Vietnam’s national wildlife protection agency (CITES Vietnam) on Friday issued a document to oppose a recent report by the World Wildlife Fund which ranked the nation worst in wildlife crime in its list of 23 nations surveyed.
The document by the Vietnam’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora was yesterday sent to the media department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. It said that the report is unreliable as it bases on information from some non-governmental organizations, media outlets and individuals.
Remarks of the report lack objectiveness and thoroughness and thus are untrustworthy. And the WWF has failed to consult with relevant law enforcement agencies in Vietnam during its research for information, the document reads.
In reality, the Vietnamese state and government have for long paid attention to the protection of endangered wild fauna and flora; and the fight against illegal sales of wildlife animals has long been one of the focal jobs of local administration, according to the document.
The WWF report assessed the job of protecting endangered animals as rhinos, tigers and elephants in 23 Asian and African countries.
Neighboring China and Laos ranked the worst second and third in the 35-page report.
The report claimed that Vietnam is “the major destination” for rhino horns trafficked from South Africa.