Tiger Conservation in Viet Nam: Status and Problems
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Report from a workshop on: 'Tiger and Prey species'

25 Sept. - 8 Oct. 1995, Lang Chang, Malaysia

Supported by:
The National Parks and Wildlife Protection Department, Malaysia and
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia and has total natural land area of 33,036,300 ha. Its population is more than 75 millions people.

The flora and fauna of Vietnam are rather diverse. It is estimated that there are over 12,000 vascular plant species (of which 7 000 has been identified), 224 species of mammals, 1 012 species and subspecies of birds, 180 species of reptile and 80 species of amphibians.

System of protected areas of Vietnam consists of:

• National parks: 9

• Nature reserves: 47

• Cultural and environment protected forests: 31

The total area of the system is about 1 million ha (3% of the country land area). One third of system has management plans and one fourth has management boards.

Tiger in Vietnam is Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti). Before, they were widely distributed throughout the forest and mountainous areas in high abundance. Now, they are eliminated from many areas of their former range and severely reduced in number. It is estimated about 200 tigers still surviving scattered in fragmented habitats.

In order to protect wildlife including the tiger Vietnam's Government has early gazetted legal documents such as:

• Decree 39/CP, 1963 on regulation of hunting for wildlife. Tiger was one of 4 limited hunting species.

• Regulation (1972) on forest protection.

• Decision 276/QD (1989) promulgating ban on hunting, trading of tiger and 37 other species.

• Law for forest protection and development (1991).

• Decree 18/HDBT (1992) stipulates management and protection of rare and precious species of flora and fauna. Tiger is one of 49 species and subspecies of complete ban on hunting and using.

• Decree 14/CP stipulates system of penalties for violation on forest protection.

• In 1994 Vietnam has joint to CITES for more effective control of wildlife trade including tiger.

• March 1995, subregional tiger workshop held in Hanoi to establish Action plan for tiger conservation in Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea.

Ministry of Forestry is authorised for policy making and enforcement, its working mechanism is described in CHART 1.

Take part on tiger study and conservation also many other agencies/institutions such as Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Forest Inventory and Planning Institute, Hanoi University, CRES, Forestry College of Vietnam,... other NGOs: Society of Forest Science and Technique, Zoological Society, WWF, IUCN, ....

There are several priority areas for tiger conservation:

1. Sa Thay - Mom Ray nature reserve: total area: 25000 ha, evergreen forests, semi-deciduous forest, rich in tiger prey species, management manpower; 25 rangers.
2. Muong Nhe Nature Reserve: total area - 396,000 ha, subtropical evergreen forest and tropical evergreen forests. Management manpower; 30 rangers.
3. Tuyen Hoa - Minh Hoa Area: 45,000 ha, evergreen and limestone forests, 30 rangers.
4. Hien - Giang Area: 75,000 ha, evergreen forests; 34 rangers.
5. Yok Don National Park: 58,200 ha, Large deciduous forests, very rich in ungulate species; 25 rangers.
6. Vu Quang Nature Reserve 52,000 ha, Evergreen forest; 64 rangers.
7. Pu Mat Nature Reserve: 92,000 ha, evergreen forest; 45 rangers.

Study and monitoring on tiger is poorly done in Vietnam. There is almost no surveys on tiger distribution and tiger census. Lack of expertise and skill on tiger conservation, Shortage of funds and equipment for tiger monitoring and protection. Prey species are studied better. The legal body for protection of tiger and its prey species is good, but its enforcement is still limited. Public awareness on tiger conservation is still low.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In order to effectively protect tiger in Vietnam following activities are necessary:

1. Training Vietnamese staffs on techniques of survey and census on tiger and its prey species, skill of tiger protection.

2. Education and public awareness through posters, video tapes, lectures for school children and local community and other media broadcasting.

3. International cooperation for study and protection in 7 priority areas of tiger occupation

4. Providing relevant equipment for tiger conservation: GPS, Dbase and mapping software, ....

This report is written by group of Vietnamese participants of training course: 'Tiger and Prey species' in Malaysia, 25 Sept. - 8 Oct. 1995.

We would like to express our hearty thank to all organisers, instructors and others who kindly help us during the course.

• Tran Quoc Bao,
• Pham Nhat,
• Nguyen Xuan Dang,
• Tran Khac Phu,
• Nguyen Van Hoi,
• Vu Ngoc Thanh,
• Le Van Luong,
• Nguyen Huy Thang,
• Dang Dinh Nguyen

Lang Chang, 5 October 1995

Newspaper Reports from this Workshop

Ella acts as guinea pig for reserachers

Tiger - Dwindling in Number

Photo: Michael Seres

Prepared by Vern Weitzel <vern@coombs.anu.edu.au>
Australia Vietnam Science-Technology Link