Mr. Nguyễn Văn Thái Awarded the Prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for Contributions to Pangolin Conservation
CNN reported on June 15 that Mr. Nguyễn Văn Thái, the founder of Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, has been awarded the 2021 Goldman Environmental Prize for his contributions to wildlife protection, particularly for the critically endangered pangolin.
The Goldman Environmental Prize is awarded annually to six pioneering environmental activists from each continent. This award is often referred to as the “Green Nobel Prize” or “Environmental Nobel Prize.”
Mr. Nguyễn Văn Thái and the Goldman Environmental Prize. (Photo: SVW)
Mr. Nguyễn Văn Thái founded Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW) in 2014, headquartered at Cuc Phuong National Park. Since then, SVW has established two pangolin rehabilitation centers, one in Cuc Phuong and another in Pu Mat National Park.
SVW also collaborates with local authorities to train a unit against illegal poaching, conserve wildlife, identify individual animals, and apply high technology in conservation efforts.
This unit has dismantled several major illegal wildlife trafficking rings. Mr. Nguyễn Văn Thái noted that SVW has rescued nearly 2,000 pangolins, helping to reduce poaching activities of this species by 80%.
In the three years since the anti-poaching unit was established at Pu Mat National Park, it has destroyed 10,000 hunting traps, seized 90 firearms, and 800 cages. 600 individuals involved in illegal hunting and trafficking have been arrested.
Mr. Nguyễn Văn Thái checking the health of a pangolin. (Photo: CNN).
At the rehabilitation centers, the pangolins are cared for and later returned to their natural habitat. Their activities are monitored via radio and tracked using drones.
The Goldman Environmental Prize describes Mr. Nguyễn Văn Thái’s and SVW’s contributions as having a significant impact on “awareness and efforts to protect” pangolins – a species that is severely threatened.
