Ho Chi Minh City, dated 19^th March 2016 – Over 200 children aged 12-15 years old, teachers and education managers actively participate in exciting contests and games at the Wildlife Protection Ceremony today at Tan Binh District Department of Education and Training (DOET). The ceremony organised by Wildlife At Risk (WAR) and Tan Binh District DOET aimed to raise awareness, encouraged participants to take part in wildlife protection and also consolidated extracurriculum activities on wildlife protection at Tan Binh District.

Participated in the ceremony were over 200 participants including leaders and staff of HCMC DOET, Tan Binh District DOET, education managers, teachers and students from 12 secondary school of Tan Binh District and WAR staff and volunteers. The 150 children participated in the ceremony are winners at their school’s wildlife origami contest.

One highlight of the Wildlife Protection Ceremony was the District Widllife Origami Contest for all students and teachers from the 12 secondary schools. Each school created an origami model sized 50cmX100cm. Each model included a collection of wildlife origami and on each wildlife origami is one practical action that secondary school student could take to protect wildlife. The first prize was awarded to the wildlife origami model that is artistic, vivid, colourful and includes a collection of most positive and feasible behaviours toward wildlife. In addition, the ceremony also awarded two second prizes, three third prizes and six runner up prizes. 

Previous to the ceremony, twelve wildlife origami contests were successfully organised in the 12 secondary schools of Tan Binh District with the participation of over 17,000 children aged 12-15 years old, under the framework of extracurriculum activities supported by WAR. In each school, the contest was launched and consolidated in two separate Monday school meetings. Each of the school meeting is a wildife gameshow with various exciting wildlife games and knowledge contests. In addition, a big school bulletin on wildlife protection was also installed in each of the school in order to support students take part in wildlife contests.At the Ceremony, 12 schools’s models created from hundreds of best wildlife origami products of the school contests were also displayed. The students also excitingly participated in the wildlife knowledge contest organised at the ceremony. Fifteenth best students were awarded at the knowledge contest too. In the beginning and before leaving the ceremony, all participants and students read out lout the pledge for wildlife protection. Each participant also showed their commitment to wildlife protection by takeing one photo with the pledge.

According to Ms. Do Thi Thanh Huyen – Wildlife Education Manager, WAR, “The Wildlife Protection Ceremony, together with a serial of extracurriculum activities are exciting playgounds where children learn about wildlife and be inspired to take part in wildlife protection. In additions, the extracurriculum activites connect children to practical wildlife consumption issues in their communities and thus evoke children to change. I believe that each of the dozens of thousands of students and teachers did find out the most appropriate and positive activities that they could take and will take to protect wildlife”.

All wildlife origami models created in the ceremony will be displayed at respective secondary schools. This model not only inspires teachers and students on wildlife protection but also reminds them of what they could do and will do to contribute to willdife protection.

The Wildlife Protection Ceremony at Tan Binh District is one activity under the extracurriculum component of the SOS Programme that aims to educate children and teachers on Widllife Consumption through encouraging them to say NO to illegal wildlife products. The SOS Programme were created by WAR under cooperation with HCMC DOET and Forest Protection Department in Dec 2011. Under this extracuriculum component, WAR also supported 23 secondary schools in Cu Chi District and provided guidlines on intergrating willdife protection into extracuriculum activities to all approximately 300 secondary schools of HCMC

Download the press release here, more pictures here

Phu Quoc Island, dated 27^th December 2015 – Wildlife At Risk (WAR) cooperated with Phu Quoc Marine Protected Area to organise the Dugong Festival 2015 at Ham Ninh, Phu Quoc island. The event aims to to raise awareness and gain the attention of leaders, students and teachers, locals and tourists for the protection of Dugong and endangered marine creatures. Unlike previous festival, the Festival this year lasted for one full day at Ham Ninh Habour and Duong Beach, Ham Ninh Commune, Phu Quoc Island.

