The conservation program for the critically endangered white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is a long-term conservation program that has been initiated by the Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) with a focus on Xuan Lien and Pu Hoat Nature Reserves (NR). The CCD team has just completed the third monitoring trip in August 2019 in Xuan Lien NR. The monitoring results indicated a high concentration of gibbon groups in the fixed monitoring areas. A total of 24 groups with at least 62 individuals were confirmed in the two fixed monitoring areas of Pha Pha mountain located on the Pu Nam Mua mountain range and Vung Bo mountain ridge top. The record in this survey is double as much as the baseline data in 2011 for the same areas (Nguyen et al. 2012). Gibbon is territorial, hence, the monitoring of gibbons in the fixed listening posts can help identify the gibbon population trend. This survey shows a positive evidence of the recovery for this critically endangered species in Xuan Lien while their populations are extirpating in many other known habitats. The recovery of the white-cheeked gibbon population is an encouraging sign of the conservation efforts made in Xuan Lien in particular and in Vietnam as the whole.

From July 30 to July 31, 2019, at the meeting hall of Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve (NR), a consultation meeting for conservation needs assessment and conservation benefit assessment took place to prepare IUCN Green List. This is a support activity of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conducted by Mr. Le Thien Duc, Deputy Director of Center for Nature conservation and development (CCD). Twenty-one participants attending the consultation meeting presented for the Van Long NR; Gia Vien district Forest Protection Department; Leaders of Gia Van commune, Leader of Gia Hoa commune; Van Long commune tourist station, representatives of village heads living in the NR and experts from CCD. The main objective of the workshop was to consult with Van Long NR and local stakeholders to assess conservation needs and the benefits of participatory protected areas to the economic, social, ecological and stakeholder interests that are considered in governance and protection of Van Long NR. At the meetings, Mr. Le Thien Duc – Deputy Director of CCD introduced IUCN’s Green List as well as the benefits for National Parks and Protected Areas if achieving this title. Specifically, this list helps stakeholders: (i) Identify good practices in natural resource management; (ii) A diagnostic tool for targeted actions and capacity development for better results; (iii) Provide evidence to public investors and see for themselves that conservation outcomes have been achieved; (iv) Provide information proving to contribute to global biodiversity goals. During the consultation meeting, a lot of useful information was shared openly by participants related to conservation values, threats, conservation goals, stakeholders, and community benefits when participating in conservation work. This is a significant input to complete the IUCN Green List criteria. Besides, the participation of many representatives of the related parties contributes to ideas and discussions to help gather information more specific and accurate. If the IUCN Green List records meet the criteria and indicators that demonstrate conservation effectiveness and are approved and approved by the approval council, Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve will be one of the nature reserves. Vietnam’s first to achieve this title. This will be a great motivation for Van Long Nature Reserve and other stakeholders to be more active in the activities to conserve the Delacour’s Leaf Monkey population and to sustainably develop the largest karst, wetland ecosystem in Vietnam. At the same time, this title will inspire other National Parks or Reserves to follow.

Vietnam has more than 170 protected areas that representing for variety of unique ecosystems, landscapes and seascapes of the country. Besides their biodiversity’s value, the protected areas have a huge eco-tourism potential that could be used to fund conservation efforts and to raise public awareness on nature conservation. Ecotourism has been prioritized as the key focus for Thanh Hoa province’s protected areas. Initial ecotourism in Be En National Park and Pu Luong Nature Reserve showed promising success. Advancing the success, the People’s Committee of Thanh Hoa province approved a proposal for ecotourism development in Xuan Lien to 2025 and vision to 2030. In order to implement this important plan, Xuan Lien Nature Reserve requested Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) and the Center for Planning, Marketing and Strategy for Agriculture Development of Thanh Hoa province (CPMSA) to provide technical support of the plan. Based on the request, on July 25, 2019 in Thanh Hoa city, Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) held a training on “Ecotourism in Vietnamese protected areas” for staffs of Xuan Lien and CPMSA. The training focused on providing approaches, methods and assessment skills on evaluating ecotourism potential for a protected area and ecotourism planning in a protected area. In the training, lesson learnt and best practices on ecotourism in other protected areas were provided so that Xuan Lien could refer and use as an example for the plan. The technical support and training are part of CCD effort on improving protected area governance and sustainable financing in Vietnam by facilitating better engagement of local community, benefit-sharing via community-based conservation and ecotourism/community tourism in the protected area system.

Currently, 50% of turtle has listed as threatened under the IUCN red list. Vietnam has 36 species and sub-species of turtle and tortoise. Many of them are facing extinction such because of poaching and trafficking such as Hoan Kiem turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), box turtle group (Cuora ssp.) and 2 endemic species Mauremys annamensis, Cuora picturata. In addition, at least 3 species have listed as the top 25 the world most endangered turtle include Rafetus swinhoei, Mauremys annamemsis, Cuora trifasciata according to Turtle Conservation Coalition 2018. Poaching, trafficking and habitat loss are the key factors that lead the turtles to the brink of extinction. CCD signed MoU with Turtle Sanctuary Conservation Center and others to implement a long-term turtle conservation effort for Vietnam and the Indochina.

