Quang Nam forest rangers and specialised forces are making every effort to find and protect Saola species in the Quang Nam Saola Reserve, where many international scientists stop to track and study rare ungulates.
Saola in Quang Nam Saola Reserve
Reportedly, the Quang Nam Saola Reserve owns a tropical forest ecosystem with good habitats, becoming home to various rare species. It is also the largest reserve for Saola in Vietnam.
The Reserve is large, located in two districts (Dong Giang and Tay Giang); so it is rather difficult to manage and control all the locals’ activities there, such as hunting and trapping animals, deforestation, and forest fires.
However, forest rangers and local forest guards are trying their best to protect forests well, including fire prevention and protection, removing animal traps and releasing trapped animals, preventing illegal forest encroachment.
Besides, the Quang Nam Saola Reserve has always been focusing on improving its human resources. That is, the forest rangers and forest guards are usually sent to traing courses relating to preserve, manage and control Saola species.
According to Nick Cox (Chief of Party, USAID Biodiversity Conservation, Vietnam), the coordination between forest rangers and local forest guards plays an important role in forest protection, bettering the values of biodiversity.
Re-wilding is the only viable strategy to restore wildlife populations in Vietnam, preventing Saola species from the danger of extinction.
Camera trap in the Quang Nam Saola Reserve. Photo: WWF Vietnam
SMART technology is also used to observe, collect and analyse the data relating to Saola threats and their habitats. Moreover, camera traps are installed to get information about Saola lives in nature, such as their behaviour, habits, ecological niche, distribution, and the relations with other species.
Thereby, there will be suitable measures and methods for effective conservation of Saola.
In addition, it is necessary to increase the local awareness of forest protection, fighting against illegal hunting and wildlife trade.
The Biodiversity Conservation component under the Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation (VFBC) project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has been implemented by WWF-Vietnam between 2021 and 2026 in 14 special-use forests and seven protection forests in Vietnam, including Quang Nam.
In Quang Nam, the VFBC project has been implemented in the Song Thanh National Park, the elephant reserve, Dong Giang and Tay Giang protection forests, and Saola reserve.
