Training Course on “CITES Policies and Identification of Reptile Species
Commonly Found in Trade”
21 – 23 February 2011
Bason Guest House, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

REPORT SUMMARYThe Training Course on “CITES Policies and Identification of Reptile Species
Commonly Found in Trade” was held from 21 till 23 February 2011 at the Ba Son Guest
House, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. The two and a half day training course wasorganised by the Viet Nam CITES Management Authority (MA) in collaboration with
TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEANWEN), and with support from the Ministry of the Environment – Japan.
Representatives from the Viet Nam Directorate of Forestry, the Ministry of theEnvironment – Japan, the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN)
Program Coordination Unit, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and TRAFFIC’s Greater Mekong
Programme were present at the opening ceremony (Press release attached as Appendix
A).
Present at this workshop were a total of 37 participants from Customs, Environment
Police, Market Control, Animals Quarantine, Provincial Forest Protection Departments,
relevant nature conservation organisations, express delivery companies in Ho Chi Minh
City and six provinces namely Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc, Dong Thap, An Giang,
Kien Giang, and staff of Viet Nam Biodiversity Conservation Agency. The training
course’s objectives were to strengthen the capacity of relevant law enforcement staff in
CITES implementation and the identification of reptile species commonly found in trade(Agenda and List of Participants attached as Appendix B & C respectively).
A pre-workshop evaluation indicated that 100% of the respondents had heard of CITES,
but only 94% were able to accurately define it. More than 90% of the respondents had
never received any CITES training before, and 73% had not attended any specifictraining of trainer course. Respondents’ selections in other questions indicated species
identification as their top priority when it comes to improving the capacity of wildlife
enforcement officers (compilation of pre-workshop evaluation attached as Appendix D).

1

1st day – 21 Feb 2011
‘Overview of the Wildlife Trade in the Region and in the World’ by Mr. Vuong
Tien Manh
Mr. Vuong’s presentation focused on global and local examples of wildlife trade,including emphasis on wild meat as it is very popular in Viet Nam. In one example, hespoke about how illegal traders in wildlife also often trade in narcotics. In a case in 2003,
a drug smuggler caught by the authorities also had 9 rhino horns packed together withdrugs. At the end, he emphasised that although each enforcement agency has its own roleand responsibility, the key point is that everyone works together to combat the illegal
wildlife trade.
In 2010, 876 cases of wildlife law violation (data from Forestry Protection Department)
and 13,000 heads of animals were seized. However, there was a decline in total numberof animals traded, but the reason is not clear if this is a result of enforcement efforts orthat there are less animals in the wild.
Cooperation between Viet Nam and South Africa began in 2010. On-going dialogue has
focused on stopping the illegal trade of rhino horns between the two countries. He also
outlined the trade of pangolins, Tigers, reptiles and bush meat commonly served inrestaurants in Viet Nam.
The Viet Nam Wildlife Enforcement Network (WEN) was launched in August 2010 in
Ha Noi, under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The
Vice Minister of MARD is the Chairman of Viet Nam-WEN, and the Vice Director
General of the Viet Nam Directorate of Forestry is the Vice-Chairman. He also spoke ofthe different local enforcement agencies that were part of the Viet Nam-WEN including
forest rangers, customs, police, market control, border guard army, court, justice,
fisheries, conservation NGOs and scientific authorities).
Q&A:
Customs: Some species are not listed as endangered under national legislation, butcommonly traded. Are there any regulations that can help protect them?
-

In Viet Nam, the CITES MA is developing a circular to manage wildlife species
which are neither listed as endangered, precious, or rare species under Viet Nam
legislation nor listed in the CITES Appendices.

Customs seize wildlife all the time, but have difficulty identifying the species, especiallylocal species that are not listed on CITES. They do not have any person/organisation
to contact to assist.
-

The CITES MA will present later in the day, providing more details of their roles
and responsibilities and how participants may be able to contact them forassistance and guidance in the future.

2

At the end of the morning session, Mr. Thai Truyen reminded the participants that thistraining also presents them the opportunity to get to know their fellow colleagues fromother enforcement agencies so that they are able to share their experiences and form a
network among themselves. The CITES MA is also working on a species identification
guide for those listed in the circular mentioned above.

