https://programs.wcs.org/laos RSS feeds for WCS Lao PDR 60 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1100/Plenty-of-forests-but-no-species-to-call-them-home.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=1100 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=1100&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1100/Plenty-of-forests-but-no-species-to-call-them-home.aspx Plenty of forests but no species to call them home Vientiane Times, July 17, 2013 By Keoxomphou Sakdavong Laos is rich in natural resources and biodiversity, yet there is only the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (NEPL-NPA) which provides a suitable home for the country's many endangered species. NEPL-NPA is located across the three northern provinces of Huaphan, Luang Prabang and Xieng Khuang. It has a total area of 4,200 sq km and features 129 villages in eight districts. The NPA is home to a number of endangered species, including the rare Indochinese tiger. At least nine tigers live in Nam Et-Phou Louey, according to the area Deputy Head, Mr Bouathong Xayavong. Laos has long been recognised as one of several countries around the world with thick forest cover, providing one of the best environments in the world for a variety of plants, wildlife and aquatic species to thrive. At an environmental conference at Vientiane's National Culture Hall in 2011, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Ty Phommasak, said the Lao forests were a unique place, home to more than 8,100 flower varieties, 100 large mammal species, 166 reptile and amphibian species, 90 types of bat and more than 700 species of bird. The Lao government has approved 24 national forest protected areas around the country to conserve biodiversity, wildlife, aquatic species and trees, and each year the country celebrates World Wildlife Conservation Day on July 13. The national forest protected areas cover about 4 million hectares of land. Apart from this, there are a further 66 areas protected at a provincial level, covering 600,000ha, and 143 forest areas protected at a district level on an area of 400,000ha. But despite nearly 5 million hectares of land being marked as protected areas, forest cover in Laos has declined dramatically over the years. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, forest cover dropped from 64 percent of the entire country in 1960 to 47.2 percent by 1992, and was down to 41 percent in 2001. The Lao government aims to boost forest cover back to 65 percent by 2015 and 70 percent by 2020. Relevant government ministries and international organisations, including the Wildlife Conservation Society and the World Bank, have recognised Nam Et-Phou Louey as one of the last homes of a number of endangered species, the Indochinese tiger in particular. The tigers' main food is meat such as pig, deer, monkey, gaur, goat and water buffalo. If the forest does not continue to have a great deal of biodiversity and hence food sources for the tiger, the unique species will not last in Nam Et-Phou Louey. Out of 24 national forest protected areas, Nam Et-Phou Louey is the only one to play host to tigers. That alone demonstrates how healthy the area's ecosystem is – tigers have chosen Nam Et-Phou Louey to be their home, rather than any of the other protected areas lying right across the country, north to south. The tigers are sending a message to the concerned ministries; more than 20 protected areas in Laos are not rich enough in natural resources, and their ecosystems are not doing as well as Nam Et-Phou Louey. To preserve endangered species in Laos and ensure the country provides the best possible home to its rare tiger population and the other 100 mammal species originally from here, Nam Et-Phou Louey should be held up as a model for conserving biodiversity and forestry. If Nam Et-Phou Louey was not part of active conservation efforts there would be no tigers left in Laos, and according to a report from the World Bank's Global Environment Facility, the area has biological significance at a global, national and local level. The lessons learnt from Nam Et-Phou Louey should be shared with authorities responsible for other forest protected areas across the country, and the Forestry Law needs to be strictly upheld. Article 18 of the law says forest protected areas are set aside to protect plants, animals and anything else in the forest which may have value for history, culture, tourism, the environment or education purposes. If the law and its definition of a protected area are followed strictly, Laos and its 24 national protected areas will remain a safe home for endangered species, which will be able to thrive in the country forever more. "Nam Et-Phou Louey should be held up as a model for conserving biodiversity and forestry" pEshoo@wcs.org Wed, 31 Jul 2013 04:39:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:1100 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1048/Future-direction-of-northern-protected-area-under-scrutiny.