Photorgaphic Checklist of Reptiles – Amphibians at Ba Hon, Hon Dat District, Kien Giang Province

This thirty-four-page booklet, sized 14.5X20.5cm, in Vietnamese, introduces 34 species of reptiles and amphibians living in the wild at Hon Me and the surrounding. The booklet includes seven amphibian species belonging to four families, and 27 reptile species belonging to seven families. Each species also includes information about its level of common and observation time. The booklet is illustrated by over 70 live photos taken from 2011 to 2013. The booklet aims to support WAR’s conservation activities at Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station. It is also helpful for local decision makers on conservation, sustainable development, and environmental education activities for local people and tourists.

WAR also has conducted other biodiversity surveys including wild plants, butterflies, birds, animals and some insects. Result of those surveys will be announced in the future.

For further requirements or comments, please contact Mr. Nguyen Vu Khoi – CEO,  Wildlife At Risk at nvkhoi70@gmail.com or info@wildlifeatrisk.org.

Wildlife Summer Camp 2014 is coming

Ho Chi Minh City, dated 24 April 2014 – Wildlife At Risk (WAR) is pleased to announce that the annual programme titled “Wildlife Summer Camp 2014” or also called “Summer Move”, which was launched last year, will be organised this coming June with financial support from Beyond Cosmetic.   

Wildlife Summer Camp 2014 is designed to include practical and interactive activities. In order to attract volunteers to the benefits of a care er in wildlife protection the activities will be conducted in an exciting and creative manner. The programme 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. 

The theme of Wildlife Summer Camp 2014 is “Grown with love”. The programme will last for five days and four nights at WAR’s Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station. During the programme, volunteers who come from different universities in Ho Chi Minh City will experience daily rescue activities such as preparing food and feeding wildlife, cleaning wildlife enclosures. They will raise awareness of local people on wildlife protection and be equipped with skills related to the profession such as photography, camera trap setting up, and forest surveying. A highlight of the Camp this year is growing food plants for rescued wildlife and forest trees at the Station. 

In order to find suitable students for the Wildlife Summer Camp 2014, a letter writing contest was launched by WAR. In the contest, students were asked to imagine that they were an endangered wildlife and that were about to become extinct due to illegal consumption; they had to write a letter to humans asking for help. The contest lasts from 24 April to 20 May 2014 with the winners of the contest participating in the Wildlife Summer Camp 2014. 

Ms. Huyen Do Thi Thanh – Wildlife Education Manager, WAR added that “About 35 of the best university students will join the Wildlife Summer Camp 2014 at Hon Wildlife Rescue Station this June.We are carefully preparing the programme so that it will continue to encourage and inspire the participants in wildlife protection. If you have a desire to protect wildlife but do not know where to start, you should apply to take part in our Wildlife Summer Camp 2014”.

Please see the contest rules for selecting participants for Wildlife Summer Camp 2014 here.

Click here for full press release and here for photos of Wildlife Summer Camp 2013, or also called Summer Move 2013.

Study tour on marine conservation at Nui Chua National Park

April 2014 – Wildlife At Risk (WAR) and Phu Quoc Marine Protected Area (MPA) organised a five-day study tour on marine conservation and education at Nui Chua National Park, Ninh Thuan Province for approximately 30 leaders and staff from relevant functional agencies on Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province. This is one activity of the project entitled “Conservation of Dugong and Biodiversity of Phu Quoc and Tho Chu Islands” conducted by WAR and Phu Quoc MPA for the period of 2013 to 2015.

Watching coral on glass bottom boat

Participated in the study tour were local leaders and staff on Phu Quoc Island including Department of Education and Training, Department of Nature Resource and Environment, Department of Economics, Culture and Tourism Center, District Youth Union, a number of Border Posts and community volunteer groups, principals and teachers managing six Marine Conservation Clubs of six local secondary schools, Phu Quoc MPA, and WAR.Participants were exciting to share experiences and to exchange relationships with staff of Nui Chua National Park. They also visited numerous typical landscapes of the Park, including coral reefs and dry forest. Delegates also met with teachers and students of Ngo Quyen and Nguyen Van Linh secondary schools of Ninh Hai District in order to share experiences on marine conservation initiatives. “The study tour is quite useful. It helped us to be aware that strong cooperation amongst relevant functional authorities is key to the success in marine conservation, especially in education and communication activities” – shared Mr. Dong Thanh Dat, Head of the Department of Education and Training. Most of the delegates committed that they would apply what they learnt at Nui Chua National Park to their jobs in order to conserve marine resources. The trip also connected each delegate to the others and toward saving endangered marine creatures. This will hopefully result in stronger cooperation among relevant bodies on Phu Quoc Island in marine conservation activities in the future.

