Ho Chi Minh City, 11^th October, 2012 – Mr. Nguyen Doan Duc, a local resident from street 20, Hiep Binh Chanh Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, contacted WAR and voluntarily handed over one Pygmy Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) that weighed 200 grams to WAR’s head office. The Loris was successfully transferred to the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station (CCWRS) and is being taken care of and receiving rehabilitation by the station’s wildlife staff. WAR hopes that the loris can be released back to the wild soon. 

Local resident hands over the Loris at WAR’s head office

“This individual was found in the residential area where I live, many people wanted to catch it and  sell it, but I persuaded them to let me keep it and care the poor loris myself, while looking for the correct authorities to receive and rescue it. Luckily finding WAR, I immediately contacted the WAR hotline (0976 067 646) and was instructed to hand the loris over to WAR staff, where it receiving proper care and rehabilitation and the possible release back to the wild” Doan Duc shared.WAR highly appreciates this activity and encourages all local people to voluntarily hand over wildlife to our wildlife rescue stations

Kon Tum, 15^th August 2012 – A male Northern Buffed-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus annamensis) weighing roughly 3.5kg in fairly good condition was successfully rescued from Kon Tum Province, located in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

The rescued gibbon enjoys its new comfortable facility at Cu Chi WRS The gibbon was bought from a minority people and kept as pet in Ward 2, Sa Thay Town, Kon Tum province. The local people who kept the gibbon decided to hand it to Chu Mom Ray National Park. Kindly supported by the Douc Langur Foundation (DLF) and the International Primate Protection League (IPPL) project, the gibbon was successfully rescued and transferred to Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station. The gibbon is now being well taken care of by WAR staff at the station. It is also being rehabilitated so that it can be released back to its home forest of the central highlands. This is the second time the IPPL – DLF project and Chu Mom Ray National Park have cooperated with WAR to rescue endangered wildlife. The male Northern Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon that was rescued last May was also successfully released to the forest of Chu Mom Ray National Park

Ho Chi Minh City, 11^th August, 2012 – Mrs. Dan Phuong, a local resident from Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City contacted WAR and voluntarily handed over two individuals of Pygmy Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) to the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station (WRS). One of them is in very bad condition and is now being well taken care by veterinarian and wildlife keepers at the station. The other is currently being rehabilitated for possible release back to the wildin near future.

The two Pygmy Loris handed over by Dan PhuongDan Phuong shared that: “I knew about WAR’s wildlife rescue station when reading the article titled Noi binh yen cho thu hoang  – a peaceful place for wildlife” on the Tuoi Tre (Youth) magazine, Weekend publication, Issue 32/2012. I immediately brought the two Pygmy Loris that I captured to Cu Chi WRS and handed them to the dedicated WAR staff. I believe that the two lorises will be well cared for and may be released back to the forest.”WAR highly appreciates Dan Phuong’s behavior and encourages local people to hand over endangered wildlife that are being captured or kept as pets. However, WAR does not encourage local people to purchase endangered wildlife for any purpose. 

Ho Chi Minh City, 29^th July, 2012 – One individual of Pygmy  Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) was handed over voluntarily to WAR by a local people in HCMC. The Loris weighed 300 gram and losses skin at its front paw due to a type of afungal disease. Currently, the Loris is receiving proper care at Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station Staff.One day before, one local people in Thu Duc District, HCMC called WAR’s hotline and said that “I bought this Loris yesterday because I felt so sorry for it. I do not want it to be killed by people. I really want WAR to receive this Loris, take care of it and then release it back to the wild”. 

The rescued  Pygmy Loris WAR highly appreciates this action and encourages other people to hand on wildlife to its rescue stations, or to report wildlife crime to WAR’s hotline at: 0976 06 76 46. Purchasing endangered wildlife creates a demand for illegal wildlife trade and hunting and thus pushing endangered animals to the brink of extinction. WAR encourages everyone not to purchase wildlife for any purpose. 

Kien Giang, 26th July 2012 – Wildlife At Risk (WAR) has received one individual of Indochinese Slivered Langur (Trachypithecus villosus) for first time, from Kien Giang Forest Protection Department (FPD). The langur is about six month old and weighed 1kg. Previously, the FPD of Kien Luong District, Kien Giang Province confiscated this animal from a local people who hunted it in the forest. Currently, the langur is receiving proper cares and rehabilitation at Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station for possible release back to the wild.

Indochinese Slivered Langur is listed in the Vietnam Red Book as Vulnerable species (VU) and protected under Vietnamese Law. Since 1975, the population of this species has been reduced steadily due to habitat lost and illegal hunting for pet, medicine and meat. In Kien Giang province, limestone ecosystem that is home to the Indochinese Silvered Langur is being exploited for cement and other building material productions. The langur has nowhere to live and will soon face the extinction, if no effective conservation method is applied.

