April 4, 2022

HANOI – Beginning his research on primate conservation in 1999, Dr. Hà Thăng Long, a conservationist, helped build a network of biodiversity researchers and expand conservation projects in central Việt Nam.

Long, 46, one of Việt Nam’s leading primate researchers, has helped train hundreds of students in biodiversity during annual field trips to forests in the central region.

“The region’s forests provide a safe haven for 16 species of primates, including langurs, gibbons and monkeys. The natural reserves of the region are privileged places to observe the families of endangered langurs. Visitors can see a herd of 50 red-legged douc langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus) – the largest in Việt Nam – in the Sơn Trà Nature Reserve in Đà Nẵng within easy reach at all times,” he said.

Long, head of the Frankfurt Zoological Society’s representative office, said the central highland reserves naturally form a close connection with other provinces, creating “safe” corridors and habitat for wildlife and species. of primates.

“The reserves of Ninh Bình, Hà Nam, Nghệ An, Quảng Bình, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên Huế, Đà Nẵng, Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi and the provinces of the central highlands of Kon Tum, Gia Lai are naturally linked to each other, which helps primates and wildlife to trade and move easily and safely,” he said.

A report from the Vietnamese Journal of Primatology – a peer-reviewed open-access journal – showed that Việt Nam, with 25 primate taxa, is home to the largest number of primate species on the Southeast Asian continent. Nevertheless, with 90% of Việt Nam’s primate species threatened with extinction, the country is no exception to the ongoing global biodiversity collapse.

Long, who is the founding chairman of the Biodiversity Conservation Center (GreenViet), said the first-ever research at the Cúc Phương Endangered Primate Rescue Center, a long-term strategy on biodiversity and conservation of langur, had been extended to national parks and nature. reserves in Ninh Bình, Quảng Bình, Khánh Hoà, Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk and Kon Tum since 1991.

“Việt Nam is the only site in the world where the endangered grey-legged douc langurs have been preserved. Núi Thành district in Quảng Nam is a brand new interesting site – where the local community had voluntarily protected herds of 50 critically endangered langurs for 25 years before the local authorities officially listed the conservation plan.

A monkey looks at a camera in the jungle. Many conservation projects have been built to protect endangered wildlife species in central Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of Bùi Văn Tuấn.

Ecologist Trần Hữu Vỹ, director of GreenViet, said conservation research in the central region has gradually contributed to improving the awareness of communities living in the buffer zone of nature reserves and parks in the region.

“GreenViet ecologists and biologists have worked in seven nature reserves and national parks to protect the rich diversity and approximately 2,400 endangered langurs. Experts from the NGO also help train 80 rangers each year in biodiversity research and data collection,” Vỹ said.

Future conservationists

Vỹ said more than 300 students have been trained in biodiversity at the park since 2006, providing personnel for primate and biodiversity conservation nationwide.

He said that at least 50% of the population living around national reserves and parks have improved their awareness of illegal hunting and logging through community education projects that GreenViet has included in conservation programs. and primate research.

“Our primate and biodiversity research and study programs provide benchmark data and information for other wildlife conservation researchers in Việt Nam and around the world.”

GreenViet biologists were the first in Việt Nam to provide an official report on the existence of 1,300 red-legged douc langurs in Sơn Trà Nature Reserve in 2017.

Young students go on a jungle excursion. Biodiversity research needs the involvement of younger generations for long-term nature conservation in Việt Nam. — VNS Photo Cong Thanh

GreenViet has trained more than 28,000 teachers, elementary students and residents in the wild and langurs in Đà Nẵng over the years.

It has also built a ‘nature school’ in the Sơn Trà reserve for field trips by primary school students, parents, teachers and tourists exploring the rainforest and douc legged langur population. disappearing reds.

The school’s principal, biologist Nguyễn Thị Tịnh, said it provides biodiversity education, first-hand experience in forestry research and outdoor skills and a chance to explore the way of life. red-legged douc langurs.

“Children living in urban areas rarely have the opportunity to hike in the jungle and observe wildlife. The first forestry school in central Việt Nam will help children develop their love of the forest, the wildlife and natural experiences,” Tịnh said.

“Children and their parents will come to experience ‘forest bathing’ with jungle trips, sparking ideas about forest restoration and wildlife protection from an early age. They will be the first “forest-educated” students in central Việt Nam after conservation studies in the future.

Crop expansion

Việt Nam’s rich biodiversity is under threat due to over-harvesting, illegal wildlife hunting and trafficking, and poor management and collaboration by public agencies.

Deputy Director General of Vietnam Forestry Administration Cao Chí Công said many policies have been developed in recent years. However, managing and protecting biodiversity and endangered flora and fauna in nature reserves and national parks remains a challenge.

The expansion of coffee, pepper and cashew farms has encroached on forest areas, reducing wildlife habitat.

According to the latest report from the Ministry of Agriculture, the current area under coffee cultivation (583,000 ha) exceeds the 2020 plan (530,000 ha), while forest areas represent only 2.5 million hectares ( 45.8%) from the central highlands region.

Each year, the region loses 34,000 ha of forest due to illegal logging and land clearing for profitable short-term crops such as coffee, rubber or acacia.

The ministry also said that the forest area had decreased by 180,000 ha, of which 112,000 ha had been destroyed or occupied by the expansion of plantations of other crops, and 37,000 ha for the construction of hydroelectric power stations and roads between 2010 and 2015.

Dr Long suggested that agriculture in the region should focus on increasing value-added agricultural products rather than expanding planting areas.

“Coffee and acacia plantations could use technology to improve quality and production, but not forest areas cleared for short-term harvests. Farmers would have a small acreage to plant high-quality crops for higher profit, rather than expending more labor on larger farms,” Long said.

Dr. Hà Thăng Long (left), a leading langur researcher in Việt Nam, gives a jungle lecture to students of a field training course in Kon Ka Kinh National Park. More than 300 students have been trained in biodiversity protection and research. — VNS Photo Cong Thanh

“Forest areas will have a ‘safe haven’ for endangered primates and wildlife to grow up in peace. Human activities and negative impacts (illegal hunting and logging) will be stopped at the boundary of farms and forest,” he said. “It’s a positive coexistence for humans and wildlife.” —VNS