The man bought monkeys and pigs and released them into the forest.

(Baonghean.vn) - What he does is unlike anyone else. Rumor has it that whenever someone catches a monkey, regardless of the weather, he goes to the place where they caught it, buys it, and then... releases it back into the forest.

We entered the house of Mr. Nguyen Viet Thanh at the foot of Bu A mountain in Hung Thinh hamlet (Phu Son commune - Tan Ky district, Nghe An province). The house was simply constructed, with the front wall made of a few planks he had salvaged. Yet, we had heard rumors of his immense wealth, so before arriving, we imagined he must have a mansion nestled in the middle of the mountains.

While struggling to repair a broken water pump, he looked up and asked, "What are you doing here?" Hearing us explain our interest in exploring the Bu À forest, he put down the pump and began talking at length about his forest. His hair was streaked with gray, but his voice was vibrant. Somewhat surprised, his son, Nguyen Viet Tuan, sitting beside us, smiled and said, "That's just how my father is; once he starts talking about the forest, he could talk all day."

The Bu À forest, spanning nearly 300 hectares, is where Mr. Nguyen Viet Thanh protects and releases monkeys. Photo: Dao Tho

When we mentioned his story of traveling far and wide to buy and release monkeys back into the forest, he smiled and recounted: "A few years ago, seeing people hunting monkeys so much, I felt sorry for them. Whenever I heard that someone had just caught a monkey, regardless of the weather, I would go there to buy it. At one point, I bought six monkeys, including rare species like the red-faced monkey and the white-faced monkey..."

After caring for the monkeys for a while until they recovered, he released them back into the forest. Sometimes, after he released them, the monkeys would be caught again by hunters. Hearing this, he would go back to rescue them and release them back into the wild.

Occasionally, when visiting the Bu À forest, you might encounter monkeys released by Mr. Nguyen Viet Thanh. Photo: Dao Tho

“Some people ask me, ‘What is your purpose in doing this?’ Honestly, it’s sad to think that some people think I’m just looking for fame or being reckless. But I just want people to understand that if a poor guy like me dares to spend that much money to buy monkeys and release them back into the forest, then I just hope they won’t go hunting there anymore. It’s as simple as that,” Mr. Thanh said, his voice firm.

Mr. Thanh truly has an boundless love for the forest. From his story, we learned that before 1993, this Bu À forest was almost completely depleted by exploitation. “I myself used to be a forest destroyer. But then I thought about it and realized it wasn't right, so in 1993 I came here and took responsibility for protecting these 298 hectares of forest. Now, as you can see, this is one of the most beautiful forests in the province. I dare say that,” he confided and affirmed.

Mr. Thanh has just released a monkey back into the forest. Photo: Dao Tho

Speaking about this, he recalled: Before 1993, when he was young, he and his friends roamed through forests containing valuable timber to exploit it. Valuable trees were mercilessly felled, and the timber was transported away to be sold while evading authorities. He couldn't remember how many forests he had traversed to illegally harvest timber, only that after such devastation, those places were left with only stumps, becoming desolate and barren.

“I had to hide from law enforcement so many times, and I felt so ashamed. The words 'illegal logger' haunted me incessantly. Moreover, I didn't bring any money home to my family during my youth. A heavy feeling of guilt weighed on my heart. After a day of reflection, I realized I needed to change, to start over and make amends for what I had done to the forests. In 1993, I left my village and came here alone to take care of and protect these 298 hectares of Bu À forest, as a way to compensate for those reckless years,” he confided sadly.

Besides monkeys, Mr. Nguyen Viet Thanh also releases hundreds of wild boars into the Bu A forest. Photo: Dao Tho

“When I came here to build a hut and live alone, everyone said I was ‘crazy,’ like Robinson… But I didn’t care. Every day I went to the forest alone to take care of and protect it, then improved the fish pond and raised wild boars…” – he shared with a smile.

And indeed, his actions were "unlike anyone else's." On the 298 hectares of forest he was responsible for protecting, he released wild boars, and now he can't even remember how many of his boars are still there. Mr. Thanh lets the wild boars roam freely, and every morning and evening he prepares food for them so they'll come back to eat when they're hungry.

Looking at Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh's Bu A forest, we understood how much he loves and cherishes the forest. And indeed, he is also the owner of an invaluable "green gold mine" in this challenging highland region.

Dao Tho