Participated in the Festival was approximately 700 participants including Phu Quoc leaders, teachers and students, local people and tourists. The Festival started with a parade from Ham Ninh Commune to Ham Ninh Habour – a famous tourist spot on Phu Quoc Island and finished back at the Ham Ninh Commune. The parade was a successful and exciting event supported by the participation of locals and tourists alike.

After the parade, approximately 200 secondary school students who are members of six WAR’s Marine Conservation Clubs throughout Phu Quoc Island, including Ghenh Dau, Bai Thom, Ham Ninh, An Thoi, Duong Dong 1 and Hon Thom, took part in a serial of contests and exciting acitivities at Duong Beach, Ham Ninh Commune, for the rest of the day.

In addition to the parading, highlight activities of the Festival included a contest on Dugong Sand Sculture, Photo contest and Marine knowledge contest. Each Club created a model of real size Dugong on the Duong Beach. All the models were so lively and atractive, which showed good knowledge of the students about the endangered creature. Each Club also displayed a set of roughly 20 to 60 photos created by the students through the year round. The photos show beauties and threats to Phu Quoc Marine. The Marine Knowledge Contest with a simple but exciting format was exciting for every single participant at the Festival. Many prizes were awarded to individuals and groups for their great products or performance during the Festival.

According to Ms. Do Thi Thanh Huyen – WAR’s Wildlife Education Manager “The Dugong Festival 2015 with many exciting and creative activities became an unforgetable memory for each participant, which encourages them to take part in protecting Dugong and Phu Quoc Marine. We expect that each people take at least one practical action to protect Phu Quoc marine resources in particular and Vietnam’s marine resources in general so that our future generations could still benefit from the bountiful sea”.

All participants also commited to protect Phu Quoc Marine by creating a Dugong and a sea turtle on large canvas. This festital is one activity of the project entitled “Conservation of Dugong and Biodiversity of Phu Quoc and Tho Chu island”, being implemented since 2013 by WAR and Phu Quoc Marine Protected Area

Download the press release here, more pictures here

Dong Nai Province, dated 10 October 2015 –Wildlife At Risk (WAR) cooperated with Dong Nai Culture Nature Reserve organised a training course entitled “Environmental Educations for National Parks and Protected Areas of Vietnam”. Lasted for six days from 5 to 10 October 2015, the state-of-the-art training course aimed to raise capacity of environmental educators on educating teachers and students, tourists, local communities, leaders and public in general on nature conservation. The course provided a great forum for sharing environmental education (EE) experiences amongs National Parks (NP) and Protected Areas (PAs). In additions, the training course provided financial supports to some participants to impement their excellent EE initiatives at their NPs and PAs. The training course was funded by the Buck Kingsman Small Grant from Colledge of Natural Resources – University of California Berkeley.

Participated in the training course was nearly 30 environmental educators from 20 NPs and PAs in the South and Central Highland of Vietnam. All of them have at least three years of experience on EE. Some of them held high position in their NPs or PAs.The training course was designed and delivered by Ms. Huyen Do Thi Thanh – WAR’s Wildlife Education Manager and Ms. Susan Lynn Carpenter – professor from Colledge of Natural Resources University of California, Berkeley, USA. The trainers have rich experiences in training on EE, leadership and environment mediation. Especially, Ms. Susan Carpenter voluntarity participated in designing and delivering this training course.  The training programme was carefully developed to meet specific needs of environmental educators from NPs and PAs of Vietnam. With the learner centered approach, the training course included a serial of creative and active learning activities those encouraged participations from every participant. A few study tours and field trips were also included to comfort the experience sharings such as the study tour to Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station and Cu Chi Tunnel for participants to learn about EE for tourists and endangered wildlife rescuing activities. At the Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve where the training course was organised, the participants took part in a field trip to the forest to learn about EE for students and tourists, joined a community club to learn how to organise EE for local people and visited EE activities for secondary school students . One highlight of the traing course was collaborative leadership content that  helped participants to become a more effective leader when coming back to their NPs and PAs. Right after the course ends, three best small projects with a total budget of up to approximately 2,500 USD will be awarded to three NPs and PAs in order to educate children, teachers, local people and tourist on nature conservation.

