Twenty Java pangolins released back into the wild

According to the Wildlife Research and Conservation Centre (WRCC), all the pangolins were provided with a last checkup before they were released. Many of them gained 1-1.5 kg in weight while at the centre. They were also given electronic chips for future studies.

The pangolins were handed over to the CPCP from the forest management station in the northern province of Ninh Binh on June 19 after local police discovered an illegal transport of the species from the central province of Thua Thien-Hue to northern localities to be sold.

The pangolins were in poor health when rescued, as they had been put in tight bindings without food and water for a long time while travelling. Some of them could not even eat after being rescued.

Nguyen Van Thai, Director of the WRCC said the centre has rescued and released 95 pangolins to the wild within the last 12 months. He hoped the rescue and protection of the species will be intensified in the future.

Java pangolin is listed as an endangered species in Vietnam’s Red Book. The wild population has steadily decreased due to illegal hunting and trading for meat and traditional medicines.

The Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Programme is a joint activity by the Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, a non-profit organisation focusing on protecting and increasing populations of threatened wildlife in Vietnam, and the Cuc Phuong National Park in Ninh Binh.

Vietnam is home to two species of pangolin, the Java and Chinese Pangolin, which are listed as critically endangered species and prioritised for protection.