‘Impacts of Illegal Wildlife Trade on Biodiversity, Illustrated by a Case study intrade in fresh water turtles in Southeast Asia’ by Mr. Mai Hong Quan
Wildlife trading has been going on for many years. High level of trade and destruction ofnatural habitat is a negative impact on the ecosystem which provides us with food.
Wildlife is an important part of the food chain. Commercial trading is happening at amuch larger scale than ever in the last 15 years. Endangered species commonly traded
are all available in the market. Freshwater turtles are commonly traded for food, pets,
decoration and medicine. In the region, 25 species that are found in trade are listed as
Endangered. In Viet Nam, turtles are mostly used for food, according to practitioners of
traditional medicine, it is very good for health. He also gave examples of seizures ofFreshwater Turtles (imported from Malaysia, Lao and re-exported to China).
Viet Nam functions as a transit point in a number of international wildlife trade routes.
Measures are needed to prevent illegal wildlife trade including coordination andcooperation among neighboring countries such as with China and Lao, and also between
different enforcement agencies nationally.
‘Introduction to CITES and roles of CITES MA and SA in Viet Nam’ by Mr. Thai
TruyenBefore he began his presentation, Mr. Thai Truyen asked the participants if they had ever
heard of CITES. Only about 50% said that they had. He then proceeded to give an
introduction to CITES including its aims and structure. Partnerships with otherorganisations (for e.g. UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, World Customs
Organisation and TRAFFIC) and conventions (for e.g. Convention on Biological
Diversity) were also mentioned. Mr. Thai Truyen also reminded the participants that
CITES only covers international trade. Any domestic wildlife trade issues are governedby national legislation.
Viet Nam signed on to be a member if CITES since 1994. As a member to CITES, a
party must have wildlife national legislation that is at least as strong as CITES. Mr. Thai
Truyen also pointed out that effective implementation of CITES is the responsibility of afew national enforcement agencies such as Police, Customs, Courts and Wildlife
agencies.
In his presentation, Mr. Thai Truyen spoke briefly about the CITES Appendices and themain differences in criteria and levels of trade for species listed in Appendix I, II and III.
He also briefly explained how the system of CITES permits and certificates help monitor
trade in wildlife, especially those listed in Appendix I and II. He further emphasized that
CITES MAs of both importing and exporting countries are constantly in contact with3

each other to verify certificates of specimens in trade. At a national level, Customs
authorities confirm exact numbers of specimens in trade to their CITES MAs.
Mr. Thai Truyen gave participants the structure of CITES MA and SA, including otherrelevant law enforcement agencies in Viet Nam. He pointed out one of the main
challenges for the SA is that they are all situated in the northern region of Viet Nam. As
such, investigations on samples can become costly and time consuming for enforcement
officers in the south. One of the challenges faced by the CITES MA of Viet Nam is thelack of human resources, especially the lack of CITES officers at the border areas, tocarry out their duties. At the end of his presentation, Mr. Thai Truyen encouraged
participants to contact the CITES MA and SA if they have any enquiries. Contact details
were provided in the training materials.
Mr. Thai Truyen ended his session by asking for volunteers to name the current national
legislation for the protection of wildlife in the country. He reminded participants of the
inclusion of aquatic species in the new Circular No. 01/2011/TT-BNNPTNT dated
05/01/2011 of MARD on Amendment of list of endangered aquatic species in Viet Nam
which need protection, reproduction and development. He then gave brief introduction to
Decree 32/2006/ND-CP dated 30/3/2006 of the Government of Viet Nam on theManagement of Endangered, Precious and Rare Forest Plants and Animals and Decree
82/2006/ND-CP dated 10/8/2006 of the Government of Viet Nam on the Management ofExport, Import, Re-export, Introduction from the Sea, Transit, Breeding, Rearing andArtificial Propagation of Rare, Precious, Endangered Wild Animals and Plants.
Q&A
What are the roles of other agencies (other than the CITES MA) in terms of executionof CITES in Viet Nam?
-

Besides CITES MA and CITES SAs, other agencies such as Forest Protection
Departments (FPD), Customs, Police, Market Control, Border Army, and Justicealso play a very important role in the efforts to manage illegal wildlife trade. Theirroles are clarified in Decree 82/2006/QD-TTg and recently Decision 65/2010/QGTTg dated 25/10/2010 of the Prime Minister on promulgating the regulation on
activity-cooperation responsibilities and relations among state management
agencies in the struggle against smuggling, fake goods and trade fraud.

What are the requirements to become a member of CITES?
-

It is voluntary to become a member of CITES. A country would need to conformto CITES regulations such as having CITES MA and SA, appropriate national
legislation and enforcement regimes.

‘Role of Customs in Combating Illegal Wildlife Trade’ by Mr. Nguyen Quoc Toan
Mr. Nguyen Quoc Toan started his presentation by explaining that customs activities aregoverned by decrees and circulars issued by the Vietnamese Government. He informed
participants that the Customs Department manages all importing, exporting andtranshipping activities.