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=1048 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=1048&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1048/Future-direction-of-northern-protected-area-under-scrutiny.aspx Vientiane Times, July 5, 2013 Nearly 100 officials from three northern provinces gathered in Luang Prabang province last week to discuss the sustainability of the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (NPA), regarded as one of the most important NPAs in Laos. The annual meeting, organised by the Ministry of National Resources and Environment with support from the Wildlife Conservation Society and the World Bank, aimed to review achievements and the future direction of the 420,000ha protected area. Clos er cooperation in management, dealing with mining exploration and infrastructure development and expanding the NPA's overall area were three key issues considered by participants. As the NPA spans Huaphan, Luang Prabang and Xieng Khuang provinces, the meeting was attended by dozens of provincial deputy governors, district chiefs and natural resource and environment officials, as well as representatives from central government and international organisations. The meeting was co-chaired by Luang Prabang Deputy Governor, Mr Khankham Chanthavisouk, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Forestry Management Department Deputy Director General, Mr Saisamone Photisat, and Luang Prabang Department of Natural Resources and Environment's Director, Mr Bounlat Lattanaphoubai. Mr Khankham said it was important to create awareness about environmental protection among authorities and villagers. “Providing permanent occupations for local people is also necessary for natural conservation, as is cooperation between related sectors, which is crucial to protect our natural resources,” he said. Through the meeting, parties agreed to strive for close collaboration between authorities and hold further discussions before any activities or projects could be conducted in the area. Participants also agreed to appoint a Nam Et-Phou Louey NPA advisory committee, on which the deputy governors would serve as chairmen and other related officials would sit. In relation to a pla n to extend the area of the NPA by about 900sq km, meeting participants agreed to survey the intended areas and further study the plan's potential impact on villages. Nam Et-Phou Louey NPA, declared in 1993, is located in the north-east of Laos and covers 129 villages in eight districts of three provinces. It is mostly hilly or mountainous terrain, is the source of several rivers, and features a high level of biodiversity. The area is home to a number of endangered species, including the tiger, gaur, Sambar deer and white-cheeked gibbon. The purpose of its creation was to conserve the area's ecosystem and its functions for the future. International organisations and financial institutions provide assistance to ensure the sustainability of the area. By Times Reporters  (Latest Update June 26, 2013) pEshoo@wcs.org Thu, 04 Jul 2013 23:41:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:1048 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1046/Hunting-without-a-catch.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=1046 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=1046&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1046/Hunting-without-a-catch.aspx Manoeuvring a long-tail boat with a bamboo stick, a Khmu boatman, Mr Khounthone, pointed his headlight left and right, up and down to spot wildlife along the Nam Nern River. He was tracing the bushes and trees like a painter, colouring silhouettes on a grey canvas made by the pale moonlight. Everyone in the boat was silent, while gripping his or her flashlight and holding its switch like the trigger of a gun, ready to shoot. The only sounds came from birds and cicadas, and the cascading water as it crashed into rocks and mangroves. A Khmu tour boatman, Mr Khounthone, manoeuvres a traditional long-tail boat with a thin bamboo stick along the Nam Nern River. The boat is loaded with portable chairs, cooking utensils and life vests for the night camp and safari. Suddenly, Mr Khounthone rocked the boat and whispered, “Linglom!” as he spotted a slow loris on a tree branch. All three passengers switched on their flashlights and shone their beam in the headlight's direction to see the wild animal. The 35-year-old boatman admitted that he used to hunt wildlife and fish in the river for food many years ago – the reason for his expertise in boating and tracking animals at night. “I was a hunter in the past but not in prohibited areas. We only hunted animals in the areas allowed, such as in Viengthong district,” he told Vientiane Times . Fishing and hunting wildlife has been illegal within the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (NEPL-NPA) since its establishment in 1993, and is being supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The WCS has been funded by the World Bank since March this year in a bid to sustain the NEPL-NPA, which has a total area of 4,200 square kilometres covering the provinces of Huaphan, Luang Prabang and Xieng Khuang. Mr Khamkeo Syxaiyakhamthor of the WCS, and NEPL-NPA project assistant, said that of the total land area, 3,000 square kilometres are totally protected areas, where hunting and fishing around the Nam Nern River and merely entering the core zone without authorisation such as through an eco-tour are prohibited by law. The remaining 1,200 square kilometres may be used for sustainable agriculture, and this is w here 129 villages with 54,315 inhabitants are to be found. Mr Khounthone joined the NEPL-NPA eco-tour project at the beginning of the programme, four years ago, in Huameuang district, along with other villagers from Ban Son Koua. He belongs to the boat group, one of several groups that specialise in related services such as tour guides, cooking, camping