https://programs.wcs.org/laos RSS feeds for WCS Lao PDR 60 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/24580/Celebrating-the-Successes-of-ECILL-Collaborative-Action-for-Protected-Areas.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=24580 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=24580&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/24580/Celebrating-the-Successes-of-ECILL-Collaborative-Action-for-Protected-Areas.aspx The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, together with the European Union (EU), the Embassy of France to Lao PDR, and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) celebrated the success of the Ecosystem Conservation through Integrated Landscape Management (ECILL) Project. The project closing ceremony, held in Vientiane, was chaired by Vice Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, H.E. Mr Kikeo Singnavong, EU Ambassador to Lao PDR, H.E. Mr Mark Gallagher, Deputy Head of the Embassy of France to Lao PDR, Mr Alain Perrier, and attended by representatives from the Government of Laos, the EU, French Development Agency (AFD), WCS, and NPA Managers. Since its start in March 2020, the ECILL project has aimed to reduce current rates of biodiversity and habitat loss by adopting a holistic approach to landscape management. ECILL works to ensure the security of Lao PDR's forests and biodiversity, and to assist rural communities in sustainably managing their natural resources. The project is located in three priority landscapes of high biodiversity, ecosystem services, and natural capital value: (1) the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park, (2) the Integrated Ecosystem and Wildlife Management Landscape in Bolikhamxay Province, and (3) the Xe Champhone Ramsar Wetlands in Savannakhet Province. The ECILL project, worth a total of €6.8 million, has been co-funded by the European Union and the Agence Française de Développement and implemented by WCS Lao PDR in joint efforts with the Lao government and local communities. Key achievements of the ECILL project include: Improved integrated protected area management and broader system-wide improvements in management effectiveness have been achieved with over 740,000 hectares of high biodiversity habitat, including forests, wetlands protected. Strengthened policy related to biodiversity conservation, forest, and wetland protection to support institutionalizing national protected area systems in Lao PDR. Established or expanded conservation enterprises that are climate-smart, linked to conservation outcomes that deliver economic benefits for communities, including community-based tourism and environment-friendly sustainable agriculture. Speaking at the closing ceremony, H.E. Mr Kikeo Singnavong, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Forestry said: “I thank the EU, AFD and WCS for their long-lasting partnership and efforts in contributing to these key successes to preserve Lao PDR’s unique forests and biodiversity. ECILL’s achievements are a testament of our shared commitments to conservation and biodiversity goals. We hope we can continue our positive engagement and collaboration after the ECILL project”. The Ambassador to the European Union in Lao PDR, H.E. Mr Mark Gallagher mentioned: “Over the past 5 years, the ECILL project has been instrumental in piloting a collaborative and holistic approach, to strengthen the security of the country’s forests and ecosystems, safeguarding the unique and rich biodiversity of Lao PDR, while creating sustainable opportunities for local communities.” “I would like to express profound gratitude to all our partners, including the Department of Forestry, the provincial authorities, the French Development Agency, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Your dedication and support have been crucial to reaching our collective goals. Our gratitude also extends to the local communities and stakeholders who have embraced and participated in this initiative. Your engagement and commitment have been vital to the project's success”, added Mr Mark Gallagher. The Deputy Head of the French Embassy, Mr. Alain Perrier, emphasized that France, through the French Development Agency, would continue to support the government's efforts to ensure that Laos' forests, wetlands, and biodiverse landscapes remain a source of sustainable development for the country and its communities. The ECILL closing ceremony was preceded by a meeting engaging National Protected Areas (NPAs) managers from the 26 NPAs and NGO partners to create a collaborative action for Protected Areas towards the Mining-Forest Nexus and to strengthen partnerships. The workshop’s objective was to brainstorm on how to support the full and effective implementation of Prime Ministerial Orders no. 06 and 11 and Protected Areas policies through better oversight of mining concessions, stronger environmental impact assessments, and more robust enforcement of forestry and land laws. ““The issuance of Prime Ministerial Orders No. 06 and No. 11 establishes a robust and timely policy framework for the conservation of Lao PDR’s most biologically significant protected areas—particularly those within the Annamite Mountains, limestone karst landscapes, and high-altitude ecosystems. These areas harbor unique flora and fauna, including numerous endemic species found nowhere else in the world, thus reaffirming the vision of H.E. Kaisone Phomvihane, who described the forests of Lao PDR as ‘green gold.’ These protected landscapes may rightfully be considered the country’s most valuable ecological assets—its ‘green gold’ or natural diamonds. The Orders clearly underscore the urgent need to strengthen law enforcement, enhance governance, and fully integrate forest and environmental protection into national development strategies. The ECILL initiative has demonstrated that effective forest and environmental governance is not only feasible but also achievable when supported by strong political commitment, coordinated institutional efforts, and strategic policy coherence,” stated Dr. Somvang Phimmavong, Director General of the Department of Forestry. ECILL has supported and influenced key policy dialogues in natural resource management, providing both technical and financial contributions. By strategically engaging in high-level dialogues, ECILL has strengthened Laos’ standing in biodiversity conservation, ensuring continued political commitment beyond the ECILL project. As ECILL is closing, the established frameworks, strengthened institutional capacities, and multi-stakeholder partnerships will ensure that conservation remains a central pillar of Laos’ national agenda, paving the way for sustained environmental and economic benefits. The closing ceremony was attended by 70 people from the Department of Forestry of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Protected Area Management Sections, representative of the Government of Lao PDR at the national and subnational levels, the Embassy of France to Lao PDR, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the European Union Delegation (EU), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and development partners. jmauer@wcs.org Mon, 19 May 2025 06:39:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:24580 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/22230/Lao-PDR-celebrates-World-Wildlife-Day-2024.aspx#Comments 0 https://programs.