TECHNICAL MEETING TO REVIEW AND UPDATE THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF MAMMALIA IN VIETNAM’S RED DATABOOK

The technical meeting took place at Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, Ninh Binh province from January 9 – 10, 2023. This event was held by Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) and Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), with the financial support from Conservation Vietnam fund and Re:Wild to review and update the conservation status of Mammalia in Vietnam and for the publication of Vietnam Red Databook in 2023.

The technical meeting gatherd the most experienced, dedicated specialists, experts, and delegates from institutes, universities, rescue centers, governmental department, such as Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW), Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC), Green Viet, University of Science, Hue University, Duy Tan University, Southern Institute of Ecology, Institute of Tropical Biology, Department of Special-use forest and Protection forest management (DOPAM).

In regards to the environmental degradation, increasing pressure for wildlife populations and natural habitats, many species are pushed to the brink of extinction. For the effective and prompt conservation, management of threatened species in Vietnam, it is necessarily to review and update the 2007 version of Vietnam’s Red Databook to 2023 versions.  

In the Vietnam Red Book 2007, there are 418 species assessed and classified with different threat levels from DD (Data Deficient), Lower Risk (LR), Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN),  Critically Endangered (CR), Extinct in the Wilderness (EW), Extinct (EX). On two days of the technical meeting, more than 100 terrestrial species have been updated and classified, many of which have been upgraded to Endangered and Critically Endangered (CR) compared to the 2007 version of Vietnam’s Red Databook. The change in conservation classification shows that the impacts on nature and wildlife species have not decreased. For many species, threats are on the rise.

The updated version of Vietnam’s Red Databook cautions the degradation of biodiversity in Vietnam, especially the fauna. The threatened levels are scientific basis for review and update the list of theatened wild animals in legislative documents; management of resources for the effective conservation and law enforcement, mitigating the negative impact on the thrive of wildife in Vietnam, thus the restoration.

CCD will continue to cooperate with research institutes, conservation partners and governmental bodies to carry out studies, implementing conservation and restoration plans for wildlife in Vietnam.