7 tiger cubs returned to Pu Mat National Park have recovered

On August 1, the Environmental Police Department, Nghe An Provincial Police proposedPu Mat National Park continuedreceived the rescue of 7 tigers from a case of illegal trafficking and transportation of endangered, rare and prioritized wildlife. The park coordinated with the Center for Conservation of Wildlife in Vietnam (SVW) to quickly arrive at the scene to promptly care for, feed milk and rescue 7 tiger cubs.

Rescuers give the tiger cub milk to help it recover. Photo: Xuan Cuong

Likebaonghean.vn reported,On August 1, Team 3 of the Environmental Police Department, Nghe An Provincial Police inspected a vehicle with license plate 37A - 032.58 driven by two subjects Tran Trung Hieu (born in 1984, residing in Tay Son town, Huong Son district, Ha Tinh) and Nguyen Van Lai (born in 1967, residing in Son Tay commune, Huong Son district, Ha Tinh) who were illegally transporting a number of wild animals (tigers) without paperwork from Huong Son town, Huong Son district (Ha Tinh) through Nghe An for consumption.

Nguyen Van Lai said that these 7 tiger cubs were hired by a Laotian (name unknown) to be transported to Dien Chau district (Nghe An).

In a short time, rescuers quickly arrived at the scene to care for the tigers. Some of the tiger cubs were exhausted from being confined in cramped plastic cages, thirsty and starved during transportation. Rescuers from Pu Mat National Park used specialized imported cat milk to feed the tigers, so they quickly recovered and started playing.

After completing the transfer procedures, the 7 tiger cubs and the rescue team were directly escorted by Nghe An provincial police officers to the rescue center in Pu Mat National Park for care. Here, the tigers will be cared for and fed milk every 2-3 hours.

Mr. Tran Xuan Cuong - Director of Pu Mat National Park said that the last tiger photographed in the wild in Vietnam was in Pu Mat National Park in 1999. For more than 20 years, there have been no more photos of tigers in the wild in Vietnam. Therefore, the Rescue Center at Pu Mat National Park does not have the designs and facilities to rescue adult tigers. However, if the 7 tigers are not rescued, they will have no chance of survival. Therefore, Pu Mat National Park will coordinate with the Wildlife Conservation Center in Vietnam to try to take care of the 7 tigers and wait for the decision of the authorities to transfer them to a place with facilities to care for the tigers.

According to research, the Indochinese Tiger (Panthera tigris) is a critically endangered animal in Vietnam, with less than 3 tigers left in the wild in Vietnam. Most tigers are kept in 21 legal farms and breeding facilities with more than 300 individuals, many of which are illegally kept in farms or households. This rescue operation once again proves that illegal tiger trade is still operating strongly in Vietnam.

Tigers are kept in cramped plastic cages. Photo: Xuan Cuong

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Thai - Director of the Wildlife Conservation Center in Vietnam and the first conservationist in Vietnam to win the Goldman Prize in 2021 (a prize considered the Green Nobel Prize): In the world, there has been no successful release of tigers born in captivity back into the wild because they have difficulty in hunting wild animals and because they are accustomed to humans, they pose a threat to the safety of the community near the intended release location. Therefore, we need to find a new home to be able to care for and raise these tigers long-term.