On June 16, 2023, Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW), in coordination with Cuc Phuong National Park and the Investigation Police Agency of Hoa Binh Province, successfully rescued a rare Sunda pangolin.

According to the Hoa Binh Provincial Police, a suspect named Bui Van A was transporting the Sunda pangolin by motorbike from Yen Tri Commune, Yen Thuy District, to Hang Tram Town when he was intercepted by the Investigation Police Agency and the Yen Thuy District Traffic Police on the afternoon of June 15. The suspect claimed to have purchased the animal from a local resident in Ngoc Luong Commune who had caught it in the forest at night. Furthermore, the suspect has a history of keeping and trading wild animals. He is currently in custody, awaiting investigation and prosecution.

Following the seizure, the Sunda pangolin was taken to the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources in Hanoi for assessment. On the same day, the Hoa Binh Provincial Police contacted SVW to hand over the animal for care. Upon receiving the news, the SVW Rapid Response Team coordinated with Cuc Phuong National Park and departed on the night of June 15, 2023, to transport the animal to the rescue center. The pangolin, a male weighing approximately 6kg, was stressed but showed no serious injuries. "As soon as we were notified, we made every effort to bring the animal to the center as quickly as possible to ensure its health, and we received enthusiastic support from the Hoa Binh Provincial Investigation Police Agency," said Tran Van Truong, Rescue Coordinator at Save Vietnam’s Wildlife. The Sunda pangolin is a rare species, and its population in the wild is currently very low.

In recent years, wildlife conservation has gained more attention through the enactment and amendment of various legal documents. Illegal acts involving the trade, hunting, and transport of wildlife are now specifically and strictly regulated. However, there remains a significant loophole regarding the illegal use and consumption of wildlife in regulations and laws such as the 2015 Penal Code, the 2018 Law on Biodiversity (32/VBHN-VPQH), the 2017 Forestry Law (16/2017/QH14), and Decrees 35/2019/NĐ-CP, 160/2013/NĐ-CP, 64/2019/NĐ-CP, 06/2019/NĐ-CP, 26/2019/NĐ-CP, and Directive 29/2020/CT-TTg. This creates confusion and difficulties for authorities in handling related cases. In current legal provisions, the act of "using/consuming wildlife" is often not mentioned, or if it is, it lacks clear definitions and specific penalties.

To curb wildlife poaching and protect Vietnam's biodiversity, it is essential to have the concerted efforts of authorities and conservation organizations, as well as clear definitions and accompanying sanctions to address cases involving the illegal "use and consumption of wildlife."

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