Pangolin a group of the most trafficked mammals! Vietnam has 2 species include the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and sunda pangolin (M. javanica) but two of them are now become so rare and locally extinct in many places because of poaching and trafficking. The recent wildlife seizure cases in Vietnam indicated that Africa pangolin’s scales are trafficked in Vietnam in large quantity. If there will be no urgent and effective intervention, the pangolin will be perished because of the poaching and trafficking. From July 9-10, CCD team join and contribute in the technical workshop on pangolin conservation action plan for Vietnam. The action plan when issued will help to direct the protection of wild population, effectively combat the trafficking and caring for animal that’s rescued from the trafficking.

Northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is one of the most endangered primates in the world. The gibbon is listed in group 1 of Vietnam’s government decree on protected species, and listed as Endangered Vietnam’s Red Data Book, and listed as Critically Endangered (CR) by the IUCN. Pu Hoat is one of the largest protected areas in Northern Vietnam that covers an area of 85,000ha of least impact forest. In addition, the reserve is a contiguous forest with Xuan Lien Nature reserve that makes the area become the largest and most important conservation complex in Northern Vietnam and for the Northern white-cheeked gibbon. Under the CCD’s species conservation program, CCD’s conservation team in collaboration with Pu Hoat Nature Reserve implements a preliminary survey for gibbon populations in the reserve from May 14 to June 16, 2019. The survey focused on identifying key gibbon distribution areas in the reserve, identify key threats to gibbon and conservation issues, study local community perception toward gibbon and nature conservation efforts. The survey result confirmed the gibbon presence, and Pu Hoan is one of the key conservation sites for the species. However, gibbon is under threat as gibbon poaching and keeping seem frequent in the local community. In addition, its habitat is also under threatened by logging and expansion of new hydropower dams in the area. The new dams reduce gibbon and wildlife habitats and permanently separated their habitat causing fragmentation. CCD is working closely with Xuan Lien and Pu Hoat to strengthen the reserve and local community capacity via community-based conservation education, endangered species monitoring programs that focus on endangered species include gibbon, lorises. Photo 1. Northern white checked gibbon illegally kept in local household Photo 2. Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) illegally kept in local household Photo 4. Participatory interview in local community Photo 5. The survey team in the field

The limestone landscape in Kim Bang district, Ha Nam Province is an important nature conservation area of the Red River Delta. According the latest survey conducted by CCD in 2018, this landscape is possessing the world’s second largest viable population of the Critically Endangered Delacour’s langur (Trachypithecus delacouri) with more than 70 individuals. Since 2019, the Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) has been actively working with the Forest Protection Department of Ha Nam province and Fauna and Flora International to improve the protection of this endemic species through engaging local communities in population and habitat monitoring, and providing support to the establishment of a new protected area for these langurs in Kim Bang district. Delacour’s langur in Kim Bang forest. Photo by CCD Strategically, the establishment of a new protected area in Kim Bang with robust conservation measures will secure the langur population and other wildlife in this important limestone landscape. Effective involvement of local community in monitoring and protecting Delacour’s langurs and their habitat will ensure the long-term survival and recovery of the langur population and biodiversity. Finally, a new UNESCO’s biosphere reserve that covers both Kim Bang forests and its associated areas would be proposed to improve the international recognition of the Kim Bang landscape values to enhance further wildlife protection and forest governance. Detail article in the People’s Newspaper in Vietnamese.

Under the Center for Nature Conservation and Development’s endangered species conservation program, from May 24-31, 2019 CCD in collaboration with Xuan Lien Nature Reserve has finished the first trip of loris survey in Xuan Lien. Preliminary survey results (interviewing and field survey) show that Xuan Lien is one of the key conservation areas for the lorises in Vietnam. Xuan Lien is a contiguous forest with Pu Hoat Nature Reverse that forms a large intact lowland tropical forest that could support good habitat not only for lorises but also for other species such as langur, gibbon, ungulates and carnivores in Northern Vietnam. CCD is working closely with Vietnam’s protected areas to improve the conservation effort for threatened species and strengthen the capacity of rangers in protecting wildlife and their habitats. Photo 1. Survey technical advisor from CCD Photo 2. Lorises habitats Photo 3. Spotted linsang prionodon pardicolor Photo 4. Slow loris spoted in night survey Photo 5. Spotted linsang prionodon pardicolor

Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is among the most threatened mammal in Vietnam as their habitat has been reduced to the limit and poaching. The loss of habitat as agriculture extension and increasing human activity in the elephant active area were the result that led to the increasing human-elephant conflict. Khu Dự trữ Sinh quyển Đồng Nai bao gồm diện tích của Vườn quốc gia Cát Tiên, Khu bảo tồn Thiên nhiên và Văn Hóa Đồng Nai và một số công ty lâm nghiệp phụ cận là một trong số ít khu vực còn voi Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve is comprising of the areas of Cat Tien national park and Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve and nearby forest companies. The reserve is also one of the few areas that have a wild elephant population in Vietnam. However, the reserve is also an active human-elephant conflict area. As their home has been reduced with the approaching of agriculture areas then the elephant occurs more often in the agriculture areas and local village close to the forest where they could find food and fruit. The occurrent of elephant in local village and agriculture areas create some damage and loss of crops and property but more seriously it creates hostile attitude from local community toward the elephant that pose a serious threat to the tiny elephant in the reserve as they could be a victim of retaliation as a result of the conflict. A few conflict mitigation efforts have been implemented in the reserve include building an electric fence in the conflict area, raising awareness for local community and compensation for damage created by elephant, however, the effort has not yet proven promising and helps to mitigate the conflict in the long-term. Center For Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) conservation team in collaboration with staff of Cat Tien and Dong Nai Reserve implemented a study to provide a comprehensive understanding of the conflict and evaluating the effectiveness of the mitigation efforts implemented to provide recommendations for long-term elephant protection and conflict mitigation plan. The second field survey and consultation trips were carried out in Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve from June 12 to 18, 2019 focus on four key communes where the conflict often occurred include Ta Lai, Phu Ly, Thanh Son and Ma Da. The study result and recommendation then will be shared with relevant stakeholders, especially Cat Tien, Dong Nai Reserve and local authority to improve and more effective conflict management and ensure better protection for the endangered elephant population in the reserve and in Vietnam as the whole.

The Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) in collaboration with Denver Zoo and partners such as Colorado Boulder University (CU), Endangered Biodiversity and Conservation Center (CBES), Dynamic Organization, International Wild Plants (FFI) successfully organized a workshop to develop the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey conservation strategy (Rhinopithecus avunculus) from June 18-19, 2019. The aim of the workshop was to strengthen integration. Collaborate and share information among the parties to develop a practical and highly adaptive strategy for Vietnam’s endangered and endangered Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys. Open access in conservation is used as the main approach for information sharing, problem identification and planning. As improved coordination and cooperation among stakeholders will ensure the implementation of conservation efforts will be more effective, thus ensuring survival and moving towards a sustainable recovery. solid populations of snub-nosed monkeys in their distribution areas in the future. Some pictures in the workshop: Photo 1. Participants in workshop Photo 2. Group discussion Photo 3. Experts give his opinions Photo 4. Group discussion Photo 5. Sharing after group discussion Photo 6. Group photo

Implementing a program to improve communication capacity on nature conservation and protection of endangered species in Vietnam, the Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) organized a training course on “Communication skills,environmental education to improve the conservation of gibbon and loris”Vietnam is home to many endemic and endangered animals of Indochina. However, development activities, exploitation of natural resources and especially illegal hunting have severely reduced the populations of wild animals, among them gibbons and loris are endangered species. The highest threat of extinction. Therefore, the Center for Nature Conservation and Development has plans to strengthen propaganda and raise awareness of the parties about nature conservation and protection of endangered animal and plant species in Vietnam. From 23-24 May 2019, the Center collaborated with two Nature Reserves Xuan Lien and Pu Hoat to organize a training course on “Communication skills and environmental education to improve the effectiveness of gibbon conservation. and loris “for staff working in propaganda, forest rangers and some local teachers. The aim of the training course is to equip students with some knowledge and skills in planning and implementing communication and environmental education programs focusing on gibbons and loris. Attending the training course were 18 trainees who were staff of Xuan Lien and Pu Hoat Nature Reserves who are directly implementing environmental education and communication activities of the reserve and some teachers. Local secondary school students where activities are coordinated with conservation areas on communication and environmental education. After the training, the Center will coordinate with practitioners from the two protected areas to implement a number of propaganda activities to raise awareness of local communities about nature conservation and protection of animal and plant species. Wild animals focus on gibbons and loris as symbolic species. Some photos of the training course:

Gibbons and loris are endangered animals and are being prioritized for conservation in Vietnam, their populations are declining and at high risk of extinction due to human impacts. Xuan Lien and Pu Hoat are considered as important conservation areas for these species. Although these are two species prioritized for protection, very few research and conservation efforts have been made for them in Vietnam in general and Xuan Lien – Pu Hoat in particular. Because of that urgency, the Center for Nature Conservation and Development has plans to strengthen conservation for these species. In the future, the Center will prioritize the implementation of such efforts in Xuan Lien and Pu Hoat focusing on improving the capacity of officials and stakeholders on skills to build and implement the program Investigating, monitoring and raising community awareness to gradually improve the effectiveness of nature conservation in general, especially endangered species in particular. The training course took place for 2 days, with the aim of improving the capacity of research, monitoring and conservation of loris, gibbons and other endangered primates for technicians and park rangers. Participating in the training course were 20 officials, including 12 forest rangers from Xuan Lien Nature Reserve and 6 forest rangers from Pu Hoat Nature Reserve and 2 officials from other agencies. Sharing with participants in the training course, the representative of the Center said that after finishing the training course, the Center experts will cooperate with the two conservation areas to organize population surveys for the participants. species, based on that, develop a conservation monitoring plan with the active participation of local communities in the conservation of these two important animal species.