The largest biodiversity survey in Vietnam documented 120,000 wildlife detections across 21 protected forests, using 350,000 camera-trap days.
The largest biodiversity survey in Vietnam spanned four years and employed 1,176 camera trap stations across 21 Special-Use Forests and Protection Forests in eight provinces, revealing that species richness increased at 16 sites but also confirming severe depletion of large carnivores and herbivores due to intensive snaring over recent decades. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Vietnam and WWF US led the effort under the US$43 million United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Biodiversity Conservation project in collaboration with local forest management boards and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research.
The results bring both hope and urgency. Species richness of mammals and ground-dwelling birds is increasing at 16 of the 21 sites surveyed. This trend signals ecosystem recovery, with protection efforts sustained. However, persistent snaring threatens these fragile gains.
The largest biodiversity survey in Vietnam recorded at least 49 mammal species and 11 galliform bird species. This includes nine Annamite endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. Twenty-two globally threatened species appeared in the camera trap images. Rare detections included large-antlered muntjac and sun bear, providing some of the few records of these species in Vietnam over the past 20 years.
The survey documented striking absences. No large carnivores or herbivores registered across any of the sites. Tigers, clouded leopards, Asiatic wild dogs, and the elusive saola remain functionally extinct from surveyed areas. Asian elephants appeared at just two sites. Gaur, a wild cattle species, was observed at only one of the surveyed locations.
Intensive snaring and habitat loss over recent decades drove these depletions. The most prevalent species recorded were those most resilient to hunting pressure: macaques, ferret badgers, and wild pigs. These adaptable animals survive where larger, more vulnerable species cannot.
The largest biodiversity survey in Vietnam builds upon baseline surveys conducted between 2019 and 2022. Comparing these datasets allows researchers to track biodiversity trends over time. The findings contribute directly to national and international biodiversity monitoring indicators and inform adaptive management strategies for protected areas.
Nguyen Quang Hoa Anh, Biodiversity Expert at WWF-Vietnam, emphasized that Vietnam’s forests remain home to globally important wildlife. The encouraging recovery signs show nature can bounce back when given a chance. But lasting recovery depends on sustained collaboration between government levels, communities, and conservation partners to end snaring.
The USAID Biodiversity Conservation project represents the single largest investment in biodiversity conservation in Vietnam’s history. Working in 21 protected areas across eight provinces, primarily in the Central Annamites, the five-year initiative aims to achieve conservation goals through multiple strategies. These include promoting conservation-friendly enterprises, strengthening protected area management, increasing law enforcement functionality to address forest and wildlife crimes, and reducing local consumer demand for illegal wildlife products.
The largest biodiversity survey in Vietnam established a critical baseline. One primary project goal is to bring nearly 1.5 million acres of biodiversity-rich forest under improved management. This area equals the size of Delaware. Understanding diversity and species richness through systematic surveys enables measuring progress toward this target.
The project facilitated the development of collaborative management mechanisms in eight sites. It assessed institutional training needs for better protected area management. A national-level SMART data model was deployed. Four grants went to civil society and research organizations focused on conserving species found only in the Annamites.
The largest biodiversity survey in Vietnam employed environmental DNA techniques in pilot surveys alongside traditional camera trapping. This combination forms the basis for the most comprehensive biodiversity assessment ever conducted in the country. Environmental DNA allows the detection of species from water, soil, or air samples without direct observation.
The report calls for repeating biodiversity surveys every three to five years. This ensures long-term, science-based monitoring of Vietnam’s wildlife and helps meet national and international conservation commitments. Regular monitoring tracks whether interventions work and identifies emerging threats that require a response.
Vietnam is the 16th most biodiverse country in the world despite its relatively small size of 33.12 million hectares. The country hosts an estimated 10% of the world’s animal species. Nearly 40% of plant species are endemic. Vietnam’s terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems support nearly 50,000 species total.
The Central Annamites region holds particular significance. This mountain range, running along the Vietnam-Laos border, exhibits exceptionally high endemism. Species like the saola, discovered by science only in 1992, inhabit these forests. The Annamite striped rabbit, large-antlered muntjac, and Annamite dark muntjac exist nowhere else.
Engaging communities living in and near protected areas proves key to successful conservation outcomes. People rest after working to plant native species and restore the natural forest in Doi Village. Alternative livelihoods reduce dependence on forest resource extraction. Conservation-friendly enterprises provide income while protecting biodiversity.
The largest biodiversity survey in Vietnam demonstrates both the scale of depletion and the potential for recovery. Sites showing increasing species richness prove that investments in protection deliver results. The challenge lies in sustaining and scaling efforts to restore key species and increase wildlife populations to healthy levels needed to maintain and restore Vietnam’s forest ecosystems.