According to Mr. Tran Van Mui – Director of the Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserver: “Environmental Education is one important function of every NPs and PAs in Vietnam. Currently, EE is implemented in quite a few NPs and PAs. However, there are not many opportunities for Environmental Educators from NPs and PAs to learn and share their experiences such as this training course. We expect that EE experience sharing will be  continued ways after the course ended.”.Ms. Huyen Do Thi Thanh  – WAR’s Wildlife Education Manager confirmed that: “Currently, there is almost no official EE course in Vietnam. All EE staff learn about EE through their jobs. This training course is a special opportunity to hand on experiences, skills and tools in order to improve effectiveness of EE in NPs and PAs in Vietnam. We expect that every people who work on EE will be connected in order to be more effective in their EE works and thus contri bute greater to the nature of Vietnam”.“This training course is especially useful and practical. Everyone who works on EE in Vietnam should participate. I’ve come up with quite a few new ideas those I will definitely apply to my jobs” – excitingly shared by Ms. Tang Thi Thu Huong – Deputy Manager of the Centre on Environment Education Communication and Ecotourism – Binh Chau Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve – a participant of the training course.

After the training course, participants will keep sharing their experience within the network. They will also get further supports from WAR in implementing EE activities. WAR will also seek for financial supports inorder to conduct similar training courses for other NPs and PAs in Vietnam

Download the press release here, more pictures here

Ho Chi Minh City, 2^nd September 2015, Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station (WRS) was honored to be a destination of Ness and Vicky, the two sisters cycling across South East Asia countries in a journey entitled “Buy No Rhino”.  At Cu Chi WRS, Ness and Vicky talked to over 60 students and six teachers from An NhonTay and An Phu Secondary Schools who were visiting Cu Chi WRS. The participants were excited to learn about Rhino, how rhino horn was traded to Asia countries such as Vietnam. Ness and Vicky also visited Cu Chi WRS and learn about Vietnam’s endangered wildlife as well as what WAR is doing to protect wildlife.

 In the project entitled “Buy No Rhino”, Ness and Vicky will cycle approximately 6000km through seven countries in South East Asia including China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The project aims to raise awareness about Rhino poaching and how rhino horn consumption could push rhino to the brinks of extinction. Ness and Vicky hope that illegal trade of rhino horn would stop in the future. 

Many people in Asian countries including Vietnam believe that rhino horn is a magical cure. In reality, rhino horn is composed of keratins, such as human’s hairs and nails. And thus there is no proof on effectiveness of Rhino horn on human health.

Let’s COMMIT to say “NO” to Rhino horn to save Rhinos.

Cu Chi, 09^thJune – Over 30 Vietnamese students aged from 12-18 years old and teachers from Sai Gon Practice High School visited WAR’s Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station (WRS). This is a great opportunity for the students to  interact with wild animals and learn about wildlife rescue activities.

A huge remark of this field trip is that the students and teachers of the Sai Gon Practice High School cover all expenses of the trip, while most other trips to Cu Chi WRS for Vietnamese schools were covered by WAR under the SOS programme. This is a great contribution of the students and teachers to wildlife conservation.

At Cu Chi WRS, the students were so interested and excited interacting with wildlife. They were also moved by real stories of different endangered wildlife at Cu Chi WRS. They were also able to contact with some endangered animals such as Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon, Elongated Tortoise, and Spot-billed Duck. Especially, the students also took part in feeding some wildlife. In order to help the students learn about the nature, WAR also organized a few games and quizzes with real situations for the students to learn about wildlife in an exciting manner. At the end of the visit, the students and teachers also pledge not to consume illegal wildlife products.

