Collaborative actions on illegal wildlife trade with Vietnamese journalists.

Illegal wildlife trade is a major conservation problem in Vietnam.  As a mitigating strategy, PanNature organized 114 field media investigation trips across 23 provinces in the country during 2019-2023, as well as one trip across the Vietnam-Laos border, accompanied by more than 60 journalists.  Journalists were able to observe tragedies with wildlife species firsthand. In 2023, this effort generated more than 110 newspaper articles and stories, raising awareness of the issue among the public.

These field investigations not only increased public awareness of the illegal wildlife trade but also accelerated and strengthened necessary rules and regulations. The Forest Protection Department and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development implemented Specific steps and instructions to improve law enforcement.

Journalists watched how wild animals (such as bears, pangolins, and tigers) were bound, dissected, and presented to the local market during a field trip to the Laos-Vietnam border to analyze the illegal wildlife trafficking between the two nations. All of the footage and photographs from this field trip and the details were published in various media. VietnamPlus, a publication of Vietnam News Agency, ran a special series of multi-media articles and called on more effective cooperation between Vietnam and Laos to tackle the endemic cross-border trade of wildlife.       

It is not an easy undertaking to investigate illegal wildlife trading and trafficking. Fortunately, PanNature was able to collaborate with skilled and enthusiastic journalists and reporters who supplied local people with actual ground-level conditions of illegal wildlife trading in the country. PanNature will continue to educate and inform the Vietnamese public while combating the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam. Stay tuned for more updates!

Investigating illegal wildlife trade is a challenging task. Fortunately, PanNature was able to work with talented and motivated journalists and reporters who share a love of nature and the values of biodiversity. We will continue to work with our network of over 700 enthusiastic journalists to keep the public informed. Stay tuned for more stories!