Recently, in the mangrove forests and Melaleuca forests of U Minh Hạ in Ca Mau, many species of wild animals, including those listed in the Vietnam Red Book and the World Red Book, which were thought to be extinct, have reappeared in herds. However, the way humans are responding to this encouraging phenomenon raises significant concerns.
Earlier this year, forest rangers in Sub-area 4 of the Vồ Dơi Special Use Forest, while patrolling to prevent fires, discovered three individuals of a unique otter species native to U Minh, foraging together. They caught a juvenile weighing approximately 2 kilograms and took it home for care and display, intending to use it as a living specimen for tourists. This behavior is truly inappropriate and should not be encouraged. Immediate and more educational solutions are needed to effectively protect the rare animal populations in the region.
According to experts, this species is known as the Hairy-nosed Otter, scientifically named Lutra sumatrana, belonging to the Mustelidae family, Carnivora order, and Mammalia class. It is a very rare species globally, listed in the red books that require strict protection, and is one of the four known otter species. In Vietnam, this species was previously found abundantly in U Minh Thượng, with very few sightings in U Minh Hạ. Otters have a high adaptability to ecological changes, particularly regarding weather, climate, and food sources, due to their active migration behavior in search of prey and suitable habitats. The presence of this species in Vồ Dơi warrants further research by environmentalists, ecologists, and zoologists on related issues.
Meanwhile, in the Tam Giang III Forestry and Fishery area of Ngọc Hiển District, a significant herd of Silver Langurs (locally referred to as cà khu) has also been discovered. A report is being prepared to submit to the relevant authorities for permission to implement protection measures. The emergence of the Silver Langurs in this forest is concerning because it is not a conservation area but an economic forest where many locals rely on forestry and fishing for their livelihoods. Awareness of protecting forest animal resources is very limited, making it challenging to safeguard this langur population without effective and urgent solutions.
The presence of the langurs in this forest may be attributed to the fact that after the 184 Forestry and Fishery area established a conservation site and developed ecological shrimp farming successfully, the natural habitat of the mangrove forest has improved significantly. Consequently, the langur population has thrived, and neighboring areas like Tam Giang III have also benefited, leading to the possibility that the langurs have strayed from the conservation site in search of food. They should be relocated back to the conservation area as soon as possible.
Additionally, prior reports indicated that the Sông Trẹm Forestry and Fishery area has seen numerous monkey troops, with populations reaching dozens of individuals. In the Vồ Dơi Special Use Forest and U Minh III Forestry and Fishery area, many rare animals, such as deer, wild boar, and several migratory bird species, have also been spotted—species that many believed were no longer present in these forests. Could it be that after the fires in both U Minh forests in 2002, many animals lost their safe shelters and returned to these forests to settle and breed? Or perhaps due to focused restoration and protection efforts, the environment in the Ca Mau forests has become suitable for various bird and animal species to reside. Thus, U Minh Hạ is gradually becoming a “blessed land” for wildlife. We need to pay attention and actively protect these species, preventing hunting to ensure they do not scatter.
However, the careless behavior exhibited in the case of the otter is certainly not commendable. Why capture them when the “mother and child” are freely foraging in their territory, which should be “sacrosanct”? For rare animals listed in the Red Book, should we even consider capturing them, even if it’s under the guise of protection? Worse still, capturing rare animals merely to serve tourism in a sensitive special-use forest during a critical fire prevention season is unacceptable! The most meaningful and effective way to protect them is to release the captured animal back into the wild as soon as possible. Additionally, we must educate and raise awareness among local residents and officials about the importance of protecting these species and strictly penalize anyone who deliberately hunts them, allowing them to live peacefully and thrive, which will yield many benefits in the future.
