The Cat Tien National Park in south Vietnam has been recognized as a World Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO, becoming the 7th in the Southeast Asian country, said the Management Board of the Dong Nai Nature Reserve and Cultural Site. Accordingly, UNESCO has also changed the name of the national park to the Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve. Cat Tien primeval forest currently has 1,700 precious plants and over 700 animal species, many of which are listed on the IUCN Red List of endangered animals, including the one-horned rhino, pheasant and peafowl. The park is also the homeland for 11 ethnic minority groups and a model for multipurpose preservation offering the sustainable development of both people and the environment based on biological and cultural diversity. Vietnam now has a high biodiversity with some UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserves like the Can Gio mangrove forest in Ho Chi Minh City, the Cat Ba archipelago, the Red River Delta and Kien Giang. (Vnexpress.net July 17, vovnews.vn July 19)
