Kangaroos are not native and are not allowed to be released into the environment, while state rescue centers have limited resources and cannot sustain them for life.
On November 11, the Forest Protection Department of Thach An District, Cao Bang Province, discovered another kangaroo in the wild, bringing the total to four. All were abandoned by a smuggling group while being illegally transported across the border. While waiting to verify their origin, they are being kept at the Forest Protection Department of Thach An District, then transferred to the Hoang Lien Center for Rescue, Conservation and Development of Organisms (Lao Cai).
Cao Bang Forest Rangers do not know how to deal with the four kangaroos because this species is not yet allowed to be imported into Vietnam, and information about the species is very limited.
Some experts said that the species caught in Cao Bang is a wallaby, also known as a mini kangaroo, originating from Australia. An adult weighs about 30 kg, with a body length including tail of 1.8 m. In the list of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the wallaby is not an invasive alien species.
Three kangaroos were discovered and captured in Duc Long commune from November 8-10. Photo: Contributor
According to Article 10 of Circular No. 29/2019 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on handling wild animals as evidence, exhibits, and wild animals voluntarily handed over to the State by organizations and individuals, there are 5 forms of handling including: Releasing back into the natural environment; rescue; transfer to zoos, scientific research facilities, training, environmental education, specialized museums; sale and final destruction.
However, the four wallabies are not native and are not allowed to be released into the wild. They are healthy and show no signs of disease, so they are not in need of rescue or destruction. An animal rescue expert said that wallabies are an exotic species and are not a priority for rescue. If they are transferred to the Rescue Center in Lao Cai, they must be very careful in isolating and testing for disease to avoid cross-infection to other animals.
A representative of the Animals Asia Foundation believes that exotic animals should not be released into the wild. If a state-owned rescue center wants to raise them, it must have good resources, cages... because it has to be raised until the end of its life. "Rescue centers in Vietnam are not well-off, raising this species will waste resources," he said, suggesting that it would be best to send kangaroos to semi-wild zoos (safari).
Although not allowed to be imported into Vietnam, in the past 5 years, some farms have illegally brought wallabies back to Vietnam and sold them to people who want them as pets, releasing them in large gardens or in ecological zones. In 2018, a farm in Thanh Tri district, Hanoi imported about 10 wallabies, domesticated them and bred them.
Pham Chieu
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