Largest pangolin population released into wild

This is the second release in the more than a week from April 28 to May 6, with a total of 93 individuals, also the largest release of pangolins into nature in Vietnam so far.

They are among the illegally trafficked pangolins rescued from the seizure of 113 Javan pangolin individuals with a total weight of 513 kg by the Police Department against Environmental Crimes (PC49) under the Hoa Binh Provincial Police in early April 2017. After more than one month being cared for at SVW centre, 93 healthy pangolins were selected to be released back to the wild.

The pangolin is one of the most endangered species, classified as endangered (EN) in the Vietnam Red Book and Critically Endangered (CR) in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Despite the ban on commercial trafficking worldwide, the number of pangolins hunted for human needs is still increasing.

SVW Executive Director Nguyen Van Thai said that pangolin is a special mammal species that only eats ants and termites. They are one of the most difficult animals to rescue in the world.

Over the past eight months, the centre has rescued more than 400 pangolins from the illegal trade, of which 304 have been released into nature. There are times when the number of pangolins in the centre has been up to 139. With that amount, every day the centre must provide nearly 40kg of food worth up to VND300 million a month. This is a great effort to be able to release a large amount of pangolins to the nature, Thai affirmed.

According to Tran Quang Phuong, Programme Manager for Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Programme, the programme has set up a rapid response team to assist local authorities in the timely care and rescue of illegally traded pangolins nationwide. A hotline at 0978.331.441 has been launched for pangolin rescue and advising relevant authorities on issues related to the endangered species.

Prior to that, in early April, 118 Javan pangolins weighing a total of 556.5 kg were illegally transported in a car from Cau Treo Border Gate in the central province of Ha Tinh to the northern border area for consumption.

Receiving information about the illegal wildlife transport, the Hoa Binh Police pursued the car and then confiscated all 118 pangolins. Among the seized pangolins, five died and the remaining 113 were sent to the rescue centre at Cuc Phuong National Park. They have been released back to the nature during the last week.

According to Article 244 of the 2015 Penal Code, the illegal hunting, slaughtering, capture, transport and trade of pangolins (under Appendix II to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild - CITES) is fined between VND500 million and VND2 billion or sentenced to between one and five years of imprisonment. The imprisonment penalty increases to 5-10 years with the number of 7-10 individuals and from 10-15 years with the number of ten or more individuals.

(Source: NDO)