Conserving threathened shorebirds through community-based conservation in the Red River Delta, Vietnam

Species and Habitat

Vietnam lies within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, which itself makes up the central part of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). Declines of migratory shorebirds have been largely attributed to habitat loss, while hunting was often overlooked. This project is an original and ground-breaking project which aims to benefit threatened migratory species, such as the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea and Endangered Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor. Due to hunting pressure in this region, there was no confirmed record of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper over the last ten years, while others are declining rapidly. 

This project aims to: i) investigate hunting pressure in the Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve (RRDBR) in northern Vietnam; and ii) establish a local conservation committee and community conservation teams to participate in shorebird conservation activities. The project’s long-term goal is to create a safe habitat for 

migratory birds to return to through community engagement, and strengthening law enforcement efforts to prevent poaching of endangered shorebirds.

Objectives

  • Engage and involve religious leaders in birds' conservation;

  • Establish a local conservation committee and community conservation teams to participate in shorebird conservation activities;

  • Reduce the demand for migratory bird meat.

Activities

  • Hunter survey;

  • Collate existing information on the local's religious value and knowledge to inform project activities, and devise appropriate communication messaging;

  • Wildlife collaborative workshop;

  • Local conservation committee and deployment of Community Conservation Team (CCT);

  • Create a chain of Wildlife Friendly restaurants;

  • Awareness raising targeting wild meat traders and consumers.

Key achievements so far

  • 63 local hunters surveyed;

  • 142 km transects were conducted;

  • 1581 traps were found;

  • 323 mist-nets were removed through collaboration with Forest Protected Department of Ninh Binh province;

  • 75 birds rescued.

Read more about the project HERE.