In the first case, on April 19, a man called ENV’s Wildlife Crime Hotline to report some young wildcats on the sandbar in the middle of the Red River in Hanoi. He said he found them while doing some agricultural work at the site.
Photo: the baby leopard cats rescued from the Red River. Credit: Luyen (informant)
In some photos he sent to the Wildlife Crime Unit, they appeared to be baby leopard cats, so ENV contacted Soc Son Rescue Center. The kittens were transferred to the rescue center today, and have been confirmed to be leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis). They were a little weak, but otherwise fairly healthy.
In the second case, also on April 19, ENV’s Wildlife Crime Hotline received a call from a man in Hoa Binh province (west of Hanoi), who was in possession of two lorises that he wanted to turn over to authorities. He claimed to have bought them several days earlier from an unknown person.
ENV was unable to contact the local Forest Protection Department due to April 19 being a national holiday in Vietnam, so instead we worked directly with the Endangered Primate Rescue Center (EPRC) in Cuc Phuong National Park to transfer the lorises. They are in good health and will now be cared for at the rescue center.
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