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=6014&ModuleID=11805&ArticleID=22230 https://programs.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=22230&PortalID=118&TabID=6014 https://programs.wcs.org/laos/Admin-Plus/News-Manager/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/22230/Lao-PDR-celebrates-World-Wildlife-Day-2024.aspx World Wildlife Day was celebrated this year under the theme ‘Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation’ and brought together the Department of Forestry from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the European Union Delegation to Lao PDR, the Embassy of France to Lao PDR, Wildlife Conservation Society and conservation partners, the Working Group 15.7 on Combating Wildlife Crime and students at the National University of Laos in Vientiane. People around the world rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet their needs - from food, to fuel, medicines, housing, and clothing. Nearly half of the world’s population is directly dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods, with 70% of the world’s poor living in rural areas and depending directly on biodiversity for their survival and well-being. To enjoy the benefits and the beauty that nature brings to humans and the planet, people have been working together to ensure ecosystems are able to thrive and plant and animal species are able to exist for generations to come. Lao PDR is recognized as a unique biodiversity hotspot and is home to some of the world’s biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and species. However, its exceptional biodiversity is declining due to climate change, illegal wildlife trade, hunting, and poaching coupled with high rates of deforestation causing fragmentation and loss of habitats. "As you may be aware that Lao PDR is a natural resource-rich country, both on land and in water. There are more than 1000 species of wild animals, especially the rare and endangered wild animals, such as Saola, Asian rock rats, Asian elephants, tigers, Eld’s deers, Irrawaddy Dolphin and other species. These wild animals are important for preserving the intactness of forest, the balance of the ecosystem, and are precious natural heritages of our nation, Lao PDR", said Associate Prof Dr Somvang Phimmavong, Director General of the Forestry Department.                                              This year’s World Wildlife Day focuses on digital innovations that are transforming the way we safeguard our invaluable ecosystems and biodiversity.  It is a global platform to explore sustainable solutions to address threats to wildlife. New tools such as SMART patrol, drones, GIS, and maps are helping conservationists to identify, locate and monitor wildlife and critical species in forests and protected areas and wetlands, thus making wildlife conservation easier, more accurate, and efficient. “In the Lao PDR, the Government is taking bold steps in the right direction, with the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2016 – 2025, the forest Law voted in 2019, the protected area decree adopted in June 2023, the Decree on wetlands, the CITES decree under revision, the protected area roadmap in the drafting process. Through enhanced protection of its ecosystems, Laos actively participates in the national and global biodiversity conservation”, said Mrs. Ina Marčiulionytė, EU Ambassador to Lao PDR. “We are very proud to fund the Ecosystem Conservation through Integrated Landscape Management in Lao PDR (ECILL) implemented by the Wildlife Conservation Society in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. This project, builds on field experience in Nam Et-Phou Louey, Nam Kading, Phou Si Thon Endangered Species Conservation Area, and Xe Champhone wetlands, to reflex and feed the policy development process, integrating field experience and lessons learnt”, added Mrs. Ina Marčiulionytė, EU Ambassador to Lao PDR. French Ambassador Siv-Leng Chhuor echoed the EU Ambassador by saying: “I place emphasis the Protected Areas Decree adopted in June 2023, an ambitious text and a bold step for biodiversity protection in Laos, which was draft with inputs from the ECILL project, co-financed by AFD and the European Union and which we hope will be operationalized in the coming months and years. Despite today's celebrations, we must remain vigilant in the face of threats to biodiversity and we encourage the Government of Lao PDR to pursue these efforts and continue now with the implementation of these legislations.” Through various panel discussions with conservation organizations and experts, the event aimed to raise awareness among students of various faculties and colleges about the latest applications of digital technologies in wildlife conservation and the impact of digital interventions on ecosystems and communities.  Exhibition booths by conservation partners and educational institutions showcased technological innovation, tools, and services to drive wildlife conservation and human-wildlife coexistence, and highlighted the contributions made to sustainability, wildlife and biodiversity conservation in Lao PDR. World Wildlife Day is celebrated every year on March 3rd to connect people with the natural world and inspire continued learning and action for animals and plants. The event was attended by over 250 people and was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with the support of the Working Group 15.7 on combating illegal wildlife trade and trafficking. jmauer@wcs.org Mon, 04 Mar 2024 02:02:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:22230 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/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