Tiger Species in Vietnam

24/02/2012

Since the 60s of 20th century and earlier, tigers distributed throughout the mountains in Vietnam, even in the midlands and islands. The places, which were very famous for tiger"s population, were Ba Che (Quang Ninh), Ba (Ha Giang), Doc Cun (Peace), Muong Nhe (Lai Chau), Ba Ren, U Beef, Bamboo (Quang Binh), Ba (Quang Ngai), Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, KBang (Gia Lai), Sa Thay (Kon Tum). As noted in the report of the Government of Vietnam at the Tiger Forum in 2004, in Vietnam there would be tiger only in 17 provinces and they are living in fragmented and severely degraded forest areas. Vietnamese tiger with scientific name is Panthera tigris corbettii or called Indochinese tiger. They are classified as Critically Endangered (CR) species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). In Vietnam it is estimated that there are now fewer than 50 individuals in the nature (CITES Vietnam, 2010) and the conservation experts consider that the Indochinese tiger subspecies might be "disappeared" by 2015, more quickly than any other tiger subspecies.

Recently, according to research carried out by scientists of Vietnam Museum of Nature shows that, it is still shown some traces of tiger living in the Song Thanh Nature Reserve (Quang Nam), but on other hand there is no longer for tiger"s living trace in Kim Hy Reserve Area (Bac Kan). Vietnamese tiger is facing to extremely possibility of extinct (EX) for many reasons such as low adaptability to fragmented habitat, small population leads to serious effect on the hereditary due to inbreeding phenomenon. Most reserve areas, where the tiger is living, are often fragmented and seriously damaged, so the chance of breeding cross between different tiger populations is rarely occurred. This leads to degradation of genetic resources and is disadvantageous for conservation. Besides, the tiger hunting is increasing if there isn"t good policy of management, protection and conservation, which may lead the small tiger population in some areas now will be diapered

To conserve the tiger from extinction danger, Vietnam Government has also a positive actions, such as keeping and caring of tiger in Hanoi Zoo tiger since 1976. This is the first place where the tiger are arranged for coupling, breeding and reproducing in unnatural-managed conditions. Up to now, the Indochinese tigers have been delivered four times and the total number of tigers at the Hanoi Zoo is 8 individuals. Models raising tiger for breeding in Hanoi Zoo is considered as a effective form of ex-situ conservation (ex-situ). Furthermore, as an official member of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1994, Vietnam has made considerable efforts in the advocacy program of tiger conservation such as no traffic or usage of tiger products at airports or souvenir shops; setting up hotlines to state functional agencies for tiger-related information; investigation and survey of the tiger living areas etc. The state management agencies and non-governmental organizations also raise many initiatives and work together to develop Vietnam"s long-term strategy of tiger conservation by 2020.

In the future, we need to restore habitat for tigers in protected and reserved areas, especially giving the investment priorities for basic research to develop conservation by tiger breeding and reproduction, achieving original DNA samples of tiger to restore this rare valuable species once the conditions are favorable. We hope that the positive action of the Government to bring and ensure "the life" to the last-known existing tiger in wild-nature.

Translated by Viet Thanh
Link to Vietnamese version

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