Please click here to see some photos of the study tour

Tan Phu and Binh Tan Districts integrate wildlife protection into school curriculum

February, 2014 – Approximately 70 leaders and teachers from Tan Phu and Binh Tan Districts respectively participated in two meetings organised at Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station to conclude the plan to integrate wildlife protection into Biology Subject Grade 7. This activity is under the framework of the SOS programme for academic year 2013 – 2014. Participated in the two meetings of Tan Phu And Binh Tan districts were representatives of the District Department of Education and Training (DOET), school managers, and teachers of Biology Subject Grade 7 from all secondary schools of the district. All participants enthusiastically discussed and gave constructive comments on the supporting materials those are included supported photos and video clips.

Teachers discuss about the instruction materials/ Photo: Lan Ho Thi Kim
Leaders and teachers of Binh Tan District visit the rescue center / Photo: Lan Ho Thi Kim

The supported materials including the instruction manual and teaching aids are very useful and user friendly for teachers to teach about wildlife protection. We are wholeheartedly committed to support WAR in integrating wildlife protection content into our school curriculum. The plan will be immediately implemented“, said Ms. Hoang Nguyen Thi Kim, The Senior Education Specialist, Tan Phu DOE.At the end of the meeting, all schools decided to integrate wildlife protection into Biology Subject Grade 7 for all students in each of the two districts. Each school received two sets of supporting materials.   Since the sample lesson for students of Truong Cong Dinh Secondary School, Binh Thanh District on 6th December 2013, 12 secondary schools of Binh Thanh District have been integrating wildlife protection content into five lessons forward of Biology Subject for Grade 7. The integrating programme will be continuously applied to all secondary schools of Binh Thanh, Tan Phu and Binh Tan Districts in the coming time. As a part of each district meeting, education managers and teachers also visited and learnt about endangered species rescued at Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station, as well as current situation of wildlife consumption. They were inspired by what WAR is doing to rescue endangered wildlife of Vietnam and show their positive attitude toward wildlife protection.   Please download the Instruction materials and teaching aids here

Imprison the four killers of Indochinese Silvered Langur on Phu Quoc Island

The People’s Court of Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province has just punished by terms of imprisonment the four killers of the Indochinese Silvered Langur on Phu Quoc Island. According to this sentence, each indictee is going to be imprisoned from two to two and a half year.  At 8.30AM on 30 July 2013, Vo Van Thong born in 1976, Nguyen Minh Ha born in 1978, Duong Cong Luc, born in 1977 and Huynh Huu Loc born in 1979 (all resided on Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province) went into the strictly protection forest of Phu Quoc National Park to hunt wildlife for meat. Two individuals of Indochinese Silvered Langur were shot, killed and partly eaten. While killing the third individual, the four were caught in action by the Park’s rangers. Proofs were included three bodies of Indochinese Silvered Langurs those are partly eaten, one sport gun, three knives, one hammer and two motorbikes.

On 6th September 2013, all four indictees were arrested and imprisoned for judging court. The three bodies of the Indochinese Silvered Langur were identified and confirmed by Wildlife At Risk (WAR) and The Institute of Ecological and Biological Resources, Hanoi, specimen is maintained by WAR.  

Killing Silver Langurs at Phu Quoc National Park – Photo: Phu Quoc National Park

 On 20 January 2014, the People’s Court of Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province accused the four indictees of violating government regulations on endangered wildlife management. Accordingly, the Court sentenced Vo Van Thong and Nguyen Minh Ha two years and six months of imprisonment, and Duong Cong Luc and Huynh Huu Loc two years of imprisonment.  The specimen is decided to be buried. Silvered Langur is an endangered species that is native to Kien Giang Province. The species is listed in IUCN Red Book and is categorized as vulnerable species (VU level) in Vietnamese Red Book. The Silvered Langur is listed in the IB animal group under Decree 32/2006 NĐ-CP of the government on endangered wildlife management.

Ms. Do Thi Thanh Huyen, WAR’s Wildlife Education Manager expressed that: “The sentence is not the highest of its frame. But it is strict enough to be a lesson for anyone who is intent or is hunting, transporting and consuming endangered wildlife. We highly appreciate those enforcement efforts of Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province. We also expect that more local people will take actions in wildlife protection”. Please see more news about this case here, and some photos of the Indochinese Silvered Langur here. 

