Many rare wild animals at Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station in Ho Chi Minh City have been found living in poor condition while the numbers are falling sharply.
Wild animals live in deteriorating facilities at Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station
Covering an area of 28 hectares in Cu Chi District which is some 25 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City centre, Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station has been operated since 2002 with an aim to help rare wild animals recover from captivity and promotes awareness of wildlife-related issues.
According to the information listed on the signboards of the centre, there are over 100 kinds of rare wild animals including rhino, hippo, elephant, leopard cat, and horn bill gibbon, etc.
However, on November 1, a Laodong reporter visited the centre to find that there were few numbers of animals living in the deteriorating facilities here. Besides some crocodiles, porcupines, pythons, pig-tailed macaques, bears and zebras, there were no elephants, rhinos or hippos.
Visitors were surprised to see many empty cages.
Pig-tailed macaques were kept in narrow and dirty cages.
Dozens of porcupines were kept in deteriorating cages with broken fences.
Kudus were kept together with goats and sheep.
Spotted deer live in dirty area
Spotted deer were living in dirty area with lots of rubbish around. The water here had strange colour and foul smell.
Bears live in cages without lock
Speaking with the reporter, Nguyen Huu Truc, vice director of Dang Vinh Company which is managing the zoo, said that some animals including pig-tailed macaques were kept in temporary cages because they were sick and being isolated for treatment.
Nguyen Huu Truc, manager of Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station, points to a monkey which he says is recovering well after treatment
"We kept them in small cages so it would be easier for treatment," Truc explained. "They will be moved back to better cages once recover."
Truc also said they were building a zoo in the central highland province of Dak Nong so had moved 60% of the animals to the new zoo there, leaving the empty cages.
"We were sorry for having not informed visitors about this," he said.
On October 31, representatives from the Ho Chi Minh City Forestry Department and the Wildlife Rescue Station came to inspect the centre and found that there were only 41 species left from the initial number of 101 species.
A number of wrongdoings had been reported in the care services of animals here including poor hygiene and unsafe facilities.
Authorities had requested the centre to provide clean food and living environment for the animals, and urgently isolate sick animals from visitors.
The centre was also required to inform local authorities of the changes in the number of animals being kept here.