BIRDS TRAP REMOVAL IN NINH BINH PROVINCE
November 2021, we completed our threat surveys to migratory birds in Ninh Binh provinces. Throughout the 2-week of intensive survey, we identified a total of 660 mist nets, with the total leghth of 94 km. If we are to line up this net, it would reach from central of Ninh Binh to Hanoi.
On 18, 19 and 20 November, WildAct successful collaborated with the Forest Protection Department and rangers station in Kim Son district to remove and seized illegal bird’s hunting equipment. A total of 323 mist nets, 14 speakers and memory cards were seized, with a total length come up to 50km, rescued 76 egrets and herons.
Every year, during the bird migration season (August - December), thousands of mist nets stretched across wetland and rice field in Ninh Binh and other coastal provinces. The locals say this is the “bird hunting season” rather than “migration season”. Mist nets is some of the most common form of bird huntings, where hunters sometime also use recorded bird calls and even alive birds (such as herons and egrets) to bait wild birds. Unlucky birds that were caught in traps either get removed immediately and sold to middlemen and traders, or lower demand birds, such as sparrow died a painful dead on the net. Not only they are openly transported, but wild birds are also being sold in restaurants across Vietnam, and even social media. During the migration season, you can even find birds for sale on the National Road.
Do you know? The coastal area of Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh and Thai Binh are parts of the Red River Delta Biosphere. The wetland, mudflat, mangrove forests are home to over 200 migration and native birds, many of them are critically endangered and are protected, both under international and national laws. However, wild birds and migration birds are under immense threats from habitat loss and hunting.
This is the first step in our long term project to conserve the migratory birds in Vietnam. If you are interested in this project and wish to learn more, please contact us at: info@wildact-vn.org