Hoang Phap Pagoda joined WAR save endangered wildlife

Since April 2012, Hoang Phap Pagoda, Hooc Mon District, has handed over 41 individuals of endangered wildlife in 17 times to Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station (WRS). This is the first pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City that has joined WAR rescue and release endangered wildlife. The species those were handed include Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), Monocellated Cobra (Naja naja kaouthia), Common Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosus), Yellow-headed Temple Turtle (Heosemys annandalii), Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), Malayan Snail-eating Turtle (Malayemys Macrocephala), Small Indian Civet (Viverricula indica), Burmese Ferret-badger (Melogale personata) and Flying Squirrel (Hylopeteslepidus). Most of the individuals were given to the Pagoda by local Buddhists for good-luck releasing.   

Monks and buddhists of Hoang Phap Pagoda pray for the animals before releasing

 Thirty nine individual out of the 41 were successfully released back to the wild. Some were witnessed by the Buddist monks and local people. The wildlife were released to protected forests such as Dong Voi, Cu Chi District, Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai Province, and Lo Go Xa Mat National Park, Tay Ninh Province. In addition, the Hoang Phap Pagoda donated cash for feeding these rescued species. Recently, a Burmese Ferret-badger was handed over to Cu Chi WRS together with some cash for its food. According to the Pagoda, the cash was donated by local Buddhists. This is the fifth time the pagoda has donated cash to Cu Chi WRS. The activities showes the pagoda’s willing toward wildlife protection. 

WAR highly appreciates and extremely thanks for the contribution of Hoang Phap Pagoda and other companies, schools and individuals for joining us rescue and release wildlife back to the wild. 

SOS Exhibition at the camp titled Youth for a Green City

Ho Chi Minh City, dated 29 December 2013–  Wildlife At Risk (WAR) and HCMC Forest Protection Department (FPD) operated the SOS Traveling Exhibition at the camp titled “The Youth for a Green City” at the Centre for Teenager Outdoor Activities, Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City. The activity aims to improve knowledge of the students on situation of wildlife product consumptions in HCMC. It also helps the students to understand that consumption is the most dangerous threat to wildlife as it drives wildlife demand and thus wildlife hunting and trading.Over 140 secondary school students aged 12-15 years old who are winners of the contest titled: “The Youth for a Green City”, from District 9, Can Gio, Cu Chi, and Binh Chanh Districts, 50 teachers, rangers and staff of the Centre for Teenager Outdoor Activities participated in the SOS Traveling Exhibition. The students have been quite exciting to visit the SOS exhibition for the first time. They enjoyed the games and every other activity of the exhibition.

WAR hopes that the students have been inspired by visiting the SOS Exhibition and thus they will take practical actions to protect wildlife.  

