Poachers prosecuted for killing langurs
Son Tra-Ngu Hanh Son's Forest Protection Department has decided to prosecute a criminal case for the illegal killing three Red-Shanked Doucs (Pygathryx nemaeus), an animal listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
According to Le Phuoc Bay, deputy head of the department, rangers found Vi Van Son, Vi Van Hoang, Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van Hoi and Le Thi Lan from Nghe An province with 100 traps and 3.11kg of dried meat, bone, skin and fur of wild animals on March 30.
The meat and bones were identified at the Vietnam Science Academy a Red-Shanked Doucs (Pygathryx nemaeus).
Following initial investigations, the illegal hunters admitted that they had killed three Red-Shanked Doucs on a hunting trip in the reserve for money.
The Son Tra Nature Reserve in Danang, known for its rich biodiversity, is home to 200 Red-Shanked Doucs - a kind of langur that was declared endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2013.
According to biologist Tran Huu Vy, director of the Centre for Conservation for biodiversity, illegal hunters used steel wire traps and hand-made air guns to kill wild animals. A live animal could earn an illegal hunter VND6 million (US$285).
Vy said drastic measures at restaurants on the Son Tra Mountain were needed and communication about protecting wild animals was needed in the city.