Elephants in the Central Highlands. (Photo source: PV/Vietnam+) Wild animals and plants play an important role in maintaining ecological balance, ensuring Ecosystem are complete systems, contributing to the provision of ecosystem services for sustainable development, bringing direct benefits to people. The strengthening of wildlife protection is one of the most important tasks of biodiversity conservation. A clear legal system, behavior change communication, and effective law enforcement are considered to be the three decisive factors for the success of a conservation campaign. VNA introduces a series of 4 articles “Joining hands to protect wildlife in Vietnam.” Lesson 1: Facing a downtrend According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Committee in the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, the rate at which biodiversity is being degraded is unprecedented in history. One million plant and animal species out of a total of 8 million species on earth are on the verge of extinction. In Vietnam, in recent years, biodiversity resources are continuing to decline. The situation of illegal hunting, killing, slaughtering, transporting, trading, and consuming wild animals is still complicated, leading to an increase in the risk of extinction of many wild animals in the environment. nature, negatively affecting ecological balance, human health and the country’s reputation in the international arena. There is also a risk of disease transmission to humans, livestock and poultry. Biodiversity is reduced mainly due to natural loss, overexploitation, climate change, environmental pollution from the use of pesticides, plastic products… and invasive species. In which, urbanization, deforestation, and agricultural development are the main causes causing nearly 75% of the terrestrial environment to be changed, causing species and ecosystems to decline. The wildlife trade has also created many consequences, wreaking havoc on the environment, severely reducing species populations with 67% of animals worldwide already in decline. High diversity comes with risk extinction increase According to the 6th national report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Vietnam currently has about 51,400 species of organisms that have been identified, including 7,500 species/microorganism strains, about 20,000 terrestrial and aquatic plant species, 10,900 species of terrestrial animals, 2,000 species of invertebrates and freshwater fish, and 11,000 other marine species. Many species have great value for conservation, contribute to science and affirm the global importance of Vietnam’s biodiversity, such as saola, silver-backed chevrotain, giant gill, Truong Son gill, striped rabbit, etc. Asian elephants, bison, gray cows, tigers, leopards, star deer, primates, sea turtles and freshwater tortoises… The International Bird Conservation Organization has also identified Vietnam as having 63 important bird areas. important. Compared with other countries in Indochina, the fauna of Vietnam is quite rich in species composition and has a high degree of endemism. Of the 21 monkey species found in this region, Vietnam has 15 species, of which 7 are endemic species and subspecies. Of the 49 endemic bird species in the region, Vietnam has 33 species, of which 10 are endemic to Vietnam alone. From 2014-2018, 334 new species were discovered for science including 208 animal species, 136 plant species described and published in prestigious international scientific journals and the Institute’s Journal of Biology Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. According to statistics, the number of species and individuals of Vietnam’s wild species is on a sharp decline, many endangered, precious and rare species are at very high risk of extinction. Like the Ho Guom turtle, there are only 4 known living individuals in the world, including 1 individual in China and 3 individuals in Vietnam. Other large mammals such as elephants, tigers, bears, big cats and pangolins are also threatened with extinction if no resolute and effective protection measures are taken. Sao la – a species endemic to the Truong Son range is also on the verge of extinction. Investigation and monitoring efforts to date have not found any populations of the species in the wild. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List updated in November 2020, the number of threatened species distributed in Vietnam is 745 species, including 64 mammal species, 53 bird species, 70 reptile species, etc. 45 species of amphibians and 96 species of fish. The total number of wild species recorded in the Red Book of Vietnam is 882 species, of which 464 are precious and rare animals (an increase of 108 species within 10 years). There are 116 species that are critically endangered and 6 species that have been converted from different endangered levels to considered extinct, including two-horned rhinoceros, gray bull, tapir, otter civet, lilac crocodile, star deer . The 2016 species inventory proposed to include 1,211 species in the updated Red Book, including 600 species of plants and 611 species of animals. Compared with the 2007 Red Book, the number of threatened and endangered species has increased significantly. Big challenge According to the assessment of the Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (General Department of Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), the conservation of wild animals and plants is facing many challenges and limitations. . The issue of protecting wild species, especially endangered, precious and rare species has not yet been unified in the approach to management and conservation; management regime for species in different categories. Especially in matters of criteria for species identification, the list of endangered, precious and rare species and endangered, precious and rare species are prioritized for protection. An otter belonging to group 1B, imprisoned in an iron cage, is illegally sold by stall owner Yen Tam in Thanh Hoa, Long An province in 2020 for 10 million VND. (Photo: Hung Vo/Vietnam+) Duplicating the list leads to an overlap in management regimes and makes it difficult to apply legal documents as well as handle violations in practice. Specifically, the three-bar box turtle belongs to the list of endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection and is not allowed to be traded, but at the same time belongs to group IIB – forest plants and animals that are not yet threatened. extinct, but at risk of being threatened if not strictly managed, limited exploitation and use for commercial purposes. The overexploitation and use of wildlife resources, deforestation, and conversion of forest use purposes also lead to habitat loss of species leading to increasing conflicts between humans and species in the region. nature. Species conservation programs are approved by the authorities, but in practice there are few resources to implement. The demand for illegal and unsustainable consumption of endangered wild species for food, medicine, pets, decoration… still exists. The illegal trade in these species is increasingly sophisticated, organized and complicated, with elements of transnational crime. Law enforcement is still limited and ineffective due to lack