Five species of animals found in Vietnam have been included in a new list of the 100 most-threatened species on the planet.
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More than 8000 scientists collaborated to identify the 100 species of animals, plants and fungi that are closest to extinction, as published in the new report “Priceless or Worthless? The World’s Most Threatened Species” released by Zoological Society of London and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The report was released yesterday at the IUCN World Conservation Congress currently being held in South Korea, and identifies the threats to each species, as well as how they can be addressed.
The report listed the most at-risk species in Vietnam as the saola(Pseudoryxnghetinhensis), Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecusavunculus), Red River giant soft shell turtle (Rafetusswinhoei), Edwards’s Pheasant (LophuraEdwardsi), and the Pangasid catfish (Pangasiussanitwongsei).
Saola
The saolawas only just discovered in 1992, and is sometimes known as the Asian unicorn because of its rarity. It is an antelope related to cows and goats, living in the dense rainforests of the Annamite Mountains on the Vietnam-Laos border. The exact saola population is unknown, but may be down to just a few tens of individuals today due to hunting and habitat loss.
Tonkin snub-nosed monkey
In north-eastern Vietnam, there are estimated to be less than 200 individuals of Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys left. Habitat loss and hunting are the main threats to their survival. In order to save this species, IUCN recommends establishing a conservation area in Ha Giang province and increasing law enforcement to reduce hunting pressure.
Red River giant soft shell turtle
Despite being an important cultural icon of Vietnam, only four individuals of the Red River giant soft shell turtleare left globally. The survivors live inHoanKiem Lake, Dong Mo Lake Vietnam, and Suzhou zoo in China. This turtle can grow up to 120kg in weight and over 100cm in shell length, but is facing extinction due to hunting for consumption and habitat loss. An intensive conservation breeding program at Suzhou Zoo with an old male and the last known female is attempting to save the species.
Edwards’s Pheasant
There have been no confirmed sightings of Edwards’s Pheasant since 2000, despite intensive surveys in previously known areas, and it is unknown how many are now left. This pheasant lives in Central Vietnam, and unfortunately could become the first pheasant species to be lost from the wild in Asia. On the positive side, a large number are held in captivity around the world, so an effective conservation breeding program and reintroduction to the wild could help save the species.
Pangasid catfish
The Pangasid catfish is threatened by overfishing and collection for aquarium trade, and the remaining population is unknown. Its range is the Mekong Basin from Vietnam to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and China.
Javan rhino
The Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is also included in the list, but sadly this species was officially declared extinct in Vietnam in 2010. Now the only known surviving wild population of Javan rhinos lives in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia.