savevietnamswildlife.org

SAVE VIETNAM’S WILDLIFEAdd. Cuc Phuong National Park, Ninh Binh, Vietnam Tel. +84 (0) 303 848 053 E. info.svw2014@gmail.com save.vietnams.wildlife svw2014vn

savevietnamswildlife.org HOTLINE 0978 331 441

Dear Save Vietnam’s Wildlife’s friends and supporters,

Since our last update, Save Vietnam’s Wildlife has worked with high profile media such as The Telegraph, BBC and Sky News to raise the profile of the pangolin, the world’s most trafficked mammal. Our website, savevietnamswildlife.org went down several times due to increased traffic from both published articles and World Pangolin Day. It is heartening to see public interest in the pangolin swell, as people across the world answer our call to action. Inside Vietnam as well, over a thousand young Hanoians pledged to save the pangolin at a recent environemntal festival attended by SVW.

This issue we would like to offer special thanks to Otto De Jager from GlobleHome, Vietnamese singer Thu Minh, Mr Peter Phillips (of the Royal Family) for organizing the first ever polo match in Vietnam in which SVW was named a beneficiary. Of course, thanks must also go to each and every one of our friends and supporters across the globe, without whom we could not carry out our vital operations to SVW.

Sincerely,

Save Vietnam’s Wildlife team

Quarterly Newsletter Issue 2January - March 2015

Photo: E&C Jaquet

Quarterly Newsletter Issue 2 | January - March 2015

As part of the excellent care pangolins receive during their rehabilitation, each animal is weighed once a month. If a particular pangolin isn’t eating well, or the team are otherwise concerned, individuals can be weighed more frequently and kept under particularly close observation. Regular weighing helps us to ensure animals are eating well, regaining body-condition they may have lost during trafficking, and with younger individuals that they are growing at a steady pace.

PANGOLINWEIGH-DAY

RESCUE, REHABILITATION, RELEASE

The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) SVW rescued in late December which arrived with a wound on one of its legs is doing very well, having recovered from the injury. The leopard cat has finished quarantine and SVW is making plans for its release back to the forest.

RESCUE! 7 PANGOLINS RESCUED FROM CENTRAL VIETNAM

RESCUED LEOPARD CATMAKES A SOLID RECOVERY

On the 16th January the SVW team travelled to Central Vietnam to meet with rangers of the Forest Protection Department and negotiate the rescue of 7 pangolins. Upon SVW’s arrival, forest rangers claimed the animals were not Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) in a ploy which would allow rangers to sell the confiscated animals back into the trade. Hours of negotiation by SVW’s team eventually secured the pangolin’s release.

All the rescued pangolins are now doing well, and have successfully completed their quarantine period. The ultimate goal is to release the animals back into Cat Tien National Park in 2015.

Photo: J Rischbieth

SVW staff doing pangolin health checking after rescueing them from the rangers.

Quarterly Newsletter Issue 2 | January - March 2015

The start of 2015 has seen an increased interest by international media in the work of SVW, the Telegraph, BBC and SkyNews Asia each visiting our centre, and traveling with SVW staff to wildlife restaurants and traditional medicine shops in Hanoi before publishing articles on the plight of the pangolin. The articles can be accessed through the following links: Telegraph, BBC channel and SkyNews.

RELEASESHORT FILM

ON WORLD PANGOLIN

DAY

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION GROWS

SVW released a short film on pangolin conservation to mark World Pangolin Day 2015, to raise awareness and call on the public to join the effort to save the pangolin.

WILDLIFE EDUCATION

SVW was honored to be chosen as one of the beneficiaries of Vietnam’s inaugural Charity Polo Cup, 2015. Organised by Vietnamese A-lister and celebrated singer Thu Minh, and her husband Otto De Jager, and hosted by Mr Peter Phillips of the Royal Family, 420 exclusive guests from the Vietnamese business world attended to show their support for conservation.

POLO FOR CONSERVATION

The film can be viewed here.

SVW designed “Save The Pangolin” t-shirts for the event, which were gifted to guests, and aired a short film highlighting our work and the threats facing the pangolin. As part of the charity auction, a charcoal illustration by Heidi Quine of SVW’s well known pangolin ‘Lucky’ was successfully sold.

Please read the full article here.

Screen shot from Sky News video news

SVW giving gift pangolin tee shirts to Polo Charity Cup hosts Thu Minh and Otto De Jager.

Quarterly Newsletter Issue 2 | January - March 2015WILDLIFE EDUCATION

The building of the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Education Centre has now been completed with the generous support of Welttierschutzgesellschaft e.V. (WTG). Interpretive educational materials are being developed to fit out the interior of the building, and designs are under way for an immersive exterior entrance.

Seven large enclosures to house non-releasable rescued animals have also been completed.

NEARLY 1000 PLEDGETO SAVE THE PANGOLIN

SVW recently attended an environmental festival in Hanoi hosted by Boo Environment to raise the profile of the pangolin and empower young people to take action to conserve this precious species.

One of the most significant results from the festival - nearly 1000 youth signed their name on SVW’s pledge-board, committing not to eat, buy, or use pangolin products.

Read the full news here

EDUCATION CENTREUPDATE

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF VIETNAMESE CITIZENS TO STAND UP FOR WILDLIFE

SVW NEEDS MORE URGENT SUPPORT

TO DEVELOP THE EDUCATION CENTRE

AND OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC VISITORS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF THE

YEAR 2015

Please contact savevietnamswildlife@gmail.comif you think you might be able to help.

For more details about our education centre, please visit our website.

Save Vietnam’s Wildlife was recently invited to inspire more than 30 budding Vietnamese conservationists at a Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) seminar in Hanoi.

Attendees were treated to an inspirational delivery by SVW’s staff on “The challenges of wildlife conservation in Vietnam”, and engaging talks by both WCS and well-known Vietnamese investigative journalist Do Doan Hoang. The seminar aimed to improve the understanding of wildlife trafficking amongst young

Vietnamese citizens, as well as provide them with information on how to tackle wildlife crimes they may witness in their own communities.

Our motivating presentation was well received by the audience, and follows on from a similar presentation delivered by SVW to the Animals Asia Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, to share motivation and inspiration with the bear worker team there.

WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT RESEARCH

Cat Tien National Park has been identified as a stronghold for pangolins in Vietnam, an area where SVW has successfully released pangolins in the past. SVW plans release animals back into Cat Tien National Park soon. To do this though, SVW must raise funds for radio tracking equipment to monitor the animals post-release into the forest. To support pangolin rehabilitation and release into Cat Tien National Park.

As part of the Wildlife Crime Law Enforcement Training Program, organised by Wildlife Conservation Society. SVW’s provided training on “Placement of seized wildlife” for over 30 participants from key law enforcement agencies in Southern Vietnam including rangers, police and the Customs department of in Ho Chi Minh city, Binh Duong and Tay Ninh provinces. By the end of the training, trainees understood the need to transfer confiscated wildlife to rescue centres

Please visit SVW website.

Quarterly Newsletter Issue 2 | January - March 2015

CAT TIEN – A PANGOLIN STRONGHOLD

SVW DELIVERSWILDLIFE CRIME

LAW ENFORCEMENTTRAINING

SVW staff implementing the training at WCS’s wildlife crime law enforcement training program.

ANIMAL WELFARE

SVW has now set in to motion an animal-welfare based project in conjunction with Dai Nam Zoo, just outside Ho Chi Minh City. SVW staff met with the Director of the zoo and spent the day discussing a potential collaboration to increase zoo animal welfare. We hope to be able to assist with practical implementation of an enrichment program, focusing on carnivores housed at Dai Nam.

SVW CONTRIBUTES TO ZOO ANIMAL WELFARE

Quarterly Newsletter Issue 2 | January - March 2015

MR. B THE BINTURONG ENJOYSAN ENCLOSURE UPDATE

Mr B, a binturong resident in SVW

rescue centre, recently received an

update to his enclosure. The

addition of native Vietnamese rainforest

plants helps to recreate a binturong’s

natural environment, providing plenty of

shady places to rest in the heat of the day.

Well designed environmental enrichment programs help to keep animals occupied and interested in their enclosures. New enrichment programs were recently developed for all six species currently houses at SVW rescue centre including fruit kebab sticks for the civets, balls for the leopard cats, essential oil

sprays for the binturong, and hanging bowls of ants for the pangolin. Stimulating environments help to keep our animals happy and healthy, and most importantly provides an opportunity to engage in natural behaviors—important for animals who will be released back in to the wild where they belong.

KEEPING WILDLIFE HEALTHY AND HAPPY

Marked palm civet is licking fruit ice block.

Photo: A golden cat cage at Dai Nam zoo whichneeds to be enriched with new furnitures.

WORLD BINTURONG DAY 9TH MAY 2015

Most recent camera-trapping evidence

shows that binturong descend to the ground more frequently than previously thought. They will often come to the ground to move from

tree to tree, and feed onfallen fruits.

Did you know?

Binturong are distributed throughout Southeast Asia. Wild Binturong populations are rapidly declining as a result of habitat loss and illegal hunting, for their meat, the pet trade and their fur. To raise awareness of the species, the first World Binturong Day (9th May 2015) will take place in zoological parks around the world.

Two of the three binturongs at SVW are unreleaseable animals. Our female binturong (photo) lost a paw due to a snare trap injury, and one of our males was kept so long as a pet he has lost skills necessary for survival in the wild. SVW is committed to looking after for these binturong for rest of their lives and you have a chance to name them for $300.

PLEASE CONTACT US:savevietnamswildlife@gmail.comif you are interested.

Your support will go towards veterinary, housing, food, and environmental enrichment costs for the binturongs.

Name ourBinturongs!

Quarterly Newsletter Issue 2 | January - March 2015

DONATIONSSVW URGENTLY NEEDSYOUR SUPPORT TOCURRENT DONORS

- ORGANISATIONS release rehabilitated pangolins back into forests with radio-tracking

print children’s book designed to introduce and educate about the pangolin

create artistic content for our education centreWhitley Wildlife

Conservation Trust INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS

Quarterly Newsletter Issue 2 | January - March 2015

DONATE HERE

OR CALL (+84) 303 848 053Or email: info.svw2014@gmail.com

Thankyou!