4

He also said that trafficking techniques differ for those who smuggle by land, sea and air.
He went on to provide some examples of seizures:‐ 2010, Customs Department cooperated with Police and seized 552kg of wildlife,
including snakes, turtles and lizards imported illegally from Cambodia.
‐ Pangolin trade is very popular now. Based on a TRAFFIC report, income fromtrading in pangolin is very high; USD160 per pangolin but can be resold at
USD5700 per animal.
‐ Seizure of 55 birds by Customs at HCMC Airport.
‐ Seizure of 2 cases of rhino horns at HCMC Airport. The rhino horns werewrapped in newspapers and placed in plastic bags, but the smuggler was caught
when their luggage was scanned. This seizure came from a cooperative effort
involving the Environmental Police.
‐ Seizure of 12 bear paws, covered in plastic bag (airport).
‐ Seizure of 1 python (airport).
‐ Seizure of 2 tonnes ivory (Hai Phong port)
Mr. Nguyen also explained that there are many smuggling techniques and newtechniques are constantly being developed. Smuggled animals are commonly drugged to
avoid them making any noise, some are hidden in secret compartments, and some arecarried on the body of the smuggler. Another common technique used by illegal traders
is fraudulent permits (for example changing the number of specimens on the permit
issued).
One of the efforts by Customs Department to have better control is to only allow 1
door/lane clearance at the HCMC airport.
Customs need the support of international agencies to develop better administrative
methods (such as risk assessment). The Customs Department usually checks written
documents and not the actual shipment. There hasn’t been much development in the fieldof intelligence either as intelligence work is very risky.
Mr. Nguyen went on to state that since living standards are now higher in Viet Nam, thesociety is getting richer, more and more people are willing to spend money on wildlife
and wildlife products. During festivals and holidays, wildlife meat is still openly sold. He
mentioned that there should be awareness that wildlife trade is a crime and must betreated seriously. Public awareness, in his opinion, is the first priority. Second is to build
capacity building of custom officers; to learn more about trafficking techniques usedaround the world, and to improve their identification skills. He also mentioned that it is ahuge challenge for customs officers as they have to be more innovative and always be a
step ahead of the wildlife criminals.
Strict enforcement and coordination among all enforcement agencies is also crucial.
‘Role of Police in general and of Environmental Police in particular in Combating
Illegal Wildlife Trade in Southern Provinces’ by Mr. Lam Hieu Nghia

5Mr. Lam Hieu Nghia spoke about the Environmental Police which was only justlaunched in 2007. He explained that the main function of the Environmental Police is tocarry out measures to prevent, investigate and handle environmental violations. The
government changed their name in 2010 to ‘Anti-Environmental Crime Department’. By
end of 2010, the Vietnamese Government decreed that the Environmental Police can also
cooperate with other agencies to combat illegal trade of wildlife. Every year they have anannual plan, and the main objective is to prevent and fight against illegal wildlife tradeand illegal forest activities such as logging.
One of the challenges, according to Mr. Lam, is the shortage of human resources. They
have only 2 officers in charge of forest products. This means that the only way they canbe successful is to work together with other agencies, such as the CITES MA and FPD
and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and National Parks.
Mr. Lam suggested that enforcement officers should be given the chance to attend moreworkshops to share experiences and learning practices among enforcement agencies.
Each agency has different skill sets. For example, FPD officers will be able to help otherofficers when it comes to species identification. He also recommended the Governmentand scientific community to provide scientific proof that consuming wildlife is notnecessarily a healthy choice.
2nd day – 22 Feb 2011
‘CITES Appendices and Exercise’ by Mr. Thai Truyen
Mr. Thai Truyen’s presentation included an introduction to the CITES Appendices, its
structure, and a short lesson on how to read and use the Appendices. He also asked how
many participants could read English and only a handful were able to.
Mr. Thai Truyen then asked the participants what they did if they were looking for thelisting of a particular species that they are not familiar with. The participant responded
that they would seek the assistance of a specialist/biologist. He also suggested that if theyneed more information, they could use websites such as Wikipedia. A quick exercise wasconducted. Mr. Thai Truyen encouraged the participants to look for the listing for the
species Paphiopedilum glaucophyllum. The presentation continued with Mr. Thai
providing some tips as a guide to the participants on how to read the appendices.
He informed the participants that the CITES Appendices have been translated into
Vietnamese and will be provided in a CD, together with the CITES checklist andAppendices in English as well as all the other training materials used at the workshop.
Participants were also reminded to constantly check for any updates of the CITES
documents on the CITES website www.cites.org.
After the presentation, the session continued with the CITES Appendices exercise where
the participants had to complete a form with the listing and page numbers of selected
species. Organisers and facilitators were at hand to assist the participants. During theexercise, Mr. Thai Truyen reminded the participants that the Appendices are only a6summary of all the species listed in CITES and that they should refer to the CITES
checklist for the complete listing.
‘CITES Permits & Certificates’ by Mr. Thai Truyen
Mr. Thai Truyen started the presentation with the standardization of CITES permits andcertificates. He also spoke about the different types of permits and exemptions wherecertain specimens require special procedures.
There was a discussion on the issue of CITES permit exemptions for ‘personal andhousehold effects’. One of the customs officers shared that diplomats do not need tosubmit a declaration form and their luggage do not usually get checked by Customs. Mr.
Thai Truyen advised all participants that everyone is subject to the CITES regulations
and that Customs have the power to seize the specimens which do not meet the definitionof exemption of ‘personal and household effects’.
The presentation included a section on Viet Nam’s CITES permits. Mr. Thai Truyen
explained the conditions of a properly completed CITES permit and remindedparticipants that Viet Nam has two offices issuing CITES permits, one in the north(represented by the letter N in the permit number) and another in the south (represented
by the number S in the permit number). He also pointed out some key points to look out
for to ascertain whether the permit is valid or has been falsified. Mr. Thai Truyen also
reminded participants that each transaction must be accompanied by a valid permit.
Permits should never be used more than once.
At the end of his presentation, he reminded participants to be diligent and follow theprocedures of checking shipments/cargo and permits and to contact the CITES MA
whenever in doubt.
Q&A
Customs officers – Live specimens, what about derivatives and parts?
‐

CITES specimen covers all, does not matter if it’s a whole animal or parts orderivatives. The specimens must be accompanied by the original permit. CITES
MA and Customs may make a copy and keep it for future reference.

