White pheasants are easy to raise and breed, so why should they be listed as endangered?

White pheasants have been successfully bred in captivity in some breeding facilities. However, successful breeding is not a reason to remove this species from the list of endangered, precious, and rare species.

White Pheasant - Photo: Vinwonder

Responding to Tuoi Tre Online , the Department of Forestry and Forestry ( Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ) said that white pheasants (Lophura nycthemera) have been successfully raised in captivity at a number of breeding facilities.

However, successful breeding is not a reason to remove this species from the list of endangered and rare species.

Because the wild population of this species is assessed to be declining due to habitat loss and hunting for food and ornamental purposes, the population is estimated to be less than 10,000, and the number of adults in each subpopulation is less than 1,000.

Therefore, the Vietnam Red Book (2024) ranks this species as vulnerable (VU). The inclusion of the white pheasant in the list of endangered and rare animals is consistent with the criteria of group IIB (restricted exploitation and use for commercial purposes) stipulated in Circular No. 27/2025/TT-BNNMT dated June 24, 2025 of the Minister of Agriculture and Environment (abbreviated as Circular 27/2025).

"People can be allowed to raise white pheasants if they meet the conditions specified in Article 25 of Circular 27/2025" - the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection said.

Specifically, before raising white pheasants or other endangered or rare animals, people must be given a breeding facility code and ensure conditions such as ensuring the origin of the white pheasants is legal according to regulations.

Within 3 days from the date of bringing pheasants to the breeding facility, the organization or individual must send a notice and a copy of the sample origin documents to the local forestry agency or the People's Committee of the commune (if there is no local forestry agency).

5 legal places to buy pheasants in Vietnam

- Tan Dat Cooperative (Vi Xuyen commune, Tuyen Quang province)

- Dinh Van Ngai facility (Xuan Truong commune, Ninh Binh province)

- Nguyen Dang Minh facility (Cai Kinh commune, Lang Son province)

- Hoang Van By facility (Ha Quang commune, Cao Bang province)

- Trang Ninh Technology Application and Development Company Limited (Phu Long Commune, Ninh Binh Province).

Second, the cages and farms must be built in accordance with the characteristics of the white pheasant, according to the standards issued by the competent state agency. In case there are no standards for cages and farms, the agency issuing the code is responsible for deciding or consulting the CITES Vietnam scientific agency with appropriate expertise in cages and farms before deciding.

Third , white pheasant farms must comply with relevant regulations of law on environment and veterinary medicine.

Fourth, the breeding facility is not located in an area where breeding is not permitted according to the provisions of the law on breeding. When people and organizations ensure the conditions and are confirmed by the competent authority and granted a breeding facility code, they can buy white pheasants to raise.

In case of raising animal species listed in CITES appendices that do not have a natural distribution in Vietnam and are registered for raising in Vietnam for the first time, the CITES scientific agency of Vietnam must confirm in writing that the raising does not affect the existence of the raised species and other related species in nature.

According to the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection, Vietnam and other countries around the world are currently implementing two forms of conservation: in-situ conservation - conservation in the natural habitat of the species and ex-situ conservation - conservation measures outside the natural environment, often implemented at rescue centers, national parks, zoos, and conservation facilities.

The transfer of the white pheasant from Group IB to Group IIB is also a part of the effectiveness of conservation activities of this species in recent times.

There are currently no changes to the in-situ and ex-situ conservation programs underway for this species.

WISDOM

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ga-loi-trang-de-nuoi-de-nhan-giong-vi-sao-phai-dua-vao-danh-muc-nguy-cap-20250815140222804.htm