and handicrafts. Most of the tour fees go directly to the village development fund, which is shared equally by the 14 villages located within the area covered by the Nam Nern River eco-tour project, Mr Khamkeo said. Mr Khounthone said he realised they could earn money without actually catching wildlife, instead using their hunting skills to promote tourism. Through the eco-tours, he earns 40,000 kip per day, aside from the 80,000 kip he gets for the use of his boat, excluding fuel costs. “It's not much money but at least we have some extra income. It somehow helps us to provide for our daily needs. If we didn't do this, we would just stay at home or on our farm,” he said. The main source of income for Mr Khounthone and all the other members of the tour service groups is their sweetcorn crop. The village can only plant the crop once a year because the soil cannot hold much water and its quality degrades every two years, explained local tour guide Mr Khenthong Keolavong when giving an orientation before the start of the eco-tour. He said each family in the village earns an average of 15 million to 16 million kip per year from the sweetcorn they grow. “We can only grow sweetcorn because of the mountainous terrain,” he said, standing near the village's spirit house against a backdrop of green hills planted with sweetcorn. Mr Khenthong also joined the boat tour to spot for wildlife along the Nam Nern River. Each boat has two crew members, with one at either end. The one at the back operates the engine. According to Mr Khounthone, there were 10 boats at the beginning of the project, but now there are only five boats available for tours. Vientiane Times, July 1, 2013 Three of the boatmen were fired after they were caught fishing in the area connecting to the totally protected zone more than once, he said. On their first offence, the boatmen were warned and suspended from service for a year. “It was not only the boatmen who were penalised for their violations, but also every member of the villages because money was deducted from the village fund,” Mr Khounthone said. “This year, someone was caught fishing in the totally protected area so now our village fund is almost depleted,” he said with a wry smirk. Lorie Ann Cascaro of MindaNews is one of the fellows of the FK Norway (Fredskorpset) exchange programme in partnership with the Vietnam Forum of Environmental Journalists. She's currently in Laos and hosted by the Vientiane Times.     By Lorie Ann Cascaro  (Latest Update June 29 , 2013) pEshoo@wcs.org Sun, 30 Jun 2013 22:41:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:1046 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/911/Nineteen-Baby-Siamese-Crocodiles-Released-in-Lao-PDR-by-WCS-and-Partners.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=911 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=911&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/911/Nineteen-Baby-Siamese-Crocodiles-Released-in-Lao-PDR-by-WCS-and-Partners.aspx Fewer than 250 of the critically endangered crocs remain in the wild Release is a collaboration of WCS, Government of Lao PDR, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment,  Minmetals Resources Limited, Lao Zoo,  and local communities THAN SOUM, LAO PDR (February 21, 2012) — The Wildlife Conservation Society announced today the successful release of 19 critically endangered baby Siamese crocodiles into a local wetland in Lao PDR, where they will be repatriated into the wild. The 19-month-old hatchlings, approximately 70 cm (27 inches) in length, are part of a head-starting program where crocodiles are hatched at the Lao Zoo for eventual release into their native habitat.  Conservationists estimate that less than 250 Siamese crocodiles remain in the wild due to overhunting and habitat loss. The release took place in the village of Than Soum in the Xe Champhone wetland complex in Savanakhet Province near where the eggs of the 19 crocodiles were found during wildlife surveys in 2011. The hatchlings were transported from the Lao Zoo to a ‘soft release’ pen and will remain for several months to acclimate with the local area. Members of the Village Crocodile Conservation Group will guard the pen and provide supplementary feeding of the hatchlings to ensure their survival. Once the rainy season begins, the water level in the wetland will rise and allow the crocodiles to swim away, where they will be monitored periodically by conservationists.  A public ceremony will take place on March 6th in Than Soum where local community members will celebrate this collaborative effort with WCS, Government of Lao PDR, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Minmetals Resources Limited, and the Lao Zoo. WCS Lao PDR Program designed and implemented the release as part of the Community-based Crocodile Recovery and Livelihood Improvement Project. The goal of the program is the recovery of the local Siamese crocodile population and restoration of associated wetlands, linked by socio-economic incentives that improve local livelihoods.  “We are extremely pleased with the success of this collaborative program and believe it is an important step in contributing to the conservation of the species by involving local communities in long term wetland management,” said Alex McWilliam a conservation biologist with WCS’s Lao PDR Program. “The head starting component of this integrated WCS program represents a significant contribution to the conservation of this magnificent animal in the wild.” Rick Watsford, General Manager, MMG Lane Xang Minerals Limited Sepon, said: “MMG is proud to support the work of the Government of Lao PDR and the WCS in relation to this program. This support demonstrates our company’s commitment contributing positively to the communities in which we operate.”  