Are CITES permits in Viet Nam printed by computer or provided by the CITES
Secretariat?
‐

Mr. Thai Truyen explained that CITES MA Viet Nam prints their own forms, but
their format, including the logo of the MARD, have been registered with the
CITES Secretariat.

Can tourist souvenirs be sent by post?
‐

Mr. Thai Truyen explained that for ‘personal and household effects’ such as
souvenirs, one of the criteria states that it must be worn or carried or included in7

personal baggage or part of a household move at the time of import/export or reexport. It cannot be sent by post or courier.
In cases where specimens have arrived without their documents, how long do they
have to wait?
‐‐

Customs officer – Time frame is not an issue. Specimens will not be released until
the permits have been checked.
Mr. Thai reminded customs to validate all permits and fill up the necessary
columns at the bottom of the CITES permit. This is to ensure that the permits are
not re-used for other transactions. There have also been cases where authorities
from importing countries have sent the incomplete CITES forms back to Customs
authorities in Viet Nam for validation.

Is the Security Stamp compulsory?
‐

Using a security stamp is optional for all CITES parties, but in the case of permits
for CITES species issued in Viet Nam, they must have a security stamp, witheither a signature or a seal on top of the security stamp.

Are traders allowed to apply for extension if the permit is outdated?
‐

Yes for some countries. In Viet Nam, you will need validation from Customs toprove that your shipment has not been exported. With this validation, the trader isallowed to approach CITES MA for an extension. CITES MA will then issue a
new permit.

‘Fraudulent permit exercise’ by Participants
In this session, participants were given some time to look for mistakes on a ‘fake’ permit.
‘Smuggling Techniques’ by Mr. Vuong Tien Manh
A session of role-playing was conducted prior to the presentation on smuggling
techniques. Mr. Sulma Warne took the role of a traveler attempting to smuggle wildlife
and wildlife products. Two of the participants from Customs and Environment Police
volunteered to conduct a search of Mr. Sulma Warne and his bags. The other participantson the floor assisted the volunteers by giving suggestions as to how and where Mr.
Sulma Warne might be concealing additional contraband. This session helped
participants to recognize and understand more on smuggling techniques presented by Mr.
Vuong Tien Manh.
‘Group discussion’ by ParticipantsParticipants were randomly divided into 3 groups. Each group was asked to identify 3challenges in enforcing wildlife management in Viet Nam and propose appropriate
solutions to deal with each challenge. Results of group discussion are presented asfollows.
8

GROUP 1
Challenge 1: Management staff capacity in the identification of CITES species islimited, even if trained as training is often mainly theory.
‐ Regularly conducting training on identification using both theory and practice
Challenge 2: High demand of society for wildlife products‐ Awareness raising on the importance of wildlife protection, especially for CITES
listed species‐ Cooperation of enforcement organisations to strictly handle violations in wildlife
management
Challenge 3: Lack of equipment or out-dated equipment to examine wildlife
concealment‐ More investment on modern equipment to examine wildlife concealment andhandle violation cases‐ Training on using new equipment for relevant staff
GROUP 2
Challenge 1: Difficult to examine, identify and clarify between animal specimens fromthe wild and bred sources‐ Commitment of breeding farms to the origin of specimens and examination of
FPD‐ FPD’s confirmation on the origin of specimens for consideration to issue CITES
permits
Challenge 2: Difficult to prevent and handle small scaled violations in wildlife
management, especially when the violators are the poor
‐ Synchronous cooperation among relevant enforcement organisations‐ Strengthened examination and strict handling on violations
Challenge 3: Limited public awareness on wildlife protection‐ Conducting diverse forms/media to strengthen public awareness on values ofwildlife protection‐ Creating more jobs and social policies on economic development for local people
GROUP 3
Challenge 1: Limited capacity in identification of wildlife‐ Developing more identification materials‐ Conducting more training for relevant staff
Challenge 2: Cooperation among relevant organisations is not synchronous and close yet‐ Regular evaluation on cooperation agreements between relevant organisations
such as FPD, Environment Police, and Customs‐ Other cooperation agreements among relevant organisations needed to be issued
by the Government
Challenge 3: Limited fund for activities in the struggle against wildlife smuggling‐ Increased allowances for front line staff‐ Finding other funding from national and international sources‘Species ID Sheets and Identification of Reptile Species Commonly Found in Trade’
Mr. Thai Truyen gave brief introduction to the Species ID Sheets developed by
TRAFFIC Southeast Asia. A colored, hard copy of Species ID Sheets in Vietnamese
language and a CD were also delivered to each participant at the training course.
9

