This is the result of the largest ever camera-trapping biodiversity survey in Vietnam, recently announced by the Biodiversity Conservation Component of the Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation Project (VFBC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The project has set up 1,176 camera traps in 21 special-use and protection forests in 8 provinces and cities. During the period 2019-2023, the camera traps captured 120,000 images of animals out of millions of images collected. Most of these were species that are most resistant to hunting pressure such as monkeys, silver-cheeked ferrets and wild pigs.

Notably, camera traps did not record images of large carnivores and herbivores such as tigers, clouded leopards, dholes and saola – one of the few large mammals discovered in the last 50 years. Camera traps recorded Asian elephant populations in only two areas and large ungulates such as gaurs in one area.

Traps also recorded 9 endemic species and 21 highly threatened endemic species of the Truong Son range. Rare species such as the Large-antlered Muntjac and Sun Bear were also discovered, contributing to providing some records of these species in Vietnam in the past 20 years.

According to conservation experts from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF-Vietnam), this is the most comprehensive and systematic camera-trapping biodiversity survey ever conducted in Vietnam with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to monitor biodiversity and forest cover. Populations of many important forest animals were not recorded and may have declined due to widespread trapping.

Mr. Bradley Bessire, Deputy Mission Director of USAID Vietnam, said that this is one of the largest camera trap biodiversity baseline surveys ever conducted in Southeast Asia. The results will inform and improve comprehensive management of protected areas, contributing to promoting appropriate policies in Vietnam.

Despite the loss of many species, there are positive signs that investments to reduce biodiversity threats in some project sites in central Vietnam, including those previously supported by the Green Annamites project (2016-2020), are helping to stabilize or even increase populations of some species. This is a concrete demonstration of the effectiveness of sustained and timely investment in biodiversity conservation efforts, community-based snare removal patrols and rewilding in Vietnam.

“For the first time, we have data to confirm that Vietnam’s wildlife populations are under serious threat. The survey results also show positive signs thanks to the right investment from the Vietnamese Government, working with domestic and international organizations. Now is a golden time to start a national conservation breeding program to re-wild protected areas, while maintaining and enhancing biodiversity conservation efforts, especially reducing animal trapping,” said Mr. Nick Cox, Director of VFBC.

The second survey is being conducted in 21 special-use and protection forests and will be compared with the initial results when the project ends in 2025. The results of this survey will allow the project to assess biodiversity trends in the 21 areas over the project period.

Mr. Tran Quang Bao, Director of the Forestry Department, hopes that the project's camera-trap biodiversity survey process will be more effective, contributing to establishing a written guidance system that allows state management agencies to make appropriate policy recommendations to protect wildlife and conserve biodiversity in the future.