Local authorities receive the two rare monkeys handed over by Doan's family (Photo: Thanh Hoa Police)
A resident in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa has surrendered two protected monkeys to local authorities for care and conservation.
Le Van Doan, from Yen Vinh Village in Xuan Thai Commune, handed over the animals after receiving legal guidance from local officials.
The monkeys include one Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis) and one long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis), both listed as protected wildlife species under Group IIB in Vietnam.
Following the handover, Xuan Thai Commune police coordinated with forest rangers from Ben En National Park to transfer the animals to the park’s wildlife rescue centre for care and rehabilitation.
Assamese macaques are primates found mainly in forested areas of South and Southeast Asia, living in social groups and depending heavily on intact natural habitats. Long-tailed macaques, also native to Southeast Asia, live in matriarchal groups and are known for their adaptability.
Lu Trong Han, head of the Xuan Thai Forest Protection Station, said public awareness campaigns and stronger law enforcement had improved understanding of wildlife protection.
He added that voluntary handovers such as this show a positive shift in public attitudes and represent an important step towards ending the illegal keeping of wild animals, helping to safeguard forest ecosystems and biodiversity.