More than 1,000 camera traps have been set but have not captured any saola or tigers.

WWF Vietnam set up 1,176 camera traps in 21 special-use and protective forests in 8 provinces and cities, but has not found saola, red wolf, clouded leopard, or tiger.

From year In 2019, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Vietnam) began setting camera traps in 21 special-use forests and protection forests in 8 provinces including Quang Nam, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Binh, Lam Dong, Cuc Phuong National Park (Ninh Binh), Vu Quang National Park (Ha Tinh), and Cat Tien National Park (Lam Dong, Dong Nai).

This is considered the most comprehensive and systematic camera-trapping biodiversity survey ever conducted in Vietnam with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to monitor biodiversity and forest cover.

After five years, the project has set up 1,176 camera traps, recording more than 120,000 animals in millions of images captured by the traps. However, the traps do not record images of large carnivores and herbivores such as tigers, clouded leopards, dholes and saola.

Saola is a rare ungulate species of Vietnam's mountains and forests. Photo: WWF Vietnam — Saola is a rare ungulate species of Vietnam's mountains and forests. Photo: *WWF Vietnam*

Camera traps only recorded populations of Asian elephants and large ungulates such as gaurs. Most of these were recorded as being resistant to hunting pressure, such as macaques, silversides and wild boars.

Survey results by WWF Vietnam show that wildlife has seriously declined in 21 special-use and protection forests, but the species richness and number of endemic species are relatively high. Of these, 9 endemic species of protection forests and 21 endemic species of the Truong Son range are at high risk of being threatened.

Rare species such as the large-antlered muntjac and sun bear were also discovered, contributing to providing some records of these species in Vietnam in the past 20 years.

Camera trap detects Truong Son muntjac. Photo: WWF Vietnam — Camera trap detects Truong Son Muntjac. Photo: *WWF Vietnam*

Mr. Nick Cox, Director of the Biodiversity Conservation Component, said this is the first time there is data to confirm that Vietnam's wildlife population is seriously threatened.

“Now is a prime time to start a national conservation breeding programme to rewild protected areas, while maintaining and enhancing biodiversity conservation efforts, particularly reducing trapping,” said Nick Cox.

Following the first round of camera trapping, a second round of surveys is being conducted in 21 special-use and protection forests and will be compared with the initial results when the project ends in 2025.

Viet An

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