Sixteen wild animals, all listed in the Vietnamese Red Book of endangered species, were rescued from household cages in HCM City in a joint effort by authorities and journalists last Saturday.
The animals, including bears, pangolins, wild turtles and rare monkeys, have been transferred to the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Centre for rehabilitation.
A joint team from the HCM City Department of Forest Ranger, the city Environment Police and the Tuoi Tre (Youth) Newspaper raided households in the districts 10, 8 and Binh Thanh and seized the caged animals. The campaign followed an investigation by the newspaper that discovered several wildlife trafficking rings operating in the city.
At the house of a wildlife trader in District 10, different varieties of monkeys, porcupines and birds could be bought for VND3 million (US$143) to VND25 million ($1,190) each.
She said she had animals that could be killed for meat or raised for "ornamental purposes." The animals were supplied from southern Dong Nai Province, she said.
Another trader in District 8, said customers could order rare species that she could procure for them from Laos and Cambodia.
When the joint team paid a surprise visit to one trader's house, many people attempted to prevent the team from taking the wild animals, said Vo Van Duc, head of the forest rangers' mobile team.
Before they are released into the wild, the animals will be cared for by professional rehabilitation staff with WAR (Wildlife at Risk), a Vietnamese non-governmental organisation, in co-operation with the Forest Fanger Department running the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Centre.