Ninh Binh, June 18th, 2024 Cuc Phuong National Park, in collaboration with Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW), successfully bred 10 offspring of Owston’s Civets at the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Program (CPCP). This achievement represents the most significant success to date in Owston’s Civet conservation and provides a crucial foundation for the future restoration of their populations in the wild.
(One month old civets are excited to explore the outside environment)
The Owston’s Civet (scientific name: Chrotogale owstoni) is a beautiful small carnivorous mammal with high ecological value, but it is extremely rare in the wild. It is classified as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of 2016 and is listed as a prioritized species for protection in IB list of Decree 84/2021/NĐ-CP. It is one of the most geographically restricted species among small carnivores in Asia, found only in Vietnam, Lao, and a small portion in southern China.
The wild population of Owston’s Civets is severely declining due to illegal trafficking for wild meat consumption and the illegal pet trade. Protecting and restoring the Owston’s Civet has become a significant priority in biodiversity conservation efforts in Vietnam and worldwide. In 2019, SVW collaborated with the IUCN, the Department of Forestry, and over 50 national and international experts to organize workshops and propose the Owston’s Civet Conservation Strategy 2019-2029, marking the establishment of the world’s first conservation strategy dedicated to this species. The strategy envisions goals for 2050 and sets 4 specific objectives for the next 10 years, including the goal of establishing a healthy and genetically diverse peripheral population, preventing the risk of extinction, and providing animals that meet the standards for restoring populations in the wild.
(A healthy Owston’s Civet within the program)
To implement this goal, Cuc Phuong National Park collaborated with SVW to construct a 1.3-hectare Conservation Breeding Area for Owston’s Civets in early 2023. SVW aims to successfully breed and maintain a stable population of at least 50 Owston’s Civets and initiate the recovery of their population for reintroduction. SVW has completed a 350-meter fence, 12 animal breeding enclosures, 01 biosafety house, and renovated 200-square-meter living space into meeting rooms, offices, storage rooms, and an animal food processing area. By the end of 2023, we introduced 4 female and 8 male Owston’s Civets into the breeding area for pairing, resulting in the successful and healthy birth of 10 offspring.
(The area designed for the breeding purpose )
Mr. Le Trong Dat, the Deputy Director of the Wildlife Rescue and Development Center of Cuc Phuong National Park, shared that the successful breeding of 10 baby Owston’s Civets marks a significant milestone in establishing a dedicated conservation program for this endangered species. Moreover, this success also showcases the experience, knowledge, and professionalism of the team that achieved this remarkable feat.
Regarding the management and care of the animals, Mr. Tran Van Truong, Coordinator of Ex-situ Conservation at SVW, stated that all the Owston’s Civets, including the juveniles, are continuously monitored through a 24-hour camera system. Additionally, minimizing human interaction with the animals is one of our top priorities. If a mother Owston’s Civet senses human interference with her young, she may bite them or relocate them to a new location. For this reason, we always aim to minimize human contact with the animals.
(The civet family in the sleeping boxes)
“Through this success, we believe we can reintroduce new Owston’s Civets into the wild in the next 3-4 years. To ensure the effectiveness of implementing the Owston’s Civet Conservation Strategy 2019-2029, SVW is actively seeking additional resources and promoting collaboration with domestic entities such as the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center, Saigon Zoo, and other government agencies to cooperate and create conditions for diversifying the gene pool of the Owston’s Civet population in captive environments”, shared by Mr. Nguyen Van Thai, Executive Director of SVW.
In addition to restoring the Owston’s Civet population, we believe that enhancing measures to address illegal hunting is crucial. Owston’s Civets frequently consume earthworms, insects, and fallen ripe fruits from the ground, increasing their vulnerability to being ensnared in traps. Many of the trapped animals suffer from limb injuries or perish in the forest because hunters don’t check their traps regularly. Although illegal hunting and trafficking of Owston’s Civets can lead to criminal prosecution, the penalties imposed on offenders are insufficient to effectively deter the illegal activity. Therefore, stricter sanctions should be implemented for illegal hunting and trapping activities alongside enhancing the effectiveness of forest patrols.
With these recent achievements, SVW will persist in pursuing the goals outlined in the Owston’s Civet Conservation Strategy 2019-2029. Additional support from international zoos, conservation organizations, and other partners can help reverse the extinction of the endangered Owston’s Civet. We hope that this will encourage greater local and global investment in Vietnamese wildlife conservation research, highlighting the importance of reproductive conservation and the restoration of other endangered species in Vietnam.
Thông tin chi tiết, vui lòng liên hệ:
For more information, please contact:
(Ms.) Dong Cam Nhung
Communication Officer – Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW)
E: [email protected] – M: 0969 755 358
About Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW)
Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW) is a nonprofit organization established in 2014 with a mission to stop the extinction and champion the recovery of threatened species in Vietnam. Since its establishment, SVW has planned and implemented numerous long-term conservation programs and projects. Their on-the-ground conservation activities include wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release, habitat protection, conservation research, captive breeding, education and awareness raising, and advocacy. For more detailed information, and to learn more about how you can join SVW in making a meaningful impact for conservation, please visit their website at https://svw.vn/.