WAR is highly appreciated and fully acknowledged the students of teachers of the SaiGon Practice High School for their great contribution. We expect to receive further supports from individuals, companies and organisations on for wildlife rescue activities

Ho Chi Minh City, dated 12 June 2015 – Wildlife At Risk (WAR) and Douc Langur Foundation (DLF) announcedthat 40 excellent university students from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi Capital, and Vung Tau and Can Tho provinces have been chosen for the Wildlife Summer Camp 2015 – Connecting youth to wildlife conservation. And the Wildlife Summer Camp 2015 will be organised from 18 to 22 June 2015 at WAR’s Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station, Kien Giang Province in the Mekong River Delta.

With the theme “Scattering of love”, the Wildlife Summer Camp 2015 will encourage and connect the youth to wildlife conservation through a serial of practical and interactive activities such as preparing food and feeding wildlife, cleaning wildlife enclosures, growing food plants for rescued wildlife, painting wildlife’s enclosure, and distributing leaflets to local people. The campers will also learn different skills related to wildlife profession such as photography, camera trap setting up, forest surveying, a few social skills and other recreational activities!

Of the 40 selected campers, 10 from Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau Province are either best WAR’s volunteer students or won a WAR’s contest previously, and 30 from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi Capital and Can Tho Provinces are w inners of the contest on short video clips and short writing. The contest that was launched by WAR from 22 April to 22 May 2015, requested contestants to submit a short video clip or a short writing aiming to call for youngsters to take part in wildlife protection. These winners show their special interest and enthusiastic in wildlife protection through their creative and attractive video clips or writings. Some of the best video clips could be found on WAR website at www.wildlifeatrisk.org.

According to Ms. Do Thi Thanh Huyen – Wildlife Education Manager, WAR, “We were so surprised with the strong interest toward wildlife protection that the contestants showed through their video clips and writings. Some video clips have very good quality and are totally creative. Those products are created by vivid imagination and enthusiastic of the youth toward the nature and wildlife. This is a strong motivation for us to develop and prepare for a special Wildlife Summer Camp 2015. This camp will be unique. It will include a serial of stunning practical activities those move the camper’s hearts and encourage them to take action toward wildlife.

Wildlife Summer Camp 2015 – Connecting youth to wildlife conservation is an annual camp launched by WAR in June 2013. The programme organised in one rescue facility of WAR, aims to create an unique opportunity for university students to learn and to experience practical jobs related to wildlife professions. Over 70 students from different university in Ho Chi Minh City participated in the previous Camps. They all highly appreciated the camp and showed their strong passon to the programme and wildlife protection. After the camp, many of them took  volunteer jobs on wildlife or environment protection while studying, and some of them worked on wildlife protection after graduated.

Download the press release here

Link to clips of the contest for camper selection for Wildlife Summer Camp 2015

Hãy Bảo vệ Tê giác – Let’s protect rhino (here)Created by Nguyễn Huy Bồng, University of Natural Sciences, Ha Noi National University.

Ngày mai – Tomorrow (here)Developed by: Nguyễn Gia Mẫn, Vương Khánh Linh, Nguyễn Thiện Phúc, Nguyễn Thị Thảo Nhi – University of Finance and Marketing, Ho Chi Minh City

Bảo vệ rùa biển – Protect Sea turtle (here)Created by Tang Quoc Tuyen, University of Ariculture and Forestry, Ho Chi Minh City.

Gekko badenii was recorded for the 1^st time in 1994 in Ba Den Mountain, Tay Ninh Province in the South of Vietnam. This species was also found in Kon Tum Province further north of Vietnam in 1994. There is no other place where the species is found.

However, in May and November 2014, Gekko badenii were found a few hundred meters away from WAR’s Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station in Kien Giang Province. This discovery was made by scientists from Institute of Ecological and Biological Resources (IEBR) and Wildlife At Risk (WAR).

In Ba Den Mountain, the geckos are often hunted as pet and for meat. Thanks to this new discovery, we now know that the species has a bigger chance to survive from being hunted in Tay Ninh Province. 