Newquay Zoo

Welttierschutzgesellschaft e.V

Humane Society International

Shaldon Wildlife Trust

Ms. Nguyen Phuong Thao is contracted with SVW as a Communications Officer since February 2015. With plenty working experience of visual communications, conservation activities, and graduating in Media and Communications, Thao is working with new media to ensure Save Vietnam’s Wildlife reaches a wide audience, inspiring them to become involved in conservation activities.

WELCOME NEW STAFF MEMBERS

Otto De Jager, Thu Minh Brad Parks (Denver Zoo)Magda PalczynskaBruno Vander CruyssenVal SaundersGuillaume DouayMy-Tien NguyenRichard EvansRobin LeadbetterRobert AmphletAlicia SoubrySue MawsonAndrew WolstenholmeCatherine FraserJane HerbertMelodie WilliamJulie-Anne Gillett-SmithGilbert MartinP GouldJames ChantMark RobinsonGraham TempleThomas WorrallJacqueline ColeAngus SelfAnthony BroadAndrew GaviClare FreemnMichael TheelSasha B DoreyCharlotte Bruce-WhiteRosamund ShannonKatrina YOUNGKatharine WalAidan JohnsonNina SavoryGrant StewartChloe FrankcombeAdam ThomasTheresa Cole

Alexa GilbertsonJudith JacksonElizabeth McElligottLynn SmithDavin WakefordJohn CreedonTom GardinerSimon CoombsJane CrossfieldDavid CotgroveAndrea ListonElizabeth m PattisonPaul C. ChapmanTony StokoeSally ScargillSimon UttingJeremy HendersonVicky PostlethwaiteDiana BeamishC N GrayPaul Neil HorrocksWilliam BateHelen YoungHugh ClarkSusan MacphersonSarah IrvingPeter KettleAmy GoodwinWilliam HorsleyMelanie RobertsAlexandra AllenKatrin HenkelGreg RoxbyAnnie WhartonJane CooperAlexander StevensonLoraine GreeveSue HigginsMargaret PatemanFiona Hazelton

Vincent DohertyJill PattisonAmanda SollowayMalcolm WelchLauren StraussRobert LoweMcDermott BruceFrank ChapmanArthur GillmanCharles ReekieDiane SpaldingAdrienne FryerPlant LaurenceAnita ClemensJillian AdyeS JacksonB A MurrayPatricia ScreatonMagda PalczynskaBenjamin GoldsmithRowena BerginOliver HarveyMelinda HillMoira FultonHolly Regan-JonesMaria PavlopoulosChristopher NorthfieldAnthony del TufoSusan SladeEmma Wright

Dossa sasseHarriet TupperCeris DaviesAdrian NorrisSusan RamsayVictoria KillayAnthony CalvelageJuliet LawnRachel LawsonChristine LeedingAlison BabingtonCorinne GilbertRuth MannersIris HoAngela Hyde-CourtneyEmma GabbertasRachel LewisCheryl MeadSarah LawrenceAndrew CottierVirginia MacphersonTim Wells Tracey Dardy-SmithTrasna PalmerGeoffrey DenhamSarah Stanton-nadinAlison NeilDalia G. HernandezacostaJudith TurnerSara Taylor

Pat Gowie Karen MannLynn WaddellDaniel JuddLarry VogelnestRebecca RundellStephen HunterAndrew WolstenholmeRosamund ShannonWilliam HorsleyChloe FrankcombeThomas H StewartSherri MirandaNash Wayde Paul TavenerMonika HrdinovaMartin Pratt Helen WheatleyMary O'DonoghueCharles ToppingMichael LoveridgeTimothy Holt-WilsonBelem Orozco Simon Tiffin Victoria von WachterHarriet Bankes AshtonLinda WebbDavison Robert Emma PellRosamund Shannon

Loen WhiteleyCraig HealyBrian O'DonovanIan smithLydia WestonCatherine Forshall Meadhbh MurphyKarin lobbanEmma Keating Martin PerrettHarriet JarmanNicola D WalkerEmma DowlulRachel OsborneMaya BarberLily TranJoyce MurrayJanet EddlestonAndrew PerrettSimon HoldingChristopher AlexanderSheri CostasSarah JordanMichael PenningtonLorraine PerroJanet AndersonDeborah JohnsonEmma HarleyRupert RutledgeTommy DavidsonHarriet Bankes Ashton

Patsie Goulding Camille NewtonC Allanson David SartiMichael BaldwinMark Holmes-Siedle M E SimsRue ParadisCaroline MorrisFernanda G. de AraújoLes WongPeter SohierEric RundquistLaura BethardWrayco DesignKimiko Marohn Anne Mazzone Martin GriffithJami LofgreenJeremy BrattPhoebe WeseleyAlexander Sascha BollagMary Kenney Derek KunzElise ChangSuzanne Morse Andrew Wolstenholme