Hunters Hit Wildlife in Vietnam's Protected Areas

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http://ens-news.com/ens/mar2003/2003-03-14-01.asp

 

Hunters Hit Wildlife in Vietnam's Protected Areas

 

HANOI, Vietnam, March 14, 2003 (ENS) - Illegal hunting

and trapping is wiping out the animals and birds of

Vietnam in the country's most valuable conservation

areas, according to a new report from BirdLife

International, a global alliance of conservation

organizations. In 56 out of Vietnam's 63 conservation

sites - some 88 percent - wildlife is disappearing

quickly as hunters follow roads opening up areas that

have been isolated for centuries.

 

On Thursday at the Press Club in Hanoi, BirdLife

International launched English and Vietnamese language

versions of " Key Sites for Conservation in Vietnam, "

the first list of the sites internationally recognized

as the most critically important places for bird and

biodiversity conservation. The main threat to the

wildlife in these areas was found to be illegal

hunting and trapping.

 

Richard Grimmett, head of BirdLife International's

Asia Division, said, " Wild animals such as bears,

primates and turtles are being trapped or shot in

large numbers, largely because of the massive increase

in wildlife trade following the opening up of

Vietnam's borders and road development into remote

areas. "

 

After poaching, the next most serious threat to

Vietnam's wildlife is agricultural intensification,

which affects 43 conservation sites, BirdLife reports.

It is particularly serious for wetlands, including

coastal mudflats and wet grasslands in the Mekong

Delta.

 

On the bright side, the Vietnamese government has

shown its commitment to wildlife conservation by the

establishment of six newly protected areas including

Lo Go Xa Mat National Park, announced by Prime

Minister Phan Van Khai in July 2002, based on

recommendations by BirdLife, the organization says.

 

Once earmarked for agriculture, the new national park

will now shelter Germain's Peacock-pheasant, and other

rare and threatened bird species.

 

The BirdLife study, a two year effort funded by the

Danish development agency, Danida, identifies the most

important places for biodivsersity conservation in

Vietnam.

Commenting on the BirdLife publication, the Ambassador

of Denmark to Vietnam Bjarne Sorensen, said, " In

recent years, Vietnam has captivated the world through

the discovery of a remarkable series of new bird and

mammal species. Sadly, however, as in many other

regions of the world, rapid population growth and

economic development are threatening the rich

biodiversity for which Vietnam is so rightly famed. "

 

" The publication describes a network of Important Bird

Areas, the protection of which would go a long way

towards the conservation of biodiversity and the wider

environment in Vietnam, " Ambassador Sorensen said. " It

is my hope that it will be of use for government

agencies, donors and NGOs. "

 

In all, 63 areas qualify as Important Bird Areas. They

total 1.69 million hectares (6,525 square miles). Of

these, 28 Important Bird Areas are within protected

areas. The global Important Bird Area program

co-ordinated by BirdLife International aims to

identify and protect a network of critical sites for

the world's birds using standardized, internationally

agreed criteria

 

In Vietnam, the IBA program is coordinated by BirdLife

International in Indochina, in collaboration with the

Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources of the

National Centre for Natural Science and Technology,

and with financial support from Danida.

 

The discovery of three bird species new to science was

accomplished during fieldwork to identify Vietnam's

key conservation sites as part of BirdLife's Important

Bird Area program - the black-crowned barwing, the

golden-winged laughingthrush, and chestnut-eared

laughingthrush.

 

To protect its unique wildlife, BirdLife International

recommends designation and protection of Important

Bird Areas (IBAs) under international agreements, and

designation of IBAs as protected areas under national

law.

 

The Vietnamese authorities should adhere to national

and international laws regarding site protection, and

integrate environmental objectives into all policy

sectors, the organization advises.

 

BirdLife says the involvement of local communities,

NGOs, land users and the public in the protection of

Important Bird Areas is a key ingredient for

successful protection.

 

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2003. All

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