Please see the announcement here

Ho Chi Minh City, dated 22 May 2015 –On the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2015, Wildlife At Risk (WAR) and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training (DOET) organised an awarding ceremony of the contest on developing power point lectures for any lesson that includes wildlife protection content of Biology Subject Grade 7. The awarding ceremony was organised at Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station in order to award best power point lectures those include wildlife protection content and to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity 2015.

Participated in the ceremony were over 50 participants including leaders and staff of HCMC DOET, HCMC District DOET and other bodies, awarded teachers and WAR leaders and staff.

The 38 best power point lectures were awarded at the ceremony. Those lectures not only meet curriculum learning objects but also intergrate wildlife protection content in an attractive and effective manner. Those lectures are also creative and feasible.From 22 August 2014 to 20 April 2015, the contest received over 300 power point lectures from 19 districts of Ho Chi Minh City. The lectures cover all key lessons of Biology Subject Grade 7 those including priority animals for conservation such as insects, fishes, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals. All the contested power point lectures were delivered to the students before registering for the contest. According to Ms. Do Thi Thanh Huyen – Wildlife Education Manager, WAR, “It’s really hard for us to judge the contest as many contested lectures are so good, so creative and carefully designed. Each lecture includes numerous active learning methods with many live photos and video of the wildlife. This is so special and more attractive than a normal lesson. I believe that any class with any awared lecture is an exciting and interesting experience for both studens and teachers”.

“The contest was a great opportunity for each teacher of Biology Subject Grade 7 to take part in wildlife protection through delivering wildlife content in effective and interesting methods. We are commited to strongly support wildlife education activities for the students in order to contribute to biodiversity conservation of Vietnam”, said Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu – Vice Ditector of HCMC DOET.

After the awarding ceremony, leaders and teachers also visited endangered wildlife those are rescued at Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station. Every people were moved with different stories about jouneys of endangered wildlife such as the bear losing paws, the elongated tortoises born at the station and etc. 

To celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity 2015, all participants also pledged not to consumme illegal wildlife products by signing on the model of Gab – a gibbon that is ambassador of the SOS programme.In next academic year, the awarded lectures will be shared among all secondary schools in Ho Chi Minh City. This will be a great asset for Biology Subject teachers to refer and to deliver lectures those contribute to wildlife conservation in Vietnam.

The contest is one activity of the SOS Programme launched in Dec 2011 by WAR, HCMC DOET and HCMC Departmnet of Education and Training. The SOS programme aims to educate students on wildlife consumption through encouraging them to say NO to illegal wildlife product. 

Download the second press release here and more pictures here

Ho Chi Minh City, dated 22 April 2015 – Wildlife At Risk (WAR) and Douc Langur Foundation (DLF) announced a contest on creating short video clips to select participants for the Wildlife Summer Camp 2015. This annual camp was launched by WAR in June 2013 entitled “Wildlife Summer Camp – Connecting youth and wildlife conservation”. In this year, the Wildlife Summer Camp 2015 is being organised by WAR and proudly supported by the Douc Langur Foundation. 

Wildlife Summer Camp 2015 aims to connect youth to wildlife conservation through helping them identify suitable jobs and to inspire them to take actions to protect wildlife both now and for the future. With the theme “Scattering of love”,the Camp will last for five days and four nights at WAR’s Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station. A wide range of practical and interactive activities will be conducted in an exciting and creative manner, including daily rescue activities such as preparing food and feeding wildlife, cleaning wildlife enclosures, growing food plants for rescued wildlife and forest trees at the Station, paint wildlife’s enclosure, communication activities. The campers will also learn different skills related to the profession such as photography, camera trap setting up, forest surveying and other recreational activities! 

In order to find suitable students for the Wildlife Summer Camp 2015, a contest on creating short video clip was launched by WAR and the DLF. In this contest the contestant has to create a short video clip that is not longer than three minutes to call for the youth to take part in wildlife conservation. Any university students from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi is eligible. The contest lasts from 22 April to 22 May 2015 with the winners of the contest participating in the Wildlife Summer Camp 2015.