According to Mr. Dương Duy Cuong – Veterinarian at Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station “We are very glad that this baby Langur was rescued just one day before the inauguration ceremony of Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station. We hope that there will be no illegal hunting in the future so that wildlife doesn’t have to face the extinction.”

Kien Giang, 13 July 2012 – Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station received a female leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) from a local people from Linh Quynh Commune, Hon Dat District, Kien Giang Province. The leopard cat weighs about 2.5kg and in fairly good condition. Currently, WAR staff at Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station is taking good care of this animal in order to release it back to the wild.

Local people handing the Leopard Cat to Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station 

This is the first time, local people have handed on endangered wildlife to Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station voluntarily. WAR highly appreciates this action and encourages other people to hand on wildlife to its rescue stations.
However, WAR does not encourage purchasing endangered wildlife for any purpose.

Dated 22th June, 2012–Cat Tien Bear and Wild Cat Rescue Station received one individual of Lesser Adjutant Stork (Leptoptilos javanicus) that weighed roughly 7kg and with one wing missing, mostly due to a snare trap. This endangered bird was bought by a local people and then confiscated by the Forest Protection Department of Dinh Quan District, Dong Nai Province.

Currently, the stork is carefully watched by WAR’s veterinarian at the station. However, with one wing missing, this bird is not able to seek for food in the wild and thus will never be released back to the forest.

The rescued Lesser Adjutant Stork with one wing missing Lesser Adjutant Storks are beautiful big birds which are becoming rare. So far, approximately 100 pairs of this species are found during breeding season at U Minh Thuong National Park, and only some individuals are found at Cat Tien National Park. It’s listed in the Vietnam Red Book as Rare species (R), due to habitat lost and illegal hunting for pet. Purchasing endangered wildlife contributes to illegal wildlife trade and thus drives wildlife to the brink of extinction. WAR encourages everyone not to purchase wildlife for any purpose. 

24th June, 2012 – Local people from Tay Ninh Province contacted WAR and voluntarily handed over three individuals of Malayan Porcupine (Hystrix brachyuran) to the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station (WRS). The three porcupines weighed more than 25 kg total and include one male adult, one female adult and one young porcupine. Currently, the porcupines are receiving proper care and are being rehabilitated for possible release back to the wild.

 WAR highly appreciates all local people who have contacted and handed over wildlife voluntarily to our rescue stations.

16^th May, 2012 – Six individuals of Moon Bear (Ursus thibetanus) were rescued successfully and safely transferred to Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station (CCWRS). These bears have been kept in small concrete cages for bile exploitation since 2005 in Tien Giang Province.

Six Moon Bears were bought from Binh Duong province when they were 3 months-old. Encouraged by WAR, Ho Chi Minh City Forest Protection Department (FPD) and FPD Tien Giang Province, the owner decided to hand over these bears to CCWRS. The bears are now receiving proper care for health recovering and rehabilitating.

These six moon bears add up to a total of 63 moon bears and sun bears which are being rescued at WAR’s facilities, including CCWRS, Cat Tien Bear and Wild Cat Rescue Station, and Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station. You are welcome to visit the bears and other endangered wildlife in these facilities. 

18^th April, 2012 –Wildlife At Risk (WAR) co-operates with Ho Chi Minh City Forest Protection Department, Central Committee for South Viet Nam and Lo Go Xa Mat National Park, Tay Ninh Province to successfully rescue two Moon Bears (Ursus thibetanus) and two Yellow- cheeked  Gibbons (Nomascus gabriellae). These endangered species were safely transferred to Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station (CCWRS). 

Both Moon Bears were missing front paws, which most likely were lost in a snare trap or had been been removed for use in traditional medicines and wine. They also have several loss of their backs, neck and shoulder area due to malnutrition and lack of care. According to the owner of these Moon Bears, they were bought from local people from Cambodia and captured in 2001. The two gibbons were exhausted and severely dehydrated and under-nourished due to improper care in captivity for many years.  

These Moon Bears and Yellow-checked Crested Gibbons are currently being well cared for recovering by WAR staff at the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station. The owner admitted these bears were used for the collection of “bile” and had been kept in small concrete enclosures for over 10 years. Due to the improper care, missing paws, these bears have lost their wild instincts and would not survive in the wild. They can never be released to the wild where bears belong To visit and support these endangered species, please contact the Manager of Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station at lam.lx@wildlifeatrisk.org or phone number 0984281190. Lan Ho Thi Kim – Lam Le Xuan