Vietnam NGO Announces Campaign on Wildlife Protection

Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV), the first non-governmental organization of Vietnam, launched its wildlife protection alliance program in Hanoi on March 7. The program’s key members are businesses operating in Vietnam and pledge to prevent violations related to wildlife. To date, 30 firms across the country have taken part in the program. ENV called on businesses nationwide, especially those in big cities like Hanoi, Danang, and HCM City, to involve in the program with the aim of raising their staffs’ awareness of the wildlife protection. Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung, the program’s director to minimize the consumption of wildlife, confirms that ENV pledged to work with its partners in promoting changes in public behavior relating to the protection of nature and wildlife in Vietnam. In fact, Vietnam is facing the severely degrading biodiversity, blaming that eating wild animal meats or bushmeat is one of the causes, which is relatively popular in Vietnam, especially among wealthy people and senior officials.
Each day, thousands of wild animals are hunted for foods or traditional medicines to meet the rising demand in both domestic and overseas markets, experts said. Many wildlife species will be in danger of extinction in the near future due to rampant illicit hunting unless drastic measures are taken, they warned. (Cong An Nhan Dan – People’s Police Mar 9 p1, vov.vn Mar 8, thiennhien.net Mar 8)