stores and restaurants were closed. On Wednesday, I went to Cuc Phuong National Park to visit the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Program (CPCP). The CPCP is a facility within the park that houses pangolins and small carnivores that have been rescued from the wildlife trade. It’s astounding how many animals are caught and either killed or traded alive in Vietnam. The animals are sometimes traded for their meat, but many also end up in the trade as a result of their perceived medicinal value. Pangolin scales, for example (which by the way are made of the same thing as your nails – mainly keratin), are thought by local people to reduce swelling, improve liver function, help with weight loss, stimulate blood circulation and enhance lactation (check out this link for a disturbing, if true, report about the pangolin trade: http://bushwarriors.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/an-unseen-atrocity-will-pangolins-go-extinct-before-rhinos/). It’s unlikely that the scales actually do any of these things, but tradition is a difficult thing to change in Vietnam and China, two of the biggest consumers of pangolin products. I hopethat by working with colleagues both at Denver Zoo and here in Vietnam, we can make some kind of impact and help to reduce the prevalence of wildlife trade in this part of the world.
Friday, May 6
Time to return to the USA. After weeks of rice-based meals, often three times a day, I am looking forward to salads, sandwiches, enchiladas, grilled seafood (without the scales and eyes!) and yes – even pizza! I also look forward to continuing to explore the possibilities for Denver Zoo to become more involved in conservation field work in Vietnam, and the broader Indo-Chinese peninsula. Most of all, I can’t wait to see my family. Dad’s letting the kids stay up really late so they can all be at the airport to welcome me home at 11:30pm!
Photo Credits: Le Khac Quyet, A. Levine, C.Workman
