Ninh Thuan, a typically sunny and windy land of the central region, is famous for its majestic landscape and for being home to a diverse and rich ecosystem.
Black-shanked douc langur, the symbol of Nui Chua National Park.
Phuoc Binh and Nui Chua National Parks are considered a "treasure trove" of biodiversity, with thousands of endemic species of animals and plants, many of which are on the endangered list.
However, the pressure from resource exploitation activities, illegal hunting and climate change have put these precious ecosystems in an alarming state.
In Ninh Thuan Province, wild plants and animals face many pressures from human activities such as hunting, trapping and overexploitation.
Their habitats are fragmented due to human impacts, and some important species have been declining with decreasing population numbers. Most of these records were collected at least 10 or several decades ago.
The population status and distribution of most species, especially endemic, endangered, and rare species, have not been fully assessed by systematic databases. The list of species in the province is mainly recorded from the inheritance of lists from previous studies without confirmation by images or specimens for all species on the list.
In general, there is currently very little data on species, especially endemic, endangered, precious, and rare species, that are priority subjects in management work, so it is not possible to accurately assess their distribution and conservation status.
To improve the effectiveness of management, especially the protection and development of resources in Ninh Thuan Province, it is necessary to have a digital database system on biodiversity that serves multiple purposes: management, biodiversity conservation, education, research, ecotourism, seed sources, and development of natural products.
Faced with these challenges, modern technology has become an indispensable tool in working to protect nature in Ninh Thuan.
Typically, the Southern Institute of Ecology (now the Institute of Applied Materials Science) has pioneered the development of a modern digital database system using MySQL and PHP platforms. This system helps store and analyse detailed information on endemic species of animals and plants, from biological and ecological characteristics to conservation status.
This is considered a "digital map" that helps managers and experts more effectively monitor the changes in biological populations in the region.
According to recent data, Phuoc Binh and Nui Chua National Parks are home to more than 3,000 species of flora and fauna. Many of these endangered species have been listed in the Vietnam Red Book (2007) and the IUCN list (2021).
Thanks to the application of technology, a series of important discoveries have been recorded, including species new to science, such as Calamus phuocbinhensis or Cyrtodactylus phuocbinhensis. These discoveries add to the biodiversity picture, strengthening the land's scientific and conservation value.
In addition, deploying modern equipment, such as drones and automatic surveillance cameras, has helped to enhance the capacity to monitor and quickly detect illegal exploitation activities. In particular, the data collected from these devices is directly integrated into the digital database system, helping managers make more timely and accurate decisions.
Experts recommend building a comprehensive biodiversity database for Ninh Thuan Province for more effective conservation while promoting cooperation with international organisations to share experiences. Raising awareness of local communities is also an important factor because they are directly involved in protecting the living environment.
Lan Anh - Translated by NDO
