On July 1, the Khe Sanh Commune People's Committee said it had transferred the pangolin to Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park for rescue and rehabilitation.
The animal was reported to local authorities on June 29 after Ngo Thi Hoai Phuong, a resident of Tan Xuyen Village in Khe Sanh Commune, discovered the wild animal.
Following an inspection by local authorities and forest rangers, the animal was identified as a Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) weighing more than 4kg.
The species is listed in Group IB under Vietnamese law, which grants the highest level of protection to endangered, rare and precious wildlife.
When officials took custody of the animal, it appeared exhausted, was barely moving and had an injury to its front right leg.
To ensure the pangolin receives appropriate care before it can be returned to the wild, the Khe Sanh Commune People's Committee requested Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park to accept the animal for rescue in accordance with wildlife protection regulations.
The local authority has also issued a public notice seeking the lawful owner or custodian of the animal.
If no individual or organisation comes forward within five working days to establish legal ownership, and the pangolin is confirmed not to be evidence in a criminal investigation, it will be released back into its natural habitat after rehabilitation, in accordance with Vietnamese law.
