Rare Pangolin Released into Wild as Vietnam Bolsters Wildlife Protection

Initial examination showed that the 10kg pangolin appears to be in good health, shows no visible signs of injury and retains normal mobility. Pangolins, scaly mammals capable of curling into a ball for self-defence, are classified as critically endangered and are strictly protected under both Vietnamese and international law. The pangolin weighed around 3 kg and belongs to Group IB - endangered, previous and rare species prioritised for protection under Vietnamese law. Of the six cranes, two are males and four females, with individual weights ranging from 5.3kg to 6.7kg. The birds were raised at Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo in Thailand and transported to Vietnam by air. Since 2001, Habitat for Humanity Vietnam has helped build or renovate more than 36,000 homes nationwide while supporting thousands of households in accessing housing finance and improving disaster resilience. With a total investment of nearly 1.6 trillion VND (over 60.7 million USD), the Long My domestic solid waste treatment plant will cover about 10ha, and have a waste treatment capacity of 800 tonnes per day and a power generation capacity of 15 MW. The latest transfer marks the second phase of the sarus crane conservation and development project at the Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap for the 2022–2032 period. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh, in his speech, said climate change is making weather more severe and unpredictable, with a powerful El Nino set to hit Vietnam in the second half of 2026 and early 2027. Against such backdrop, enhancing forecasting and early warning capacity, while effectively translating scientific information into management decisions and timely response actions, has become urgent, he said. The animals included a monitor lizard, a pangolin, an elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) and an impressed tortoise (Manouria impressa). The robust growth of the marine economy has created significant opportunities for Vietnam while at the same time posing major challenges to marine environment protection. From coastal aquaculture areas and renowned tourist bays to marine protected areas rich in biodiversity, traces of plastic waste, land-based pollution and unsustainable exploitation remain visible every day. According to the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, natural disasters during the 2020–2025 period caused increasingly serious damage nationwide. On average, natural disasters claimed more than 300 lives each year and caused economic losses exceeding 45 trillion VND (1.7 billion USD), up about 167% compared to the 2015–2019 period. As Vietnam’s first national park and one of the region’s leading nature conservation centres, Cuc Phuong will serve as an important field site for research, training and knowledge exchange among the partners. The pressing concerns comprise persistent environmental hotspots in industrial parks and industrial clusters; increasingly complex air and water pollution in major cities directly affecting public health; and shortcomings in waste management and wastewater treatment across river basins and rural areas that have yet to meet practical requirements. In Vietnam, airlines, fuel suppliers and energy companies have begun collaborating to deploy SAF on commercial flights, demonstrating that key links in the fuel value chain—from production and supply to operation—are gradually taking shape. On June 5, 2026, the 38th session of the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB-ICC 38) officially designated Vietnam's Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park as a member of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). The recognition marks another milestone in the country's conservation efforts, bringing its total number of UNESCO-designated World Biosphere Reserves to 12. The zone will cover the area within Hanoi’s Ring Road 1, encompassing nine wards: Hoan Kiem, Cua Nam, Ba Dinh, Giang Vo, Ngoc Ha, Tay Ho, O Cho Dua, Hai Ba Trung, and Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam. The lesser adjutant is a rare and endangered species classified in Group IB, which includes forest animals given the highest level of protection under Vietnamese law. Implemented under Plan 628, a joint initiative between the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the campaign marks a shift towards a more coordinated and long-term approach to protecting wildlife and natural resources. Maintaining the UNESCO Global Geopark status is expected to further elevate the international profile of Lam Dong’s geological heritage while supporting sustainable tourism and green economic growth linked to the preservation of natural and cultural assets. All five animals had become separated from their natural environments before being found by local residents. The first bomb was found beneath the Son River, about 150 metres from a tourist boat pier in Phong Nha commune, after a local homestay owner alerted authorities. The vision of a strong maritime nation will be reflected in green ports, offshore wind farms, thriving coastal communities, restored mangrove forests, sustainable coastal cities, resilient island outposts and generations of Vietnamese equipped with ocean knowledge and a deep sense of responsibility for the nation’s maritime future. The chicks were born at Pairi Daiza’s Oasis greenhouse following a carefully monitored breeding and care programme. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Vietnamese pheasant is classified as Critically Endangered and may already be extinct in the wild. Copyright, VietnamPlus, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Editor-in-chief, Mr. Tran Tien Duan.