lake turtle with accurate images, in 2019, Master Ha Hong was invited to the Scientific Council to accept and make a specimen of the Sword Lake turtle according to current technology. The world’s most advanced plasticizer is made by scientists from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and two scientists from the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2020, scientists discovered another individual turtle of the same species as the Sword Lake turtle in Dong Mo Lake. Thus, Vietnam currently has 3 individuals of these turtles, of which 2 are in Dong Mo lake and 1 individual in An Khanh lake. The Hanoi People’s Committee has a plan to preserve this turtle. In addition, in order to overcome cognitive barriers, many NGOs have taken appropriate measures when social networks thrive. International humanitarian organization in Vietnam released the short film “In the future, the big baby” touched the hearts of passengers of Vietnam Airlines (Vietnam Airlines) with a message of hope to end rhino poaching. in Africa, in an effort to reduce demand for rhino horn and wildlife products. The Center for Education for Nature has released a media short film “Your Nightmare-Reality of a Bear” showing the cruel reality of bear bile farming facilities in Vietnam, which requires a change in behavior with humans. nature to avoid unfortunate consequences. The short film “Monkeys are not pets” to raise awareness for people to end the situation of keeping monkeys as pets – an illegal activity that is very popular in Vietnam today. Basic and long-term solution 
Langur species is conserved in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Photo: VNA Master Ha Hong suggested that the basic and long-term solution for effective propaganda is to open training courses for journalists specializing in the environment in general and wildlife in particular in journalism training schools or journalism departments. solstice. Each student graduates with two university degrees or equivalent in journalism and environment. The authorities need to organize specialized training courses, fostering professional skills for reporters who are monitoring the environmental field every 1 or 2 years. Funding for the internship is enough to support reporters of some press agencies to write articles for many periods. In the process of reporters collecting information, there is an agency to act as a focal point to coordinate with forest rangers, market managers, and local authorities. The solutions in Directive 29 in 2020 of the Prime Minister should be well implemented. The Ministry of Information and Communications directs press agencies to strengthen information and propaganda on the law and solutions to protect wildlife; coordinate with concerned agencies in preventing and strictly handling acts of abusing telecommunications networks and the internet for advertising purposes; exhibiting, propagating, trading in wild animal samples has been banned according to the provisions of law. Mass media agencies shall coordinate with ministries, branches and localities in strengthening propaganda and dissemination of laws on wildlife management; continue to propagate about not using illegal wildlife. Besides, organizing the prize for writing about wildlife every 2 years, launching a movement for reporters to say no to the use of products made from illegal wild animals and plants such as maple syrup. “Drink not drive” movement… Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Party Central Committee Phung Huu Phu emphasized the urgency of protecting wild species, contributing to the conservation of biodiversity in Vietnam, which is derived from the living needs of the people themselves. . The application of science to change behavior especially emphasizes the role and responsibility of setting an example of the team of leaders, managers, people with position and prestige in society. In order to improve the effectiveness of communication to change behavior to protect wildlife, according to Dr. Phung Huu Phu, besides the role of media and forms of information such as the press, literature and art, propaganda. mouth, community activities, social networks, etc., the responsibility of setting an example of cadres and party members, especially those holding leadership and management positions, is of decisive significance. Therefore, in the coming time, concerned agencies should focus on changing their behavior from conquering to living together in order to shape the value of living together, loving and protecting nature.
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