Joe Walston, WCS Executive Director for Asia Programs, said: “Successful conservation is about partnerships – whether it’s at the global level with climate change and wildlife trade or the local level with tigers and crocs – the collective support of local communities, governments, and the private sector in Laos makes stories like this so encouraging.”  Classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the Siamese crocodile grows up to 10 feet in length. The species has been eliminated from much of its former range through Southeast Asia and parts of Indonesia by overhunting and habitat degradation and loss.  In 2014, the head-starting component of the program will be taken on by local communities in the Xe Champhone wetland complex. WCS has already conducted training for this transition and implemented a trial program of rearing young crocodiles at Than Soum village.  The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. Visit www.wcs.org.  CONTACT:  STEPHEN SAUTNER: (1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org) JOHN DELANEY: (1-718-220-3275; jdelaney@wcs.org) pEshoo@wcs.org Tue, 12 Feb 2013 02:57:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:911 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/917/WCS-Lao-Signs-Agreement-with-Department-of-Forestry-to-Support-Jurisdictional-REDD-Project-in-Houaphan-Province.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=917 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=917&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/917/WCS-Lao-Signs-Agreement-with-Department-of-Forestry-to-Support-Jurisdictional-REDD-Project-in-Houaphan-Province.aspx On December 18th, 2012, the WCS Lao program signed a six year agreement with the Lao Department of Forestry to support the implementation of the Lao – GermanClimate Protection through Avoided Deforestation (CliPAD) project in Houaphan Province. Under this agreement, WCS will provide technical services related to REDD+ safeguards, national protected area (NPA) management, law enforcement strategy development and general REDD+ readiness support. CliPAD is a €14 million development project of the Federal Republic of Germany that provides both technical and financial support to the Government of Laos to establish REDD+ demonstration activities that are both ‘pro-poor’ and benefit biodiversity. CliPAD has selected Houaphan Province as one of its target sites, which is where the Nam Et-Phou Louey (NEPL) NPA is sited. In Houaphan Province, CliPAD aims to establisha jurisdictional REDD+ program under the third-party Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ (JNR) requirements. Jurisdictional REDD+programs are a new approach to REDD+ which, to date, have typically focused at the project level. Jurisdictional REDD+ operates at the level of an administrative unit (e.g. national or provincial) and more intimately involves government agencies in both strategy development and implementation of mitigation activities. Besides establishing the necessary provincial level strategies, frameworks and institutions, CliPAD will also direct investments at forty villages in Houameuang District to demonstrate on-the-ground approaches to reducing forest-based greenhouse gas emissions. The NEPL NPA covers a large portion of Houaphan Province, and its effective management is, therefore, a crucial component of the overall CliPAD strategy. Under the agreement, WCS agreed to upscale its activities in the NEPL NPA with additional funding made available by CliPAD. Additionally, WCS will make its law enforcement and in-house REDD+ expertise available to CliPAD to help it achieve its project goals. In the long-term, WCS is interested to see this project become a model for how REDD+ can be used as a sustainable financing mechanism to protect biodiversity and livelihoods both in Lao PDR and globally. pEshoo@wcs.org Tue, 18 Dec 2012 05:05:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:917 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/920/Saola-still-a-mystery-20-years-after-its-spectacular-debut.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=920 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=920&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/920/Saola-still-a-mystery-20-years-after-its-spectacular-debut.aspx Hanoi, Vietnam –  Two decades after the sensational discovery of a new ungulate species called the saola, this rare animal remains as mysterious and elusive as ever. WWF, the Saola Working Group (SWG) of the IUCN Species SurvivalCommission and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) warn the species is sliding towards extinction because of intensive hunting pressure and poor reserve management.    