of resources, including physical, human and financial facilities. Remuneration regimes and policies for enforcement officers are not commensurate with the high responsibilities and risks when facing this crime. The specialized force’s ability to fight against this type of violation on endangered, precious and rare wild species has not yet kept up with the sophisticated and professional tricks of criminals. Some shortcomings and gaps in legal documents make it difficult to handle violations such as the lack of regulations on handling exhibits. In practice, it may take a lot of time for the investigating agency, the procuracies or the people’s court, the trial panel to make a decision, or it may also take time to get the assessment results when the individuals Live and healthy wild animals need to be treated and immediately released back into the wild, which is very expensive to preserve until the case is heard. Cooperation between enforcement agencies has improved, but there has not been a close coordination mechanism, no guidance on the investigation process after the arrest of wildlife individuals or products, including: including the process of making and transferring dossiers from customs, border guards and forest rangers to the police, assessment agencies, procuracies and courts; handling wild animals and their parts after confiscation. In addition, the awareness of the whole society towards species conservation, biodiversity conservation has been improved, but there are still many limitations. Some parts of the people still have a high demand to use endangered wildlife, leading to increased hunting, trading and consumption. Awareness of all levels and branches has been raised, but not enough and not drastically to contribute to the conservation of endangered, precious and rare species effectively and comprehensively. Deputy Director of the Center for Education for Nature (Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations) Bui Thi Ha said that corruption is also a big obstacle to wildlife law enforcement efforts because there are With the help of a number of corrupt officials, many criminals have been and are blatantly committing crimes without fear of being discovered, arrested, put on trial or facing punishment. prison./.

Over the past 10 years, many conservation initiatives and solutions have contributed to effectively protecting the biodiversity common home. (Photo: Hung Vo / Vietnam +) After more than 6 months of launching, the program “Honoring organizations and individuals with many contributions to the conservation of wild species in the period 2010-2020” by Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment The launch is coming to the last stage. It is expected that the ceremony to honor individuals and organizations participating in the program will be held on May 21, 2021, in response to the Day Biodiversity international (May 22). Thousands of species are named According to the representative of Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (Vietnam Environment Administration, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), in the past decade, Vietnam has witnessed many changes in economic, social and conservation life. biodiversity is no exception. Although operating in silence, scientists and conservation organizations have contributed to creating a brilliant decade of biodiversity with a series of research, new species discovery and initiatives and solutions. effective conservation. Especially, right after launching the above honoring program in October 2020, the program has received many records from individuals and organizations working in the field of species conservation. Many animal and plant species have been studied and discovered for the first time for science and published in prestigious international journals. Among thousands of species of animals and plants recognized and recognized internationally, many species of insects, reptiles, amphibians … are classified as critically endangered, and should be prioritized for conservation; Many studies have found endemic species only in Vietnam. Some newly discovered species include scorpion Euscorpiopsis cavernicola (in Ba Be district, Bac Kan province) and scorpion Vietbocap thienduongensis (Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh province). In addition, precious tree species such as Moc Huong (Aristolochia), genus Arachniodes, … have also been studied on phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships for practical application. Through research, many valuable plant species in medicine and production are identified and have reasonable conservation plans. Many outstanding landmarks in conservation Along with species discovery research, the program honors organizations and individuals with many contributions to the work wildlife conservation the 2010-2020 period also recognizes many initiatives and solutions, contributing to improving the efficiency of efforts of all levels, sectors and the society in species conservation. The precious otter who was illegally confined and sold at the farm product disguised as Thanh Hoa, Long An province, was rescued by the competent forces after receiving a report from the reporter of VietnamPlus. (Photo: Hung Vo / Vietnam +) The first solution mentioned by the Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity is the successful breeding and conservation of white-crowned Lei Lamas – a rare and endemic bird of Vietnam. In addition, the pairing and spawning of the White-bellied Cao Sand Bird has also been successful, serving environmental education and conservation in the future. Besides breeding solutions for endangered species, other initiatives also focus on wildlife rescue. Among them, there are groups of volunteers who have rescued 100 sea turtles, of which 94 are still alive and have been returned to the sea; or process of rescuing bears, raising bears in semi-wild environments … In particular, the program received a story from someone who used to be a hunter but now leads a voluntary group to conserve white-nosed langurs in Quang Binh. Thereby, it contributes to preventing the impact of the quarrying program, protecting the habitat for langurs. As a result, in 2018, the People’s Committee of Quang Binh province has partially planned the forest into a special-use forest to balance conservation and exploitation needs. In addition, some units also made a mark with the initiative of using camera traps to investigate wild species in some key areas or the application of technologies in monitoring and re-release. wild animals and preserve the gifts given to Vietnam by the Creator. Assessing the significance of the program, professor-doctor of science Dang Huy Huynh, ASEAN Biodiversity Hero, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Nature and the Environment said that this is a conservation initiative. of great significance, helping to motivate and encourage the development of the scientific research movement on biodiversity. During the working process, the review board found that the submitted documents were in compliance with the rules, some documents were carefully prepared, showing the enthusiasm for the program. The dossiers are evaluated on the basis of selection criteria in the issued rules./.