Integrating wildlife protection into school curriculum

Ho Chi Minh City, dated 6th December 2013 – Wildlife At Risk (WAR) cooperated with Binh Thanh District Department of Education and Training (DOET) of Ho Chi Minh City DOET to organise a workshop on integrating wildlife protection into Biology Subject for Grade 7. The workshop included a sample lesson for students of Truong Cong Dinh Secondary School and introduction of the plan for integrating wildlife protection into the curriculum. Instruction materials and teaching aids for the plan were also introduced.Participating in the workshop were representatives of Ho Chi Minh City DOET, leaders and all biology subject teachers of Binh Thanh DOET, leaders of Tan Phu and Binh Tan District DOETs, teachers and students of Truong Cong Dinh Secondary School, and leaders and staff of WAR.At the workshop, the sample lesson on Fish Diversity was successfully delivered to students of Grade 7. Teachers were also guided on how to use the instruction materials and teaching aids.  Comments on the supporting materials were also collected.According to this integration plan, wildlife protection will be integrated into ten lessons of Biology Subject Grade 7, in order to educate children about beauty and value of Vietnam’s wildlife, the threats it faces and action each student can take to protect wildlife. The content also aims to foster student’s attitude towards wildlife protection and prepare them to take part in wildlife protection.The instruction material entitled “Wildlife Protection – A Guide on how to integrate it into Biology Subject Grade 7” includes detailed guidelines and ten sample lessons that helps the teacher to integrate wildlife protection into each lesson.  Each sample lesson also includes general information on each animal group for the teacher’s reference.  Together with the instruction materials is a set of 54 high quality live photos sized 21X29cm of endangered wildlife and the threats it faces, and ten video clips, each three to five minutes long, which were developed from 600 live photos of approximately 400 wildlife species and their threats.  The material and the teaching aids were developed based on a need assessment conducted with biology subject teachers of Binh Thanh DOET. The content was carefully designed so that it aligns with the official curriculum of Biology Subject Grade 7 and does not create pressure on lesson length.  All integration content was carefully considered so as to be practical, update and suitable to the students.According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Viet Tu, Vice Director of Binh Thanh DDOET, “The integration of wildlife protection content into Biology Subject Grade 7, supported by the instruction material and the set of teaching aids not only provides children with further knowledge and practical information on Vietnam’s wildlife but also helps the lesson to be more attractive and effective, and thus the students will pay more attention to Biology Subject and be willing to take part in wildlife protection”.Ms. Do Thi Thanh Huyen, Wildlife Education Manager – WAR, emphasized that: “Educating children on wildlife protection is a long term and sustainable solution in order to create the next generation who love nature and will be ready to take part in wildlife protection.  WAR expects that the integration of wildlife protection into Biology Subject Grade 7 will be practiced widely in Ho Chi Minh City and throughout the country.  The Instruction material and the teaching aids will be updated regularly to reflect teachers’ needs and thus ensure their effectiveness”.In this academic year 2013-2014, this integration of wildlife protection in Biology Subject Grade 7 will be applied to all secondary schools in Binh Thanh District and some secondary schools of Tan Phu and Binh Tan Districts. Please see some photos of the parade here, and full press release hereAdditional informationAbout WARWildlife At Risk (WAR) is dedicated to protecting the biodiversity of Vietnam by combating the illegal wildlife trade and promoting the conservation of endangered species and their habitats.  Founded in 2003 in Vietnam, WAR focuses on working in three areas including (1) Enforcement Programmes, (2) Conservation Programmes and (3) Wildlife Education Programmes.Instruction material entitled “Wildlife Protection – A Guide on how to integrate it into Biology Subject Grade 7”The Vietnamese language material of more than 80 pages includes three chapters.  Chapter 1: Integration Fundamentals includes basic information on Vietnam’s wildlife, some positive teaching methodologies and the legal structure of integrating wildlife protection into Biology Subject Grade 7. Chapter 2: Integration objects, content and address includes a detailed information on object, content and where to integrate wildlife protection content for each of ten lessons of Biology Subject Grade 7.  Chapter 3: Sample lessons is ten sample lessons of integration including: Animal World, Insect, Fish, Amphibians, Reptile, Bird, Bat, Carnivore, Rodent, Hoof, Primate, and endangered animals.  Each sample lesson was designed based on a standard lesson plan that included lesson objectives, preparation, and teaching and learning activities.  Each sample lesson also includes general information of the animal group for teachers to refer to.  The material also includes an evaluation form for the teacher to take important notes on the integration programme.Set of teaching aid toolEach integration lesson includes three to eleven live colour photos sized 21X29cm of Vietnam’s wildlife and the threats it faces and detailed species information.  The colour photos were packed in a manner that eases teachers in using the photos.  Each lesson also includes one video clip of three to five minutes long which were developed from approximately 60 live photos of approximately 40 wildlife species and the threats against it. The large photos, video clips and all photos of the video clips were copied into an attached DVD.Links to video clipsBài 1: Thế giới động vật đa dạng phong phú: http://youtu.be/zQeCHhN1rms
Bài 27: Đa dạng và đặc điểm chung của lớp Sâu bọ: http://youtu.be/L-ateJ0kw6w
Bài 34: Đa dạng và đặc điểm chung của lớp Cá: http://youtu.be/MDtkINtL4yA
Bài 37: Đa dạng và đặc điểm chung của lớp Lưỡng cư: http://youtu.be/r3mW66xWXRk
Bài 40: Đa dạng và đặc điểm chung của lớp Bò sát: http://youtu.be/mTyctLs3fWo
Bài 44: Đa dạng và đặc điểm chung của lớp Chim: http://youtu.be/vuB92-RfSko
Bài 49: Đa dạng và đặc điểm chung của lớp Thú (Bộ Dơi và Bộ Cá voi): http://youtu.be/5EeSrBBWNKYBài 50. Đa dạng và đặc điểm chung của Lớp thú – Bộ Gặm nhấm và Bộ ăn thịt: http://youtu.be/M4_P6YGJMDEBài 51. Đa dạng và đặc điểm chung của Lớp thú – Bộ Móng guốc và bộ Linh trưởng: http://youtu.be/HJ6lnIe158ABài 60. Động vật quý hiếm:http://youtu.be/JVCCsZPwpcASOS programmeSOS Programme for acedamic year 2013-2014, includes three components including (1) SOS mobile exhibition that was launched in Devember 2011, Visiting Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station and Integrating Wildlife Education into Biology Subject grade 7. 