 For the first time, university students from Hanoi also have opportunity to take part in the Wildlife Summer Camp 2015. It is expected that approximately five university students from Hanoi and 35 university students from Ho Chi Minh City, including some WAR’s best volunteer students or winners of other WAR’s competitions in the past year.  

“WAR’s Wildlife Summer Camp isa truly meaningful experience. I took part in many practical activities and was passionated for the friendships those were bonded during the trip. I knew moved stories of rescued wildlife and experienced how careful they were taken care of by WAR’s staff. I commit myselves to contributing more to wildlife conservation though asking people around to take part in wildlife protection. The wildlife were so unique and beautiful and I wish my children would also see them the way I saw.” – expressed Miss Le Thi My Nhung from Agriculture and Forestry University, participated in the Wildlife Summer Camp 2014.

Ms. Huyen Do Thi Thanh – Wildlife Education Manager, WAR explained that: “Successes of the two previous Wildlife Summer Camp inspired and encouraged us to continue organizing this coming Wildlife Summer Camp 2015. The Wildlife Summer Camp 2015, with participation of students from both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi Capital will include many lovely surprises for the campers. Currently, we are preparing carefully for the Wildlife Summer Camp 2015 so that it not only meets the youth’s expectations but also contribute greatly to wildlife conservation”. 

Download the press release here  and see the contest rules for selecting participants for Wildlife Summer Camp 2015 here

Phu Quoc, dated 16 April 2015 – Wildlife At Risk (WAR) and Mango Bay Resort officially openned the photo exhibition entitled “Lucky Wildlife” at 6pm yesterday at Mango Bay Resort. Participated in the opening was roughly 40 people including local leaders, staff and leaders of Phu Quoc Marine Protected Area, Phu Quoc National Park and Mango Bay Resort, tourists and local people. The exhibition will lasts for a month from 15 April to 15 May 2015 at Mango Bay Resort, Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc Island.   

Over 40 artistic photos of endangered wildlife, luckily rescued by WAR were displayed at the exhibition. Each photo mostly sized 30x45cm includes a story about that endangered wildlife and its fate. All live photos were taken in natural setting. Beside endanered willdife suchs as Asian Leopard, Yellow cheeked Crested Gibbon, Grey-shanked Douc, Moon Bear, Green Peafowl, and Pangolin, the exhibition also includes some endangered wildlife of Phu Quoc Island such as Indochinese Silvered Langur, Pygmy Loris, and Tokay Gecko. 

At the opening, the participants were moved with rescuing stories of each wildlife. Every one was happy to know that all the wildlife are now living in its natural habitat or enjoying comfortable lives at WAR’s rescuing facilities. All participants also pledged not to consumme endangered wildlife products.  

According to Ms. Do Thi Thanh Huyen – WAR’s Wildlife Education Manager, who is author of 11 displayed photos:”Beside endless passion for wildlife conservation activiies, many WAR staff also have a passion for taking photos of wildlife. We make use of every moment to take live wildlife photos in the hope that every people will see wildlife the way we see and love them the way we love. We hope that visitors will enjoy wildlife’s beauty and will join us to protect wildlife”! In this exhibition, Mr. Nguyen Vu Khoi – WAR’s CEO contributes most photos. He contributes 19 photos to the exhibition.

 The photo exhibition was funded by Mango Bay Resort. This is one of many other conservation activities supported by this high profile and nature frienly resort. Entrance is free. Every one can visit the exhibition from 9am to 7pm daily. You are encouraged to purchase displayed photos. All funds will be donatsed to WAR for rescuing endagnered wildlife.

Download the second press release here and more pictures here

Contact

Wildlife At Risk (WAR)

202/10 Nguyen Xi, Ward 26, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City

Tel: 08 3899 7314               Fax: 08 3899 7316

Email: info@wildlifeatrisk.org          Website: www.wildlifeatrisk.org