People are willing to spend over ten million VND just to own a pair of “fangs” from the “mermaid,” rumored to have the power to ward off evil spirits… There are also some who are ready to pay three times that amount for the “weapons” (genitals) of the “mermaid” to soak in liquor to enhance their “internal power.” Despite the risk of global extinction, in light of the enticing profits, many fishermen in Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang, are resorting to any means necessary to capture these “mermaids”!
The “Beauty” Under Assault
Upon receiving news that “mermaids” are being slaughtered en masse in Phu Quoc – Kien Giang, we hurriedly traveled from Ho Chi Minh City to investigate the situation. After nearly a week at sea with scientists from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) infiltrating the fishing villages categorized as “slaughterhouses for sea cows,” we confirmed a heartbreaking truth: the manatee, a rare animal listed in the Red Book, which is only found in Con Dao (Ba Ria – Vung Tau) and Phu Quoc Island, is being indiscriminately hunted despite WWF and the Kien Giang provincial government’s efforts to protect it!
Master Nguyen Xuan Niem, coordinator of the coral and seagrass conservation project in Kien Giang province, stated: “Over three years ago, although the provincial People’s Committee issued a ban on hunting and promised to prosecute those who violate this, such efforts have not deterred the killers in the western sea.” Ignoring the law and the “pleas” of this gentle marine mammal, fishermen, cold-hearted and ruthless, using specialized nets, explosives, harpoons, and guns… have shown no mercy when they spot a “mermaid,” resorting to any brutal tactics to butcher the ocean’s angel.”
Knowing we were investigating the “bleeding” of manatees, Binh, a former “ocean beauty” hunter, eagerly provided valuable information. Thanks to Binh’s enthusiasm, we recorded footage of a group of fishermen butchering a manatee right at sea, blood staining a wide area. I asked Hung, who had thrown two harpoons deep into the unfortunate manatee: “How much money do you get from this catch?” The fisherman candidly replied: “This is a male, so the income is quite substantial! Just for the tusks and its genitals, I’ve already made nearly forty million; the meat goes for 50,000 – 70,000 VND per kilogram, and we just keep going.”
After being butchered, the unfortunate manatee was taken by the wives and sisters of the “killers” to be sold to specialty restaurants in Ha Tien town. I asked a woman who was preparing to deliver the specialty to her regular restaurant: “Why not sell it at the market for more money?” She replied: “Sell it at the market and risk getting fined? Delivering to the restaurant is much easier; they buy at high prices, quickly and efficiently. They are ready to buy everything.”
Following the journey of the “mermaid,” at a seafood restaurant, the plump owner eagerly offered us a dish that is legendary in Kien Giang, often not available to those with money. “Would you like manatee?” I pretended to be surprised: “Is it delicious?” The owner passionately exclaimed: “Oh my God, it’s beyond amazing! It’s not just delicious; this will ensure a hundred percent boost in energy!” Just as we were contemplating, a group of four burly customers stepped out of a shiny car. The owner let us think and then seized the opportunity to invite the customers: “We just got manatee.” Upon hearing this, one of the customers’ eyes lit up: “Really? Then bring it out right away.” After saying that, he called his friends continuously: “Come over, today we have a mermaid!”
Portrait of the “Ocean Fairy”
| The first person to discover the manatee was Dr. Nguyen Si Tuan, who works at the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography. In 2001, during a coral survey in Con Dao, Dr. Tuan discovered the “mermaid” at a time when her fate was in serious jeopardy.