Discovered a new species of skink

During WAR’s survey in the forest of Ba To District, QuangNgai Province in May and June 2012, a new forest skink species of the genus Sphenomorphus was described. The species is named as Shea Forest Skink (English), Thằn lằn phê-nô shea(Vietnamese), and Sphenomorphussheai Nguyen (Latin name).  The species was named after an Australian scientist, PhD. Glenn Shea who has great contributions to skink researches in Asia Pacific. 

This species is known only from QuangNgai Province.  With the description of Bato Forest Skink, a total of 12 species of Sphenomorphus are currently known in Vietnam.The species was discovered by Nguyen Quang Truong, a biologist from the Institute of Ecologial and Biological Resouces (IEEBR), and WAR’s experts.  The survey site is located in a transitional area between the Kon Tum Plateau and the lowlands. The sample was collected during the day among leaf litter on the ground of secondary forest on hill slopes. 

The new species was announced on Zootaxa Magazine, New Zealand (Issue 3734, November 2013). Please contact WAR for this article. 

Parade for Dugong and endangered marine creatures

Phu Quoc Island, dated 6 October 2013 – Wildlife At Risk (WAR) and Phu Quoc Marine Protected Area (MPA) organised a parade to raise awareness of Dugong and Endangered Marine Creatures at Duong Dong Town, Phu Quoc Island. The parade aimed to get attention of leaders and local people to protection of Dugong and other endangered marine creatures.Before the parade a meeting was organised at Duong Dong Culture House so that local leaders, local people, tourists and students were aware of the event and could participate in the paradeApproximately 400 people participated including leaders of local authorities on Phu Quoc Island, leaders and staff of Phu Quoc MPA, secondary school students, local people, tourists, WAR staff and leaders, and media. At the meeting prior to the parade, participants were educated regarding the critical situation of Dugong (Dugong dugon) in Vietnam, especially on Phu Quoc Island. They were also introduced ways to join WAR save Dugong in the future on the Island. All leaders and participants also showed commitment to the Protection of Dugong and endangered marine creatures by signing their names on banners and flags which were then paraded through Duong Dong Town.

Despite rain, over 90 people took part and paraded through the main streets of Duong Dong Town carrying messages and banners regarding the Protection of Dugong and endangered marine creatures on parading vehicles and motorbikes. The parade and its message of Dugong Protection got much attention from locals and tourists alike who were on Phu Quoc Island on the day. The parade is one activity of a Project entitled “Conservation of Dugong and Biodiversity of Phu Quoc and Tho Chu Islands” conducted by WAR and Phu Quoc MPA for the period of 2013 to 2015. The Project aims to educate children and local people on conservation of Dugong and endangered marine creatures, and to provide data on marine biodiversity of the area. During this year, approximately 2200 secondary school students and teachers will learn about Dugong and endangered marine creatures through a series of communications and educational activities such as blue clubs, quiz shows, games, and practical activities such as beach cleaning days, marine interpretation field trips, and junior communicators. Two communes will also be targeted in the project. Several surveys are being conducted including a survey on Dugong consumption and exploitation, sea snake survey, and Dugong and biodiversity survey. Results of those surveys will be revealed soon. At the parade, Mr. Nguyen Vu Khoi, WAR’s CEO emphasised that “The project is one of our efforts to save Dugong and endangered marine creatures on this beautiful Phu Quoc Island. The project’s success very much depends on strong co-opporation and attention among different oranisations and every single person who lives on or is visiting Phu Quoc Island. We hope that everyone will take practical action to save the Dugong before its too late. Saving Dugong and endangered marine creatures is saving our beautiful Phu Quoc Island.”  Please see some photos of the parade here, and full press release here.

Điện thoại

Đường dây nóng WAR: 0976.06.76.46

Văn phòng tổ chức WAR: 028 3899 7314

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