Women dedicated to their work

At the Hoang Lien Tourism and Wildlife Conservation Center, part of Hoang Lien National Park, every day, the staff here start work very early. Among them, many women are taking on special jobs that require meticulousness, carefulness and perseverance, which are caring for, raising and monitoring the health of rescued wild animals.

Ms. Ngo Thi Ngoc Huong has been in the profession for 20 years. Her daily work starts with preparing food for each species, ensuring adequate nutrition and the right portion.

Ms. Huong prepares food for the bear.

We have to clearly classify each group of animals such as monkeys, bears, peacocks, snakes, etc. Each group has different eating characteristics, so their diets are also different. For example, monkeys eat mainly fruits and vegetables; bears also eat honey, corn, and potatoes; and reptiles need fresh prey.

Ms. Huong shared

After preparing the food, the staff will divide into each barn to feed, clean, check the barn and monitor the performance of each individual. “If we see any animal showing signs of not eating, lethargy or injury, we will immediately notify the veterinary department for inspection and treatment,” Ms. Huong added.

Ms. Huong takes care of monkeys.

The work of the women seems simple but is always potentially dangerous. Many animals here have been injured or lived in harsh environments, so they often panic and have an attack reflex. “For bears or monkeys, just a little carelessness can lead to being bitten or scratched. Therefore, when feeding or cleaning the cage, we must strictly follow safety procedures, such as locking the cage twice, always having someone supervise outside...”, Ms. Huong shared.

Pet care always requires meticulousness and perseverance.

Working at the Center, veterinarian Tran Thu Nga is in charge of monitoring the health of all animals. Every morning, Ms. Nga and her colleagues go to check each animal area, recording their health status and eating behavior. Ms. Tran Thu Nga said: "Every day we monitor very closely. When we detect any individual showing unusual signs such as not eating, diarrhea, difficulty breathing or injury, we will report to the rescue room, isolate and treat them separately."

Treating and monitoring wild animals is more difficult than with regular pets. Ms. Tran Thu Nga added: “Species like bears, wild cats or ferrets are very difficult to approach. When we need to inject or check, we have to anesthetize, or assign 1-2 people who are familiar with the animal so that it does not get stressed. Especially with nocturnal species, checking during the day can make them panic and affect their biological rhythm, so caretakers must arrange flexible schedules, sometimes working at night.”

Ms. Tran Thu Nga checks turtles.

Currently, Hoang Lien Tourism and Conservation Center is managing 146 animals of 38 species, including many rare species such as moon bears, white-cheeked gibbons, cobras, green peacocks, etc. Many individuals, when received, are in poor health, injured or stressed due to environmental changes, requiring the care team to closely monitor them during a quarantine period of 15-30 days, after which they are brought back to a stable breeding area.

The work is special, hard, and dangerous, but Ms. Huong, Ms. Nga, and her colleagues here all say that what makes them stick with it is seeing the animals gradually regain their health. From wild animals that were panicked and weak, after a period of care, they learned to eat, play, and even actively approach the caretakers. This is the result of a process of patience and dedication.

Not being noisy or well-known, the women at Hoang Lien Tourism and Wildlife Conservation Center still work diligently every day in silence, contributing to preserving biodiversity and conserving the precious genetic resources of Hoang Lien mountains and forests. Their dedication and sacrifice are truly admirable!

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/nhung-phu-nu-tan-tam-voi-cong-viec-post884950.html