A cousin of cattle but recalling anantelope in appearance, the saola was discovered in 1992 by a joint team from Vietnam’s Ministry of Forestry and WWF surveying the forests of Vu Quang, near Vietnam's border with Laos. The team found a skull with unusual long, straight horns in a hunter's home and knew it was something extraordinary. The find proved to be the first large mammal new to science in more than 50 years and one of the most spectacular zoological discoveries of the 20th century. Twenty years on, little is still known about the saola’s ecology or behaviour. In 2010, villagers in the central Laos province of Bolikhamxay captured a saola, but the animal died several days later. Prior to that, the last confirmed record of a saola in the wild was in 1999 from camera-trap photos in Bolikhamxay. “Saola are extremely secretive and very seldom seen,” said Nick Cox, Manager of WWF-Greater Mekong’s Species Programme. “While they inhabit a very restricted range, there is still no reported sighting of a saola in the wild by a scientist, and the handful of saola that have been taken into captivity have not survived.” The difficulty in detecting the animal has prevented scientists from making a precise population estimate. “If things are good, there may be a couple of hundred saola out there,” said William Robichaud,Coordinator of the Saola Working Group. “If things are bad, the population could now be down in the tens.”  While development is encroaching in the saola’s forest habitat, the greatest threat comes from illegal hunting. Saola are caught in wire snares set by hunters to catch other animals, such as sambar deer, muntjac deer and civets, which are largely destined for the lucrative wildlife trade, driven by traditional medicine demand in China and restaurant and food markets in Vietnam and Laos. “Paradoxically, the saola seems to be one of the few vertebrates in the Annamites without a high price on its head,” added Robichaud. “Saola are caught largely as bycatch–-like the tuna and dolphin scenario.” Since the discovery of the saola, Vietnam and Laos have established a network of protected areas in the animal’s core range and some reserves are pursuing innovative approaches to tackle rampant poaching. In the Saola Nature Reserve in Vietnam’s Thua Thien Hue Province, a new approach to forest guard co-management, supported by WWF, is delivering good results. Since February 2011, the newly established team of forest guards patrolling the reserve have removed more than 12,500 snares and close to 200 illegal hunting and logging camps. “The establishment of critical reserves by the governments of Vietnam and Laos is to be commended,” said Dr. Barney Long, Asian species expert for WWF-US. “However, without increasing efforts to adopt new approaches to manage the protection of saola habitat through targeted snare removal, these protected areas will be little more than lines drawn on a map.” “If hunting levels can be significantly reduced, we are optimistic about the species' prospects,” said Chris Hallam, WCS-Laos’ Conservation Planning Advisor. “This will require funds for more patrol boots on the ground in saola areas, developing positive incentives for its conservation, and ultimately reducing consumer demand for wildlife meat and products.” Efforts to save the saola have reached a greater level of urgency since another of Vietnam's iconic species, the Vietnamese Javan rhino, was confirmed extinct in2011 after the battle to save the last individual was lost to poachers. “The saola has made it to its twentieth anniversary, but it won’t have many more anniversaries unless urgent action is taken,” added Hallam. The saola is an icon for biodiversity in the Annamite mountain range that runs along the border of Vietnam and Laos. This biodiversity hotspot boasts an incredible diversity of rare species, with many found nowhere else on the planet. In addition to the discovery of the saola, two new species of deer, the large-antlered muntjac and the Truong Son muntjac, were uncovered in the Annamite’s rugged, evergreen forests in 1994 and 1997 respectively. “The lack of significant demand for saola in the wildlife trade gives great hope for its conservation,” said Robichaud. “But we still need to act. One of the rarest and most distinctive large animals in the world has been quietly slipping toward extinction through complacency.” For further information: Sarah Bladen, Communications Director, WWF-Greater Mekong, t +84437193049, m +84 1224 223 760 sarah.bladen@wwfgreatermekong.org Stephen Sautner, WCS Communications Director, t +1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org Maggie Roth, IUCN Media Relations, t +4122 999 0115, m +41 79 104 2460, e maggie.roth@iucn.org Notesto the editor: ·      Photos, caption and credits are available for download at: http://www.mediafire.com/?164orbnqr8frc ·      Saola footage / b-roll can be downloaded at the following you sendit link.  © Wildlife ConservationSociety https://www.yousendit.com/dl?phi_action=app/orchestrateDownload&rurl=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.yousendit.com%252Ftransfer.php%253Faction%253Dbatch_download%2526send_id%253D1503018969%2526email%253Da0698dbdbf21816ca8a02db7a5f8f876&s=19105&cid=tx-02002208350200000000 ·     View the recent 5-minute WWF / SWG film about thesaola: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xv8MPOyMfU About the IUCN SSC SaolaWorking Group (SWG) The SWG is a Working Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission's Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group. The members of this group are biologists, conservationists, and zoo professionals committed to the dissemination of information, research, and conservation of the saola. They work collaborativelyto design and implement the most appropriate conservation measures for the saola across its range in Vietnam and Laos. http://www.savethesaola.org/ and http://www.asianwildcattle.org/species.saola.status.php About IUCN IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges by supporting scientific research; managing field projects all over the world; and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN, international conventions and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice. The world's oldest and largest global environmental network, IUCN is a democratic membership union with more than 1,000 government and NGO member organizations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists and experts in some 160 countries. IUCN's work is supported by over 1,000 professional staff in 60 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. www.iucn.org About WWF WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservationorganizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active inover 100 countries.  WWF's missionis to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build afuture in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. www.panda.org About the Wildlife Conservation Society The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wildplaces worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. http://www.wcs.org pEshoo@wcs.org Mon, 21 May 2012 05:51:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:920 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/912/WCS-Helps-Hatch-Rare-Siamese-Crocodiles-in-Lao-PDR.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=912 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=912&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/912/WCS-Helps-Hatch-Rare-Siamese-Crocodiles-in-Lao-PDR.aspx New program focuses on saving Critically Endangered reptile and its wetland habitat NEW YORK (August 30, 2011)—Working with the government of Lao PDR, the Wildlife Conservation Society has helped to successfully hatch a clutch of 20 Siamese crocodiles, a species threatened across its range by hunting, habitat fragmentation and loss, and other factors. Hatched from eggs taken from the wild and incubated at the Laos Zoo, the baby crocodiles represent a success for a new program that works to save the Siamese crocodile and the wetlands and associated biodiversity of Laos’ Savannakhet Province. The project is supported by the Savannakhet Province Agriculture and Forestry Office and MMG LXML Sepon.   “We’re thrilled at the prospect of augmenting the wild population of Siamese crocodiles with a new batch of healthy juveniles,” said Chris Hallam, Conservation Planning Advisor for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Lao PDR Program and the crocodile project coordinator. “It’s a small but important step in helping to conserve a valuable part of the natural heritage of Lao PDR for the benefit of future generations.” Launched in 2008 as the Crocodile Resource Management Plan, the project uses crocodile conservation as a means of protecting the larger landscape. The first phase of the project focused on surveys of crocodiles, the wetlands where they occur, and the livelihoods of local communities in Savannakhet Province. Survey teams located small numbers of crocodiles in several sites in the province’s river systems and wetlands. The recently hatched eggs are part of the crocodile replenishment phase of the project, where eggs from wild nests are transported to captive settings in order to boost the survivorship of the clutches. The hatchlings will be released as second-year juveniles, when the reptiles are large and robust enough to avoid mortality in the wild. The plan, say organizers, also relies on input and involvement from local communities, who will help promote the recovery of the Siamese crocodile and the habitat on which many livelihoods rely. "This integrated project promotes the conservation of an entire landscape by highlighting the critical connections between an endangered species and local livelihoods,” said Joe Walston, Director of WCS’s Asia Program. Classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Siamese crocodile grows up to 10 feet in length. The species has been eliminated from much of its former range through Southeast Asia and parts of Indonesia by overhunting and habitat degradation and loss.  Contact: John Delaney: (1-718-220-3275; jdelaney@wcs.org) Stephen Sautner: (1-718-220 3682; ssautner@wcs.org)   pEshoo@wcs.org Tue, 30 Aug 2011 03:29:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:912 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/913/Rare-Animal-Seen-for-the-First-Time-in-More-than-a-Decade-in-Laos.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=913 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=913&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/913/Rare-Animal-Seen-for-the-First-Time-in-More-than-a-Decade-in-Laos.aspx One of the rarest and most mysterious animals in the world, the saola of Laos and Vietnam, has been seen by biologists for the first time in more than ten years.  The government of Lao PDR confirms that in late August villagers in Xaychamphon District of Bolikhamxay Province caught a saola, and were holding it in a pen in the forest.  The Lao government, in cooperation with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), immediately dispatched a technical team to examine the saola and release it. Unfortunately, the animal, an adult male weakened from the ordeal of several days in captivity, died shortly after the team reached the remote village.  