Public Awareness & Education
Reducing Consumer Demand and Mobilizing Public Participation in Combatting Wildlife Trade
Since day one, ENV has understood that we cannot win the war on the illegal wildlife trade without strong public support. Accordingly, ENV has carried out massive awareness campaigns aimed at reducing wildlife consumption and mobilizing public action in combatting the illegal wildlife trade.
In addition to hundreds of seminars, public exhibitions, and art and writing contests, ENV has also partnered with hundreds of journalists who help deliver ENV’s wildlife protection messages to millions of Vietnamese people through mass media. Millions more have been reached through over 56 Public Service Announcements (PSAs) in the form of short films produced by ENV, and aired free of charge on up to 60 national and local TV channels. Moreover, ENV’s long-term partnership with Voice of Vietnam (VOV), the most listened to radio station in Vietnam, has allowed for the monthly airing of ENV radio shows and Hotline advertisements to mobile and rural audiences since 2005.
public service announcements
Over the past 15 years, ENV has produced 56 PSA videos targeting consumers of bear bile, tiger bone TCM, rhino horn, and wildlife in general, as well as several pangolin PSAs encouraging the public to report trafficking, and a special marine turtle PSA aired on Con Dao Island encouraging the public not to exploit or consume marine turtle eggs.
Each PSA is aired on up to 60 television stations nationally, reaching millions of viewers. All ENV PSAs have the dual value of promoting demand reduction messaging and advertising the ENV Wildlife Crime Hotline.
In 2023, ENV reached over 9.6 million people through social media ads and posts. Additionally, 50-60 TV stations aired 4 ENV Public Service Announcements, and ENV’s media statements alerting journalists to breaking wildlife trade news resulted in 400 articles written and published on multiple news websites. And finally, 1,460 ads aired on Voice of Vietnam National Radio Station. These ads, articles, and social media posts all communicated important messages to the public including the end of bear farming in Vietnam, the zoonotic risks to public health from wildlife trade and consumption, and that selling, advertising, trading and possessing wildlife illegally is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
To raise awareness on bear bile farming, ENV released the PSA ‘Bear Karma,’ which shows a bear bile consumer terrified of enduring the extraction of his own bile, and pledging not to use bear bile again.
In addition to extensive demand reduction campaigns, ENV also recruits, trains, and manages a national network of volunteers. As of December 2023, ENV has enlisted over 11,000 volunteers in 59 provinces nationwide. ENV’s volunteers play a critical role as our eyes and ears on the ground, helping to monitor for wildlife crime in restaurants, pet shops, traditional medicine shops, and other business establishments. Volunteers not only report wildlife crime but also monitor reported locations to ensure that establishments no longer violate wildlife protection laws. Additionally, ENV trains and supports volunteer clubs in six major cities throughout Vietnam, enabling them to carry out public awareness events to educate their local communities about wildlife trade issues.
How You Can Help
We are a small Vietnamese non-governmental organization leading the fight against illegal wildlife trade, trafficking, and consumption. For more than 20 years, achievements to end Vietnam’s illegal wildlife trade have been possible thanks to donors who support creative, strategic, and decisive actions that protect wildlife in the short term and long term. Your support is crucial to continuing these efforts and safeguarding a sustainable future for wildlife, both in Vietnam and globally.