Lack of legal basis to protect silver-backed chevrotain

Nui Chua National Park is the first place to record the silver-backed chevrotain in the wild, but conservation is facing difficulties due to wildlife hunting.

At the international workshop "Promoting the conservation of silver-backed chevrotain and dry coastal forest ecosystems of Vietnam" held in Ninh Thuan on October 18, many opinions warned about the risks to the silver-backed chevrotain.

The chevrotain is the smallest ungulate, resembling a deer but lacking tear glands. The silver-backed chevrotain is one of six species of chevrotain recorded in the world . In Vietnam, there are two species: the silver-backed chevrotain (Tragulus versicolor) and the Indonesian chevrotain (Tragulus kanchil) . Of these, the silver-backed chevrotain is an endemic ungulate species to Vietnam.

Mr. Tran Van Tiep, Director of Nui Chua National Park Management Board, said that in 2018, evidence of the existence of silver-backed chevrotain in natural forests was one of the important discoveries in biodiversity of Vietnam and the world. Previously, this endemic ungulate species was only known through specimens collected by foreign naturalists in Khanh Hoa (in 1906, 1910) and Gia Lai (in 1990).

Studies from 2019 to 2022 have discovered four additional populations of chevrotains, all in lowland dry forest ecoregions. However, the high level of fragmentation directly threatens the survival and sustainable development of rare and endangered flora and fauna in the region in general, and the silver-backed chevrotain in particular.

The chevrotain was discovered in Nui Chua National Park. — The cheo-cheo was discovered in Nui Chua National Park, Ninh Thuan province, in 2018. Photo: *Nui Chua National Park*

According to experts, hunting, trapping of wild animals and the decline in habitat quality are now major threats to the silver-backed chevrotain. If animal populations continue to decline, the ecological imbalance will become more severe, and the ecosystem services that humans currently enjoy will disappear.

However, the silver-backed chevrotain is not currently listed as a rare, precious, and endangered species that is prioritized for protection. The IUCN classifies it as data deficient (DD). Accordingly, illegal hunting, trading, storing, and advertising of silver-backed chevrotains will not be an adequate deterrent. Silver-backed chevrotain protection programs also lack the basis to protect the species' population appropriately.

Many opinions proposed to put the silver-backed chevrotain into the list of priority species for protection, combining nature-based tourism to create livelihoods and income for local people. Conservationists also proposed that the Nui Chua National Park Management Board strictly inspect and control people entering and leaving the forest, and raise awareness among people about protecting biodiversity and wildlife...

Mr. Le Huyen, Vice Chairman of Ninh Thuan Provincial People's Committee affirmed that the provincial government will continue to support the development of Nui Chua National Park to preserve the unique habitats and rare animal species, the silver-backed chevrotain.

Nui Chua National Park is the core of Nui Chua World Biosphere Reserve (Ninh Thuan province) with a total natural area of 29,865 hectares, with the task of protecting the unique terrestrial and coastal habitats remaining in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Of which, more than 22,000 hectares of land area is diverse natural forest with two types of coastal dry forest and tropical humid forest - home to more than 1,500 species of plants and more than 750 species of terrestrial animals, including many endangered and rare species.

Vietnam

Source link