Before the end of the second day, participants were introduced to identification of reptile
species including crocodiles, lizards, turtles and tortoises by Mr. Nguyen Thien Tao.
Some dry skins of crocodiles, snakes, pythons and monitor lizards were shown toparticipants as supporting training materials.
Morning of the 3rd day - 23 Feb 2011
‘Site visit to Sai Gon Zoo’
Participants were brought to the Sai Gon Zoo for a half day session on the identificationof reptile species commonly traded in the region.
Following a brief introduction to the Sai Gon Zoo by Ms. Huynh Thi Tuyet Mai, Mr.
Nguyen Thien Tao introduced participants to the specific characters used to identify
reptile species with assistance of Mr. Lam Quoc Cuong and other staff of Sai Gon Zoo in
handling live specimens.
‘Post-workshop Evaluation’
The post-workshop evaluation was largely positive and indicated that participants agreed
or strongly agreed to the objectives, content, trainers, training materials, facilities and theoverall training course (Compilation of post-workshop evaluation attached as Appendix
E). All respondents learnt useful knowledge and skills related to their work. Participants
were also encouraged to provide additional comments or suggestions about the training
course. These are presented as follows.
+ It is needed to conduct more training courses like this for other relevant law
enforcement staff.
+ More time is needed for identification of other wildlife, especially CITES-listed
species.
+ More time is needed for discussion and sharing experiences among staff fromdifferent departments and provinces. New information can be shared with participants via
emails.
‘Closing ceremony’Mr. Thai Truyen gave closing remarks. On behalf of Viet Nam CITES MA, he thanked
the Ministry of Environment – Japan for financial support via ESABII, and the ASEANWEN and TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and Greater Mekong Programme for collaborative
support in organising the training course. He also thanked the Saigon Zoo for support in
conducting practical identification of reptile species at the Zoo. He further thanked
participants for their attention and engagement in all activities of the training course, andthe trainers and relevant staff for their hard works to prepare and conduct the training
course.
Dr. Noriaki Sakaguchi and Mr. Sulma Warne expressed the impression of the donor andthe observers with this excellent, well-organised training course and believed that basic

10

knowledge and training materials provided are helpful not only for participants but also
for their colleagues who had no chance to attend this training course.
At the end of the training course, a certificate of participation along with CD of training
materials was presented to each participant by Dr. Noriaki Sakaguchi, Ms. Claire
Beastall and Mr. Thai Truyen.

11Appendix A

News Release
Wildlife law enforcers build skills to combat illegal wildlife trade
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 21-23 February 2011 - Law enforcers are being trained this week on
how to identify threatened reptile species and familiarize themselves with international wildlife
protection policies in an effort to combat illegal wildlife trade in the ASEAN region.
The training course will be led by Vietnamese trainers who attended a “Training of Trainers” formembers of the ten ASEAN nations last month in Malaysia, as part of a project funded by the JapanASEAN Integration Fund and Ministry of the Environment, Japan under the East and Southeast Asia
Biodiversity Information Initiative (ESABII). The project seeks to involve and enhance the capabilities
of ASEAN and neighbouring countries in the understanding and application of taxonomic knowledge
and wildlife trade regulations.
Vietnam is the first country in the region to be selected to organize its own CITES and species
identification course, conducted completely by national trainers.
The course will equip key staff working in land and air ports in southern Vietnam with basic knowledgeof the wildlife trade in Southeast Asia, international regulations governing the trade, such as CITES(the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), and relevant
national laws. Participants will also be trained to identify threatened reptile species that are commonly
traded in the region during an interactive session at the Saigon Zoo.
Illegal wildlife trade has been identified as one of the greatest threats to the region’s biodiversity. In
his opening speech, Dr Ha Cong Tuan, Deputy Director General of Vietnam’s Directorate of Forestry– Director of Vietnam’s CITES Management Authority, affirmed: “This training will help equip law
enforcers who are working to control international wildlife trade with the skills to more effectively
protect and sustainably use our precious natural resources.”
Dr. Manop Lauprasert, Senior Officer of the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN)
Program Coordination Unit, which is supporting the training, added “Criminal networks are taking
advantage of limited enforcement capacity at land, sea and airports across the region. Training
initiatives such as this will help to close these gaps, and strengthen the prevention of wildlife frombeing smuggled across international borders. The ASEAN-WEN PCU is encouraged to see countries
take such important steps to end the illegal wildlife trade”.
There is increasing recognition that wildlife trade, both legal and illegal, is becoming more common atinternational ports, therefore capacity building for airport and land port staff plays an important role instopping wildlife trafficking.
Regional Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Dr. William Schaedla said, “This course is not only
helping to impart the necessary knowledge and skills to front line enforcement officers and other key
stakeholders, but also supporting Vietnamese officials to continue to lead such capacity building
initiatives.”
The training course will be conducted in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City by the Vietnam CITESManagement Authority in collaboration with TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and The ASEAN Wildlife
Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN).
Notes to Editors•

Vietnam’s CITES Management Authority, which belongs to Vietnam’s Directorate of Forestry,
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, is the representative of the Socialist Republicof Vietnam in the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered

Appendix A

Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and is the ASEAN-WEN focal point within the
country.
•

The ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) aims to address illegal exploitationand trade in CITES-listed species within the ASEAN region. It is an integrated network amonglaw enforcement agencies in the 10 ASEAN Member States (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam),involving CITES authorities, customs, police, prosecutors, specialized governmental wildlifelaw enforcement organizations and other relevant national law enforcement agencies. Thisten member network also aims at facilitating cross border collaboration to fight against illegal
wildlife trade in the region. For more information, visit www.asean-wen.org•

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants andanimals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of IUCN
and WWF. TRAFFIC works to support government agencies in law enforcement networking
across Asia and globally to combat illegal wildlife trade. Technical assistance across theenforcement continuum, including facilitation of inter-governmental dialogues, engaging the
judicial sector, and working with WWF to improve linkages from national level agencies tofield-based rangers, is provided on demand to member countries of the ASEAN and South
Asia Wildlife Enforcement networks, as well as to China and its immediate neighbours. For
more information, visit www.traffic.org

For more information, please contact:
Sarah Morgan, Communications Officer, TRAFFIC Greater Mekong Programme, Tel. +84 4 3726
1575 Ext 204, E-mail: smorgan@traffic.netnam.vn
CITES Management Authority of Vietnam
A3, 2 Ngoc Ha Street, Ba Dinh District - Ha Noi, Vietnam
Tel. +84 4 3733 5676; Fax: +84 4 3734 6742, Email: cites_vn.kl@mard.gov.vn; fpdvn@hn.vnn.vn

2|PageAppendix B

AgendaCITES policies and Identification of Reptiles
Commonly Found in Trade in Viet Nam
Ho Chi Minh City, 21-23 Feb 2011
Day 0: Sunday 20/02/2011
Time
Description
Morning
Checking all preparations
1400 – 2000
Receive participants, check in hotel

Day 1: Monday 21/02/2011
Time

By whomThai Truyen, Le Huy Hiep
Le Huy Hiep, Phan Thi Nguyet andHotel Receptionists

Description

By whom

08:00 – 08:30
08:30 – 08:35
08:35 – 08:50

Registration and material distribution
Introduction
Opening remark

08:50 – 09:10

Opening speech and Overview on
ESABII Project

09:10 – 09:30

Opening speech and Overview on
ASEAN-WEN
General introduction of the training
course and agenda adoption
Self introduction and Pre – training
assessment
Tea break and photo

Le Huy Hiep and Phan Thi Nguyet
Thai Truyen
Dr Ha Cong Tuan, Deputy Director
General of Forestry Directorate,
Director of Vietnam CITES M.A.
Dr Noriaki Sakaguchi, Deputy Directorof Japanese Biodiversity Center,
Division of Nature Conservation,
Ministry of Environment
Dr Manop Lauprasert, PCU of
ASEAN-WEN Support Programme
Mr. Thai Truyen

09:30 – 09:45
09:45 – 10:00
10:00 – 10:15
1000 – 1115

1115 – 1130

1130 – 1330
1330 – 1415

1415 – 15h00

1500 – 1515
1515 – 1545

Overview of wildlife trade in theregion and in the world – Questions
and answers
Wildlife trade in Vietnam andIntroduction of Viet-WEN – Q andA
Lunch
Impacts of illegal wildlife trade on
biodiversity, illustrated by case study
on trade in fresh water turtles inSoutheast Asia – Q and A
Introduction to CITES and roles of
CITES MA, SA in Viet Nam – Q andA
Tea breakViet Nam legislation for CITES
implementation: Decree 82/2006 andDecree 32/2006. Q and A

Vuong Tien Manh and Mai Hong Quan
Vuong Tien Manh, Mai Hong Quan
and Nguyen Thien Tao
Vuong Tien Manh

Vuong Tien Manh

Phan Thi Nguyet, Le Huy Hiep
Mai Hong Quan

Thai Truyen

Phan Thi Nguyet, Le Huy HiepThai Truyen

Appendix B

1545 – 1615

1615 - 1645

1645 – 1700

Roles of Customs in combatingillegal wildlife trade, some recent
cases. Q and A
Roles of Police in general and ofEnvironmental Police in particular incombating illegal wildlife trade insouthern provinces – Q and A
Day – end Q and A

Nguyen Quoc Toan
Customs Department of HCMC
Lam Hieu Nghia
Environmental Police of HCMC

Trainers

Day 2: Tuesday 22/02/2011
Time
Description
0800 – 0815
0815 –0930

Recap and adopt Day 2 agenda
CITES Appendices and exercises

0930 – 0945
09:45 – 10:30
1030 – 1115
1115 – 1130

Tea break
CITES Permits and Certificates
CITES permits exercises
Q and A on CITES appendices andpermits
Lunch
Fraudulences
Group discussion
Tea break
Reports on Group Discussion
Introduction of Species ID Sheet andidentification of some reptiles foundin trade
Q and A

1130 – 1330
1330 – 1415
1415 – 1500
1500 – 1515
15:15 – 15:45
15:45 – 16:45

16:45 – 17:00

Day 3: Wednesday 23/02/2011
Time
Description
0800 – 0845
0845 – 1115
1130 – 1230

1300 - 1400

Introduction of Sai Gon Zoo andreptile species at the zoo
Identification of reptile species foundin trade by groups
Recap, Q and A
Course assessment
Certificate handling
Farewell lunch

