Illegal hunting has increased rapidly at border regions of the southern Cat Tien National Park recently, but forest rangers say the park’s location, spread over three provinces, makes their job of protecting rare wildlife more difficult. The park is spread over the three provinces of Lam Dong, Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc.
It is reported that around 2,000-3,000 animal traps are confiscated every month at the park, and this sometimes climbs up to 5,000.
Trappers are typically local residents sneaking into the forests at night, using self-made traps. They place the traps in areas with clear animal traces. Park rangers say they’ve even found out a trap net composed of 300 smaller ones.
Since 2006, at least 10 extremely rare bulls, a species that is endangered, have been killed. Five of these animals, which are mature and weigh over 500 kilograms each, are reported to have been trapped to death. A large number of rare birds and animals have fallen victims to the traps. Most of captured animals are sold to trading posts at communes bordering the park.
The latest raid jointly launched by the park’s guards and Dong Nai Police at some trading pots in Dac Lua Commune of Tan Phu District discovered over 286 kilograms of wild meat. After that, the park’s forest guards further found out 11 more trading posts in the two Lam Dong Province’s districts of Cat Tien and Da Teh.
Lam Dong authorities have promised better cooperation with the national park rangers in raiding wildlife trading posts.