Rescue and Rehabilitation Projects

EAST supports the rescue, rehabilitation and conservation of Asian wildlife species both in situ and ex-situ. In Asia the first project is the Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre, founded in 2008 in Cat Tien National Park, South Vietnam. The centre's staff work with the Forestry Protection Department of Vietnam to cease the illegal trade in endangered primates.

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Dao Tien Updates 2012


April 2012 
Tree Regeneration Project
  • With 600 native fruit tree saplings now big enough to be planted, Dao Tien's Forest Regeneration Project is moving on to the next stage.
  • Two plots within the 60 hectare island have been identified as the first areas for regeneration, one of these within the large 20-hectare semi-wild enclosure that makes up Phase 2 Tree Training for the gibbons.
  • The team at Dao Tien, along with John, a volunteer from the UK, have been working hard to cut back plots to make space for our now 1-year-old saplings.  Not as easy as it sounds under the hot 40 degree sun!
  • Some trees have already been planted, and as soon as the Wet Season hits (in May) the rest of our little saplings will be ready for release.


K Hoai, tending to the newly planted saplings

John marking young trees to prevent them from
accidentally being cut when the bamboo is cleared
 
The Regeneration team! K Hoai, John and Nghia

March 2012
infant Black-Shanked Douc another victim of the Illegal Wildlife Trade
  • At the end of February, an infant female black-shanked douc was confiscated and brought to Dao Tien, after being sold in a market in the town of Bao Loc (approx 80km north of CTNP).
  • When she first arrived at Dao Tien, aged only 3.5 months, she was understandably scared and disorientated.  It is likely that as little as 3 days earlier she was living her life in the wild with her mother.  It is also likely that her mother would now be in a cooking pot somewhere as douc intestines are considered a delicacy in Vietnam.
  • Despite this traumatic experience, La La is growing stronger and more confident by the day.  Those first few months in the trees with her mother, although far too brief, had given her good instincts and some wild skills such as climbing trees and eating leaves.
  • She still has a long way to go, but with lots of trees to play in at Dao Tien, she is doing well with her rehabilitation; learning what leaves she likes to eat and building up muscles as she grows to help her complete those infamous douc bellyflops between the canopy!
  • The most important thing she needs now is douc friends to play with and learn from.  All previous doucs that have been rescued by Dao Tien have already been successfully released so she is currently the only one of her kind at the centre.  We are working hard to find other doucs in captivity that can not only become companions for La La, but would also have the chance of release themselves.
 


February 2012
Life-saving surgery for Misu

  • Misu, one of our young female gibbons, was found slumped in her hammock on morning check and would not come down.
  • Immediately it was clear it was very serious, as she was weak with pale gums and no appetite.  After examination we found a large swollen abdomen, with a lump as large as an orange.
  • Life-saving surgery followed to discover that she had managed to twist her ovarian artery, causing her ovarian sac to fill with blood.  She was in incredible pain and serious blood loss.
  • Luckily a team of veterinarians were available to conduct the surgery and, with intensive after-care, Misu has managed to make a full recovery and should continue life with no complications and still be able to breed.

The veterinary team and Misu Misu day one after surgery

 
January 2012

  • The craze for slacklining hits Vietnam.  Walking on strapping fastened between two trees is a simple, fun sport that can be done anywhere.  Our education team along with Viet Adventure have been introducing this craze to the school children of Vietnam.  The idea behind this stems from the fact that as you walk with your arms out high for balance you look like a gibbon; a gibbon running thorugh the canopy.  Although gibbons are famous for brachiating with their arms, they actually run on branches high up in the canopy over 20% of the time.  Gibbons kept in small cages in the pet trade have to regain their balance and fearlessness to return to the trees, as we do when slacklining.