Vietnam moves to reduce demand for wildlife products
Vietnam's rich biodiversity has made the country a hub for illegal transportation of rare species and stronger efforts are needed to curb wildlife trafficking, experts said at a workshop that opened in Hanoi on Tuesday.
The three-day workshop, organised jointly by CITES Vietnam (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and the US State Department, aims to find ways to reduce illegal trade in plant and animal products in the country.
Vietnam’s environment is extremely diverse, with 12,000 plant species and 1,600 mammals, birds and reptiles and other animals, making it a hotspot for illegal trade in rare flora and fauna, said Nguyen Ba Ngai, deputy head of the Vietnam Forestry Administration under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
In February this year, the government ordered ministries and local authorities to step up legal measures as well as awareness campaigns to reduce the demand for wildlife products. It has also created a list of endangered species to be protected, the workshop heard.
Vietnam has started modifying its penal code to include more severe punishments for wildlife trafficking and related crimes.
“Raising awareness and reducing the demand for wildlife products is an important instrument in the fight to protect wildlife in Vietnam,” Ngai said.
Vietnam has made some headway in this regard.
For instance, the National Programme on Illegal Rhino Demand Reduction has helped cut down the demand for rhino-based products in Hanoi by 77 per cent, according to CITES Vietnam.
Other initiatives include the National Programme on Controlling Illegal Wildlife Trade, the Tiger Conservation Strategy and the National Plan for Elephant Conservation.
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