On August 21, 2021, Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW), alongside 13 other NGOs working in nature and wildlife conservation in Vietnam, submitted an open letter to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, the Minister of Public Security, and the Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees nationwide. The letter emphasized the urgent need to review, inspect, and address the illegal captivity and possession of wildlife.

In the letter, the organizations urged relevant authorities to strictly implement Directive No. 29/CT-TTg on urgent solutions for wildlife management, signed on July 23, 2020. Although the directive has been in effect for over a year, the illegal trade, consumption, and captivity of wildlife remain complex and widespread in many localities, lacking strict management and oversight from functional agencies. Specifically, three cases involving the illegal trade, transport, and captivity of rare and endangered wildlife—resulting in the seizure of 24 tigers and 4 Sunda pangolins—and, in particular, the seizure of 17 tigers in Do Thanh Commune, Dien Chau District, Nghe An Province in early August 2021, have sparked public outrage. The media has repeatedly questioned how 17 adult tigers could be hidden for so long, noting that they are hardly as small as a needle.

The success of these three operations in such a short time confirms the determination of the Nghe An Provincial Police, in particular, and government ministries, in general, to implement Directive No. 29/CT-TTg. However, the illegal hunting, trapping, keeping, storing, transporting, and trading of wildlife continue to occur covertly. The consequences significantly impact biodiversity, push many wildlife species toward extinction, compromise animal welfare, increase the risk of zoonotic disease outbreaks, and damage Vietnam's international reputation.

According to Nguyen Van Thai, Director of Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW): “Research and interviews conducted by organizations like SVW with wildlife farms in Vietnam show that, on average, one out of every five farms interviewed is involved in illegal captivity or trade. The primary goal of the non-profit organizations signing this letter is for the Ministries and Provincial People's Committees to take real, decisive action by reviewing all facilities, individuals, and households keeping wildlife and strictly penalizing any illegal captivity. We hope for the full implementation of the Prime Minister's directives in Directive No. 29/CT-TTg dated July 23, 2020.”

The open letter from these 14 non-profit organizations working in nature and biodiversity conservation not only proposes initiatives to promote effective wildlife management but also demonstrates their commitment to supporting and collaborating with local authorities to address the issue of illegal wildlife captivity. The organizations have clearly outlined their areas of expertise and provided contact information to facilitate easy communication with the relevant authorities.

“Due to the pandemic, postal services are no longer accepting express deliveries to many southern provinces and cities. We will combine postal mail with electronic copies sent via email to the Ministries and Provincial People's Committees, and we hope to see strong action and receive responses from these agencies soon,” added Mr. Nguyen Van Thai.

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