The saola was discovered as a species new to science only in 1992, in forests in Vietnam near the Lao border.  It was one of the most surprising and spectacular zoological discoveries of the 20thcentury.  With their long horns and white facial markings, saola resemble the desert antelopes of North Africa, but are more closely related to cattle.  They are solitary and secretive, and inhabit only dense forests of the Annamite Mountains along the Lao/Vietnam border.   The species is considered "Critically Endangered" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and probably no more than a few hundred survive.  It is one of the most threatened large mammals in the world. Although local villagers still report seeing saola in several area of Laos and Vietnam, the last confirmed records were two photos of saola in the wild taken by automatic camera traps in 1999, also in Bolikhamxay Province.  There are no saola in zoos anywhere.  A statement from the Provincial Conservation Unit of Bolikhamxay Province said, "The death of this Saola is unfortunate, but at least it confirms an area where it still occurs, and the government will immediately move to strengthen conservation efforts there". The technical team was able to photograph the animal, and preserve the body for further study.  Very little is known about the saola, and the information can contribute to efforts to conserve the species in the wild. It is not clear why the villagers brought the animal into captivity.  The Lao Department of Forestry, Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office, and district authorities in Xaychamphon are now urging villagers in the area not to capture saola, and immediately release any others they might encounter. William Robichaud, coordinator of the IUCN Saola Working Group, said, "The government of Lao PDR and WCS are to be commended for their rapid response and efforts to save this animal.  We hope the information gained from the incident can be used to ensure that this is not the last saola anyone has a chance to see". pEshoo@wcs.org Sun, 05 Sep 2010 23:21:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:913 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/6583.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=6583 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=6583&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/6583.aspx ອະນຸລັກສັດປ່າ ປະຈຳລາວ ຕຳແໜ່ງວ່າງ ຜູ້ປະສານງານໂຄງການ-ການທ່ອງທ່ຽວແບບອານຸລັກທຳມະຊາດ   ອົງການອະນຸລັກສັດປ່າ ອະນຸລັກສັດປ່າ ແລະ ທີ່ຢູ່ອາໄສຂອງສັດປ່າໃນທົ່ວໂລກ. ພວກເຮົາໄດ້ປະຕິບັດ ໂດຍຜ່ານວິທະຍາສາດ, ການອະນຸລັກໂລກ, ການສຶກສາ ແລະ ການຄຸ້ມຄອງສວນສາທາລະນະດ້ານສັດປ່າທີ່ມີລະບົບການຄຸ້ມຄອງທີ່ໃຫຍ່ທີ່ສຸດໃນໂລກ ພ້ອມໆກັນນັ້ນບັນດາກິດຈະກຳຕ່າງໆກໍໄດ້ປ່ຽນແນວຄວາມຄິດໃນການມຸ່ງສູ່ທຳມະຊາດ ແລະ ຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຜູ້ຄົນໃນການຈິນຕະນາການກ່ຽວກັບສັດປ່າ ແລະ ສ້າງໃຫ້ມະນຸດຢູ່ຮ່ວມກັນດ້ວຍຄວາມສາມັກຄີ. ອົງການອະນຸລັກສັດປ່າ ມີຄວາມມຸ່ງໝັ້ນໃນການປະຕິບັດໜ້າທີ່ດັ່ງກ່າວ ເພາະເປັນສິ່ງທີ່ຈຳເປັນເຂົ້າໃນການຮັກສາຄວາມສົມບູນທາງຊີວະນາໆພັນຂອງໂລກ. ສະຫຼຸບສັງລວມ: ອົງການອະນຸລັກສັດປ່າປະຈຳລາວ ມີຄວາມຕ້ອງການ ພະນັກງານສັນຊາດລາວ ໃນຕໍາແໜ່ງຜູ້ປະສານງານໂຄງການ ການທ່ອງທ່ຽວແບບອານຸລັກທຳມະຊາດ ຕຳແໜ່ງດັ່ງກ່າວແມ່ນໄດ້ປະຈຳຢູ່ ແຂວງບໍລິຄຳໄຊ ເຊິ່ງເປັນບ່ອນທີ່ອົງການອະນຸລັກສັດປ່າເຮັດວຽກຮ່ວມກັບຂັ້ນເມືອງ ແລະ ຂັ້ນແຂວງບໍລິຄຳໄຊ ວ່າດ້ວຍການຄຸ້ມຄອງເຂດປ່າສະຫງວນນ້ຳກະດິງ ແລະ ບັນດາເຂດສະຫງວນໃນແຂວງດັ່ງກ່າວ. ການລິເລີ່ມການທ່ອງທ່ຽວແມ່ນໄດ້ຖືກພັດທະນາເພື່ອສ້າງລາຍຮັບ ພ້ອມທັງເພື່ອຮັບປະກັນການການຄຸ້ມຄອງຂອບເຂດປ່າໄມ້ແບບຍືນຍົງ ແລະ ທັງນີ້ກໍເພື່ອຍົກສູງບົດບາດຄວາມຮັບຮູ້ ແລະ ຄວາມພາກພູມໃຈຂອງບັນດາປະຊາຊົນໃນຂົງເຂດດັ່ງກ່າວນຳອີກ. ພັນທະການລາຍງານ: ຕໍາແໜ່ງນີ້ຕ້ອງໄດ້ລາຍງານຂັ້ນເບື້້ອງຕົ້ນຕໍ່ວິຊາການຜູ້ເປັນທີ່ປຶກສາຂັ້ນພາກພື້ນຂອງອົງການອະນຸລັກສັດປ່າໃຫ້ຮັບຮູ້ສໍາລັບວຽກງານການ ທ່ອງທ່ຽວແບບເປັນມິດກັບທຳມະຊາດນີ້  ພ້ອມກັນນັ້ນກໍຍັງລາຍງານຂັ້ນຕໍ່ໄປໃຫ້ກັບທີມງານການຄຸ້ມຄອງໂຄງການຂອງທ້ອງຖິ່ນຮັບຮູ້ນຳອີກ. ໜ້າທີ່ຮັບຜິດຊອບຫຼັກ: Ø  ດໍາເນີນກິດຈະກໍາການປູກຈິດສໍານຶກ ແລະ ວາງແຜນເບື້ອງຕົ້ນຮ່ວມກັບບັນດາພະນັກງານຂັ້ນເມືອງ, ແຂວງ ແລະ ຄູ່ຮ່ວມງານພາກເອກະຊົນ. Ø  ຊີ້ນຳ-ນຳພາການສຳຫຼວດພື້ນທີ່, ຈັດການຝຶກອົບຮົມຕາມກຳຈະກຳທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງກັບຂະແໜງການ. Ø  ຊີ້ນຳ-ນຳພາການຈັດປະຊຸມກ່ຽວກັບການພັດທະນາເຂດການທ່ອງທ່ຽວແບບເປັນມິດກັບທຳມະຊາດ. Ø  ດໍາເນີນການສໍາຫຼວດຕະຫຼາດ ນັກທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ແລະ ບໍລິສັດທ່ອງທ່ຽວ. Ø  ດຳເນິນການສຶກສາຄວາມເປັນໄປໄດ້ຂອງໂຄງການ ແລະ ຂຽນແຜນທຸລະກິດ, ປະສານງານກັບບັນດາຊ່ຽວຊານ, ແປເອກະສານ ແລະ ການສົນທະນາ. Ø  ຕິດຕໍ່ປະສານງານລະຫວ່າງຂະແຫນງການເອກະຊົນ ແລະ ຂະແຫນງການລັດ ເພື່ອສ້າງການຮ່ວມມືໃນພາກສ່ວນລັດ ແລະ ເອກະຊົນ. Ø  ຊີ້ນຳ-ນຳພາ ທີມງານ ແລະ ບັນດາກຸ່ມບ້ານເປົ້າຫມາຍໃນການດໍາເນີນການທ່ອງທ່ຽວແບບອະນຸລັກ. Ø  ຊີ້ນຳ-ນຳພາ ຄູ່ຮ່ວມງານໃນການເກັບກໍາຂໍ້ມູນພື້ນຖານທາງດ້ານເສດຖະກິດ-ສັງຄົມເພື່ອເປັນພື້ນຖານສໍາລັບການກວດກາຕິດຕາມ. Ø  ຊີ້ນຳ-ນຳພາ ການພັດທະນາຄວາມອາດສາມາດຂອງທ້ອງຖິ່ນ ແລະ ພື້ນຖານໂຄງລ່າງເພື່ອສ້າງຄວາມສະດວກໃນການທ່ຽວຊົມສັດປ່າ. Ø  ເຮັດວຽກຮ່ວມກັບທີ່ປຶກສາຈາກສາກົນ, ບັນດາພະນັກງານລັດ ແລະ ພາກເອກະຊົນ ເພື່ອປະຕິບັດເປັນຮູບແບບທຸລະກິດການທ່ອງທ່ຽວສໍາລັບເຂດປ່າສະຫງວນ. Ø  ຊ່ວຍໃນການປະສານງານດ້ານການສົ່ງເສີມການຂາຍຂອງການທ່ອງທ່ຽວກັບອົງການຈັດຕັ້ງສາກົນ ແລະ ທ້ອງຖິ່ນ ລວມທັງບໍລິສັດ, ນັກຂ່າວ ແລະ ນັກທ່ອງທ່ຽວ. Ø  ວຽກງານການບໍລິຫານທົ່ວໄປ, ການຂຽນບົດລາຍງານ, ແລະ ການພັດທະນາອຸປະກອນການສື່ສານ. Ø  ການແປເອກະສານ, ແປໃນກອງປະຊຸມ ແລະ ວຽກທີ່ຈຳເປັນຕ່າງໆ.   ຄຸນວຸດທິທີ່ຕ້ອງການ: ·       ການສຶກສາລະດັບປະລິນຍາຕີໃນຂະແໜງການທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງກັບການທ່ອງທ່ຽວ. ·       ມີປະສົບການເຮັດວຽກການທ່ອງທ່ຽວມາກ່ອນ, ມີຄວາມມັກກ່ຽວກັບແນວຄວາມຄິດ ແລະ ການປະຕິບັດການດ້ານການທ່ອງທ່ຽວແບບອານຸລັກທຳມະຊາດ. ·       ມີທັກສະໃນການສື່ສານ ແລະ ປຶກສາຫາລືທີ່ດີ, ມີຄວາມສາມາດຕິດຕໍ່ປະສານງານກັບພາກສ່ວນກ່ຽວຂ້ອງເຊັ່ນ: ບໍລິສັດເອກະຊົນ, ຊຸມຊົນທ້ອງຖິ່ນ ແລະ ພາກສ່ວນລັດຖະບານ. ·       ມີປະສົບການເຮັດວຽກຮ່ວມກັບອົງການສາກົນໃນການປະສານງານ ແລະ ປະຕິບັດກິດຈະກໍາໂຄງການໃນການຮ່ວມມືກັບລັດຖະບານ ລວມທັງການຄຸ້ມຄອງງົບປະມານ ແລະ ການໃຊ້ຈ່າຍ. ·       ມີທັກສະດ້ານພາສາອັງກິດເປັນຢ່າງດີ ເປັນຕົ້ນແມ່ນທັກສະດ້ານການຂຽນ, ການເວົ້າ ແລະ ການສົນທະນາ. ·       ມີຄວາມຫ້າວຫັນຕໍ່ການຄຸ້ມຄອງສັດປ່າແບບຍືນຍົງ ແລະ ສ້າງຄວາມສາມາດຂອງຄູ່ຮ່ວມງານ.   