Biologically, the “ocean beauty” is a calm species, often swimming slowly underwater and only feeding on seagrass. They typically form pairs at around 6-7 years old and maintain their mating rhythm for 2.5 to 5 years. Manatees have a very low reproductive rate, giving birth every 3-7 years with a gestation period of 13 months and 10 days, and they only give birth to one calf. Not only suffering from “bleeding” in Vietnam, manatees are also in a tragic state in various countries around the world. Present in 37 countries, manatee populations are declining in 20 of those countries. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, in Australia alone, the current manatee population is only 3% of what it was in the 1960s – a staggering figure! |
In Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey,” which consists of over 1,200 verses and 24 songs, the ancient Greek poet mentions the appearance of sea goddesses with human bodies and fish tails, whose beauty could rival that of any mortal and whose enchanting voices captivated sailors to the point where they could not control their ships, often paying with their lives in the vast ocean. According to the epic, after the victory at Troy, during the journey home after more than 10 years of wandering, anticipating the dangers posed by the sea goddesses, Greek King Odysseus ordered his soldiers to tie him to the mast and commanded that no one be allowed to untie him, even if he begged. Others on the ship followed the king’s orders to plug their ears with beeswax to escape the deadly temptation of the sirens’ melodious singing…
Millennia later, the secret existence of mermaids has been confirmed by humans: they are merely a myth! If one were to gaze upon the appearance of these “maidens,” many who have heard tales of mermaids would be utterly disappointed, as the mermaid of their imagination bears a grotesque visage, with a plump body, a bulging snout, and particularly an upper lip protruding outwards in a very odd manner. When they “sing,” everyone cannot help but be startled by sounds resembling mournful wails, evoking deep sorrow!
“Mermaids, sea goddesses…” according to the studies of biologists, are a marine species scientifically named Trichechus manatus, commonly known as “dugong” (or manatee). A comforting fact for those who once idolized these “mermaids” is that their two front flippers resemble slender fingers, and notably, they have two breasts the size of fists on their chests. According to popular explanation, this shape of the manatee made sailors, upon first seeing them emerge half out of the water from a distance, mistakenly believe they were nursing their young, thus confusing them with mermaids…
Efforts to Save
During a casual conversation, Binh confided: “Like the once-famous manatee hunters such as Tu Bach, Ba Cu, Sau Binh, and Tam Toet, I hung up my harpoon because I could not bear the desperate and sorrowful looks of the “mermaids” when caught in nets. The maternal bond of this species is profound! When a mother is caught, the calf often cries out in anguish. The mother can only shed tears for her child… I was haunted by such scenes and thus retired.”
However, not every hunter is moved by the maternal instincts of manatees and retires like former hunter Binh; in the waters of Phu Quoc – Kien Giang, there are thousands of fishermen, and any of them may become a hunter of manatees whenever they spot one. The allure of profit from manatees is immense; catching one can yield income equivalent to several months of perilous fishing, so many fishermen say they would be foolish to pass up an opportunity if they come face to face with a “mermaid.”
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Butchering Manatees |
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There is no doubt that the rampant poaching of sea cows has become a critical issue in Phu Quoc, Kien Giang. According to WWF’s assessment, the situation is worsening. Since July 2002, nearly 30 sea cows have been killed. Specifically, from September to November 2002, nine sea cows were reported to have been slaughtered. It is important to emphasize that these are only the cases that have been discovered; the actual number of sea cows killed could be much higher. Master Niệm expressed, “It is estimated that in Vietnam, apart from about 10 sea cows in Con Dao, there are currently fewer than 100 in Phu Quoc, and this number continues to decline due to the indiscriminate slaughter by poachers… The risk of extinction for sea cows in Kien Giang is becoming imminent.”
In addition to the horrifying threat of poaching, the sea cow population in Phu Quoc is also endangered by hundreds of other risks, such as entanglement in fishing nets, collisions with boats, marine pollution, and especially the degradation of seagrass beds, which are the only food source for sea cows. In light of the tragic fate of these “mermaids,” alongside the sea cow conservation research program sponsored by WWF (since July 2002), the Kien Giang provincial government has also issued Directive 20/2002/CT-UB on November 21, 2002, aimed at strictly managing and severely penalizing cases of sea cow killings in Kien Giang province. Sadly, these rescue efforts have not had a positive impact on the bleak fate of the “mermaids.” A WWF official stated, “It is time for society as a whole and relevant authorities to take decisive action to save the sea cows. Any delay could be extremely harmful, especially if sea cows no longer appear in these waters.” Let us wait and hope! |