By whomThai Truyen
Thai Truyen
Thai Truyen
Thai Truyen and Vuong Tien Manh
Thai Truyen and Vuong Tien Manh
Phan Thi Nguyet and Le Huy Hiep
Vuong Tien Manh
Trainers, observers
All participants
Nguyen Thien Tao

Thai Truyen

By whom
Huynh Thi Tuyet Mai, Lam Quoc
Cuong and Nguyen Thien Tao
Nguyen Thien Tao and Lam Quoc
Cuong
Dr Noriaki Sakaguchi, Thai Truyen,
Claire Beastall and Sulma Warne (atBason)

Appendix C

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Training Course on “CITES Policies and Identification of Reptile Species Commonly Found in Trade”
From 21-23 February 2011 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
No.

Name

Organization

1

Nguyen Thanh Toan

Thuong Phuoc Sub-Department of Customs

2

Pham Van Lanh

Section of Environment Police – Dong Thap Police

3

Nguyen Phu Cuong

egislation Section – Dong Thap Forest Protection Department (FPD)

4

Nguyen Van Thao

Dinh Ba Sub-Department of Customs – Dong Thap Deparment of

Position
Director–Dong Thap Department of Customs (DoC)
Staff
Vice Head
Staff

Customs (DoC)
5

Tran Van Sinh

Unit of Goods Document, Sub-Department of Customs of Saigon

HeadPort, DoC of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)
6

Vu Trieu DuongTan Son Nhat Sub-Department of Customs, DoC of HCMC

Staff

7

Pham Van Thoi

Post Office Sub-Department of Customs, DoC of HCMC

Staff

8

Nguyen Thanh Binh

Section of Environment Police – Police of HCMC

Staff

9

Lam Tung Que

Wildlife Rescue Center – FPD of HCMC

10

Le Van Hung

Mobile Team – FPD of Tay Ninh

Staff

11

Tran Duy Hung

Section of Environment Police – Police of Tay Ninh

Staff

12

Chau Hoang Long

Moc Bai Sub-Department of Customs - Tay Ninh DoC

Staff

13

Vu Tien Tung

Xa Mat Sub-Department of Customs - Tay Ninh DoC

Staff

14

Nguyen Hoang Dung

Mobile Team – FPD of An Giang

Head

15

Nguyen Quoc Viet

Section of Environment Police of An Giang

Staff

16

Nguyen Van Cung

Tinh Bien Sub-Department of Customs - DoC of An Giang

Staff

17

Doan Nhut Tan

Vinh Xuong Sub-Department of Customs - DoC of An Giang

Staff

18

Le Quang Nhuan

Section of Environment Police – Police of Kien Giang

Staff

19

Le Khanh Hung

Market Management Department of Kien Giang

Vice Director

20

Ho Ru By

Giang Thanh Sub-FPD – Kien Giang FPD

Vice Head

21

Phung My Trung

DoC of Dong Nai

Staff

22

Dang Van Thang

Section of Environment Police – Police of Dong Nai

Staff

23

Nguyen Ngoc Phuong

Nature Conservation Section – FPD of Dong Nai

Staff

24

Tran Van Vinh

Mobile Team – Sub-FPD of Cat Tien National Park

Staff

25

Trinh Huu Thanh

Mobile Team – Third Regional Office for Forest Protection

Staff

26

Phan Dinh Hanh

Section of Environment Police – Police of Binh Phuoc

Staff

27

Phan Tien Cuong

Legislation Section – Market Management Department of Binh

Staff

Phuoc
28

Phan Trung Vinh

Mobile Team – FPD of Binh Phuoc

Vice Head

29

Nguyen Thi Van Anh

Vietnam Biodiversity Conservation Agency

30

Nguyen Tai DanhTan Son Nhat Animals Quarantine Section –Veterinary Department

31

Truong Ngoc Linh

32

Diep Quoc Truong

Veterinary Department of Region VII - Can Tho

Staff

33

To Tan Van Thang

Veterinary Department of Region VII - Can Tho

Staff

34

Le Thanh Liem

Mobile Team - Wildlife at Risk

Head

35

Le Dai Ve

Mobile Team - Wildlife at Risk

Staff

36

Vo Huynh Quoc Thai

Alpha Express CO., LTD

37

Dinh Huu Tinh

Section 3 – Southern Office of Environment Police

Vice Headof Region VI, HCMC
Tan Son Nhat Animals Quarantine Section –Veterinary Department

Staff

of Region VI, HCMC

Vice Director
GeneralStaff

Appendix D

Training Course
On CITES Policies and Identification of Reptile Species Commonly Found in Trade
Ho Chi Minh City, 21 – 23 February 2011
RESULTS OF PRE-TRAINING EVALUATION QUESTIONAIRE
Date: 21 February 2011
Participants were asked to give ONE answer per question. Results of participants’
answers were compiled and presented in percentages as follows.
1. What is the main national law used for wildlife protection?
Percentages (%) Answers containing the following legal documents
100.00Decree 32/2006/ND-CP dated 30/3/2006 of Government of Vietnam
on management of endangered, precious and rare forest plants andanimals.
85.30

Decree 82/2006/ND-CP dated 10/8/2006 of Government of Vietnam
on management of export, import, re-export, introduction from thesea, transit, breeding, rearing and artificial propagation of rare,
precious, endangered wild animals and plants.