ຄໍາຮ້ອງສະຫມັກງານ: ສົ່ງຊີວະປະຫວັດສະບັບພາສາອັງກິດ (CV) ແລະ ໜັງສືຂໍສະໝັກເຮັດວຽກ (Cover letter) ພ້ອມທັງລາຍລະອຽດການຕິດຕໍ່ຂອງຜູ້ອ້າງອີງສອງທ່ານ ໃຫ້ແກ່ Mr.Paul Eshoo ທີ່ peshoo@wcs.org. ກະລຸນາເຮັດເອກະສານໃຫ້ຈະແຈ້ງ ພ້ອມທັງລະບຸຕໍາແຫນ່ງທີ່ທ່ານຈະສະຫມັກ.   ມື້ປິດຮັບສະໝັກແມ່ນວັນທີ 2 ມີນາ 2015. ມີພຽງແຕ່ຜູ້ສະຫມັກທີ່ຜ່ານຮອບຄັດເລືອກແບບຟອມເທົ່ານັ້ນຈະໄດ້ຮັບການຕິດຕໍ່ເຂົ້າຮອບສໍາພາດ. ສໍາລັບຂໍ້ມູນເພີ່ມເຕີມກ່ຽວກັບ ອົງການອະນຸລັກສັດປ່າ ປະຈຳລາວ ແມ່ນສາມາດເຂົ້າເບິ່ງໄດ້ທີ່ເວັບໄຊ໌ http://laos.wcs.org/       pEshoo@wcs.org Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:14:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:6583 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1275/Job-Vacancy-Marketing-Planner.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=1275 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=1275&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1275/Job-Vacancy-Marketing-Planner.aspx Job Vacancy Marketing PlannerJob PurposeThe purpose of this position is to support Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (NEPL NPA) in promoting it as an ecotourism destination in order to increase revenue for both local communities and the park. The Nam Nern Night Safari is NEPL’s first ecotourism product, opened in 2010. In the 2012/13 tourist season, the Night Safari received 116 tourists over 45 groups with minimal marketing, generating $14,373 for the local population via wildlife conservation (to put this figure in context, the average daily wage around NEPL is $5).  The park’s goal is to increase visitation to over 1000 visitors per year within the next 3 years in order to generate enough revenue to support patrol staff (wildlife rangers) in the Nam Nern area and make the parks’ eco-tourism business sustainable. Currently, the Nam Nern Night Safari has exposure in a couple important guidebooks including the Lonely Planet, but very little exposure on the internet, in international media and with domestic and international companies. A marketing and promotion strategy is required with the goal of radically increasing visitation and sale and end-benefits to local people and wildlife.Key responsibilitiesCreate the Marketing, Promotion and Sales strategy for Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area ecotourism and the Nam Nern Night Safari with input from international and national project staff and other key stakeholders.Major Program Areas of the Plan include: Online• Increasing exposure online for the Nam Nern Night Safari and Houaphan Province.• Increase the exposure and reach of the Nam Nern Night Safari Facebook page (www.facebook.com/namnernnightsafari) with a long-term strategy for keeping the page interesting and dynamic• Improve information, design and functionality of the NEPL website www.namet.org to better promote ecotourism products. Traditional Channels• Market the Night Safari to key international tour companies, student groups and niche organizations with to substantially increase group numbers, the average group size and create repeat customers. • Improve promotion of the Night Safari (e.g. design and production of a poster and/or stickers) to walk-in tourists in Viengthong and in surrounding, major tourism destinations (Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, Muang Ngoi, Phonesavanh, Xam Neua, Vang Vieng, Vientiane, etc.).Pricing/Product• Recommendations on pricing and incentives as well as product can be includedThe plan can use existing customer and market research data owned by the project. Extra marketing research should not be necessary.DeliverablesMarketing and Promotion Strategy with following elements• How to increase exposure and sales online• List of tour companies, international and national to target, and how to target them• How to improve retail sales from major tourism hubs in Laos (Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, Xieng Khouang) with details on media types to be used• How to improve the website (www.namet.org) • Clear plan on how to manage the Facebook page• How to get more exposure in major print media• Recommendations on pricing and productSkills and characteristics required• Strong, private sector experience in marketing and promotion• Experience as a traveler, especially to national protected areas and remote locations in developing countries• Experience in marketing tourism products through major tourism websites• Experience in design of media including posters, websites and video• Excellent English language skills• Entrepreneurial - Initiative and ability to work independently• Care and interest in wildlife conservation and a positive attitude towards its challengesLocation: Based in Laos, preferably in Luang Prabang or Vientiane, with one trip to Nam Et-Phou Louey Reporting Obligations: This position reports to the Ecotourism Advisor and the WCS Site CoordinatorTerm: 1 monthPay: $1,500 plus travel expenses to Nam Et-Phou Louey NPATo apply, send cover letter and CV to peshoo@wcs.org. If you have questions, contact peshoo@wcs.org or call Paul at 020-91663699.  pEshoo@wcs.org Mon, 08 Jan 2007 23:37:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:1275