Elephants in the Central Highlands. (Photo source: PV / Vietnam +) According to the General Department of Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), the subject of International Day of Biodiversity (22/5) in 2021 was chosen by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity “We are part of the solution.” The theme was chosen to continue the cross-cutting theme of 2020 “Our solutions are available in nature” as a reminder that biodiversity remains an important solution, an option for Sustainable Development . From nature-based solutions to climate issues, health, food security, drinking water and sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity is the foundation on which we can rebuild for the better. Due to the complicated ongoing COVID-19 epidemic around the world, the 2021 International Day of Biodiversity will be commemorated through an online campaign. In a new study published in the Journal of Frontiers in Forest and Global Change (excluding Antarctica), scientists identified only 3% of the world’s land is still ecologically intact, with healthy primitive populations and undisturbed habitat. This number is only for the nature of “approximate estimate.” The study used range maps of 7,000 word species Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Most of the data is from mammals but also includes some birds, fish, plants, reptiles and amphibians. The world is in a biodiversity crisis, many wildlife populations, from lions to insects, are plunging in numbers, mainly due to habitat loss. Some scientists believe that the 6th mass extinction on Earth is beginning and will have serious consequences for food, clean water and air. Vietnam is one of the most important and biodiversity countries in the world, both in terms of marine and terrestrial ecosystems (especially forest and mangrove ecosystems). According to the Vietnam UNESCO Office, 238 priority ecological zones have been recognized around the world, of which 6 are located in Vietnam. Several nature reserves in Vietnam are recognized by UNESCO for their unique universal natural value, including 3 natural heritages, two global geopark, 9 biosphere reserves and two Wetlands are located in two world biosphere reserves. However, Vietnam’s conservation efforts are facing various difficulties and challenges such as: biodiversity degradation trends have become more important due to deforestation and illegal logging. legal, overexploitation, economic growth and population pressure, have enormous impacts on the key services these ecosystems provide. According to the Department Nature conservation and biodiversity (Vietnam Environment Administration), nature-based solutions is a term that can be used to describe alternative and non-traditional approaches to environmental problems such as flooding, water scarcity or soil erosion, by exploiting natural capital. Can Gio mangrove forest. (Photo: Manh Linh / VNA) Solutions could include restoring and conserving coral reefs and mangrove belts to increase resilience to coastal flooding and sea level rise, serving as the first line of defense for dissipation. energy waves and vegetation to reduce the risk of landslides and create green belts to help replenish groundwater in areas facing water scarcity. In response to the International Day of Biodiversity on May 22, 2021, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will honor organizations and individuals who have made many contributions to wildlife conservation in the 2010-2020 period. According to the General Department of Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), the Selection Council is composed of managers from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and other Leading scientists in the field of species conservation such as Professor, Doctor of Science Dang Huy Huynh – Biodiversity Hero of ASEAN. The dossiers to participate in the program honoring organizations and individuals with many contributions to the conservation of wild species are evaluated on the basis of the selected selection criteria. Each profile is consulted by all experts in the council, ensuring transparency and fairness. According to the Selection Council, the discovery of new species, initiatives and solutions for biodiversity conservation is of an important nature. Documents participating in this program show that there are thousands of named wild flora and fauna species, many of which are endemic to Vietnam. Many initiatives and solutions contribute to improving the efficiency of efforts of all levels, sectors and the society in species conservation. Initiatives on reproduction, breeding and successful conservation of rare species, care solutions, propaganda and especially initiatives from volunteer groups to protect species life and inspire those who has been and wants to contribute to this field. Scientists believe that the first time the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has an initiative to organize a program to encourage and encourage the development of the scientific research movement on biodiversity is a meaningful activity taking place. In the context of increasing climate change, the rate of biodiversity degradation of our country and the world tends to increase. It is expected that the Ceremony to honor individuals and organizations participating in the program will be held on May 21, 2021./.