17.60

Circular 59/2010/TT-BNN dated 19/10/2010 of MARD on
announcing the 2010 CITES Appendices

Additionally, other legal documents mentioned by some participants are the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Law on
Forest Protection and Development (2004), Biodiversity Law (2008), Penal Code (1999
and amended 2009, Article 190), Decision 65/2010/QG-TTg dated 25/10/2010 of Prime
Minister on promulgating the regulation on activity-cooperation responsibilities andrelations among state management agencies in the struggle against smuggling, fake goods
and trade fraud, and Circular 90/2008/TT-BNN dated 28/8/2008 of MARD on guidelines
for the settlement of wildlife specimens confiscated as a result of administrative
violations.
2. Have you heard of CITES?
100.00 YES

NO

3. What do you think CITES is?
02.94
An international organisation which gives money for conservation projects
An NGOAn international convention which regulates national trade in endangered
species of animals and plants
An international convention which regulates international trade in endangered
species of animals
94.12
An international convention which regulates international trade in endangered
species of animals and plants

Appendix D

02.94

Don't know
No answer

4. Have you ever received CITES training?
08.82
YES

91.18 NO

5. Have you ever received species identification training?
26.47
YES
73.53 NO
6. Have you ever been involved in any wildlife smuggling cases?
50.00
YES
50.00 NO
7. How long have you worked for this department?
17.65
Less than 1 year
50.00
1 – 5 years
05.88
6 – 10 years
26.47
More than 10 years
8.

What kind of training do you think is the most important? Choose ONLY one
answer.
44.12
Species identification
02.94
How to use the CITES Appendices
02.94
Checking the validation of CITES permits
17.65
General knowledge about CITES
08.82
Roles of responsibilities of different agencies involved in the implementation of
CITES
05.88
Case studies of some commonly smuggled species in your country
17.65
Detection of smuggling and smuggling methods
9. CITES applies to which of the following?
02.94
Live animals and plants
Dead animals and plants
Parts and derivatives of animals and plants
97.06
All of the above
Don’t know
10. A shipment of turtles is accompanied by a CITES permit which states that
there are 150 turtles in the shipment. When you check the shipment someanimals are dead. There are 150 live turtles and 50 dead turtles. What should
you do?
Nothing - the number of living animals matches the permit
100.00 Stop the shipment - the total number of animals does not match the permitAppendix E

Training Course
On CITES Policies and Identification of Reptile Species Commonly Found in Trade
Ho Chi Minh City, 21 – 23 February 2011
RESULTS OF POST-TRAINING EVALUATION
Date: 23 February 2011
Participants were asked to circle one appropriate number per question of the four
numbers which respectively denote SD (Strongly Disagree), D (Disagree), A (Agree) andSA (Strongly Agree). Results of participants’ answers were compiled and presented inpercentages as follows.
SD

A

Objectives

1.

The objectives of the training course were achieved

B

Content

2.

5

The content was relevant and interesting
I have gained an understanding of the subjects coveredin the training course
I have learnt useful knowledge and skills relating to mywork
I can apply the knowledge and skills learnt to my work

C

Trainers

3.
4.

The trainers presented and communicated ideas,
concepts and information clearly
Questions raised during the training course were7.
adequately answered
8. The trainers encouraged questions and participation
9. There was a good balance of activities
The trainers has adequate knowledge and experience on
10.
the subjects
There was good interaction between trainers and11.
participants
6.

D

D

A

SA

38.70 61.30
54.80 45.20
48.40 51.60
58.10 41.90
3.22

54.84 41.94

3.22

41.94 54.84

3.22

41.94 54.84

3.22

25.81 70.97
45.20 54.80
38.70 61.30

3.22

35.49 61.29

3.22

19.40 80.60
38.71 58.07

Training Materials

12. The training materials were relevant and useful
13. Practical illustrations and examples were given
The quality of the handouts in terms of readability and14.
clarity was good
15. As a working aid, the course materials were very usefulE

Facilities

16.

The room and equipment was properly set up and inworking orderF

Overall

17. Pace of the training course was right
18. Duration of the training course was right
19. My capacity/ability to deal with illegal wildlife

45.20 54.80
32.30 67.70
38.70 61.30

3.22

67.70 32.30
61.29 35.49
58.10 41.90

Appendix E

trade/traders has increased as a result of what I learnt
during the course
20. I would recommend this training course to others

35.50 64.50

2. Other comments / suggestions+ It is needed to conduct more training courses like this for other relevant law
enforcement staff.
+ More time is needed for identification of other wildlife, especially CITES-listed
species.
+ More time is need for discussion and sharing experiences among staff fromdifferent departments and provinces. New information can be shared with participants via
emails.