Vietnam latest news - | Three shark species attacked swimmers in central Vietnam: study

Vietnamese scientists have identified three shark species that have attacked people at least ten times off the coast of Binh Dinh Province's Quy Nhon Town from 2009-2010.

According to a report released by the Nha Trang Oceanography Institute on July 13, a pigeye shark (Carcharhinus amboinensis) attacked Nguyen Quang Huynh on July 18, 2009 causing a deep cut in his foot. Huynh was swimming some 150 meters off shore.

A blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) attacked Mang Duc Hanh on January 9, 2010 when he was swimming just ten meters from shore. Hanh suffered severe injury in his hand.

Meanwhile, the graceful shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides) may be responsible for eight other attacks.

Vo Si Tuan, deputy director of the Nha Trang Oceanography Institute, who led the research team, said the sea off the coast of Quy Nhon Town is the natural habitat of several tropical sharks that often search for food near the shore.

“The Quy Nhon Bay offers easy access for sharks to swim near the shore,” he said.

Tuan said nearby lobster farms have also attracted hungry sharks to the area while the El Nino (from July 2009 to June 2010) increased the water's temperature and solidity causing many sharks to mistake human beings as prey.

The report proposed solutions like moving lobster farms farther away from beaches and creating a protective the swimming zone enclosed by a large net.

According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), the 79 unprovoked attacks of 2010 was the highest total since 2000, when 80 attacks were recorded. 

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“The number of shark-human interactions occurring in a given year is directly correlated to the amount of time humans spend in the sea. As world population continues its upsurge and interest in aquatic recreation concurrently rises, we realistically should expect increases in the number of shark attacks and other aquatic recreation-related injuries,” it said.

As in recent years, North American waters had the most unprovoked attacks in 2010 with 32. Elsewhere, 14 attacks occurred in Australia, eight in South Africa, six in Vietnam and Egypt, with a single incidents occurring of the coast of the Bahamas, Brazil, Fiji, Madagascar, Mascarene Islands, Solomon Islands, Canary Islands, Tonga and the United Arab Emirates.

Surfers, swimmers and waders were the recreational groups most often involved in shark attacks in 2010 as those involved in snorkeling, scuba diving and those using inflatable rafts and inner-tubes were less likely to become victims of shark attacks.

Vietnamese man held with rhino horns in S. Africa | Look At Vietnam

Vietnamese man held with rhino horns in S. Africa

April 26, 2012

LookAtVietnam – The security force of South Africa’s OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg arrested a Vietnamese young man when he was about to leave the country with three rhino horns, authorities said Monday.

A rhino horn (for illustration only).  (Photo: Eyewitness News)

Upon searching the 25-year-old man’s luggage, the customs officers at the airport found the horns hidden in his bags, the New York Daily News quoted SA Revenue Service (SARS) spokesperson Adrian Lackay as saying.
The horns weigh about 13.9 kg in total and have an estimated value of about US$900,000, SARS said.
The man had travelled to South Africa before and he was being closely monitored up until his arrest, Lackay said.
The man, who was apparently in the country on a student visa, said he was here to learn English, according to Eyewitness News.
The name of the young man has yet to be announced.
Since the beginning of 2012, about 181 rhino horns have been poached in South Africa, according to local wildlife officials.
Last year, police detained 232 alleged poachers, of whom 26 were killed in clashes with law enforcement officers.
South Africa’s Environmental Agency warned that the number of rhinos killed in the country this year might end up doubling that of last year, putting the animal at risk of extinction in the near future.
Currently, black and white rhinos in South Africa account for 90 percent of the rhino population in Africa, as well as in the world, the agency reported.
The South African government has appealed to the public to assist in fighting rhino poaching.
VietNamNet/Tuoi Tre

Rare white tigers give birth at tourist site | Look At Vietnam

Rare white tigers give birth at tourist site

March 28, 2012

LookAtVietnam – After nearly four months of pregnancy, two white tigers recently gave birth to two baby tigers at the Trai Bo tourist site in the central province of Nghe An.

The white tiger at the Trai Bo tourist site in Nghe An province.

The tourist site’s director, Mr. Nguyen Si Phong, says that the two baby tigers were born on March 21.
The two mother tigers were imported from South Africa in 2010 when they were one and a half years old. The tigers have grown very well at the Trai Bo tourist site.
Mr. Bui Hong Thuy, director of the Indochina Zoo Service JS Company, says that this is the first time white tigers have delivered baby tigers in Vietnam.
The white tiger is a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger, with white hair and black stripes, blue eyes and pink nose. They are nearly extinct in the nature.
In Vietnam, there are five pairs of white tigers bred at ecological tourist sites in Sai Gon, Binh Duong and Nghe An.
Nam Nguyen

Thailand has seized two tons of elephant tusks

February 25, 2010 | 5:35 pm

BANGKOK — Thailand has seized two tons of elephant tusks from Africa hidden in pallets labeled as mobile phone parts in the country's largest ivory seizure.

Thai customs officials valued Wednesday night's haul at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport at 120 million baht ($3.6 million). It is a further sign that Thailand is emerging as a hub for the illicit trade.

Poaching of elephants in central and eastern Africa has intensified in recent years, with much of the illegal ivory exported to Asia.

Seree Thaijongrak, director of the investigation and suppression bureau for the Customs Department, said that acting on a tip, officials seized two pallets containing 239 tusks of African elephants.

The consignment, which originated in South Africa, was labeled as mobile phone parts destined for Laos -- apparently to confuse customs officials because Laos has an agreement with neighboring Thailand not to check cargo in transit.

A Thai national, however, attempted to pick up the cargo and was detained, Seree said. Customs officials suspect the tusks would have been crafted into trinkets and jewelry in Thailand.

"This is the biggest seizure we have ever had," Seree said. "This is a real accomplishment for Thailand. Normally, this would have gone right through but we got the tip-off."

Seree said smuggling of ivory from Africa is on the rise in Thailand as in much of Southeast Asia.

Ivory shipped to Thailand typically goes to carvers who fashion it into Buddhist statues, bangles and jewelry for sale to tourists or sale in other countries. Thailand is also a transit point for ivory forwarded to other markets like China.

Last month, Thailand arrested two Thai women accused of dealing in illegal African ivory, a day after an American and a Thai national were indicted in California on charges of smuggling ivory into the United States. Police believe the women supplied ivory to the Thai national, who prosecutors say sold several pieces of ivory on EBay, disguising shipments as gifts and toys.

The U.N. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species banned all international ivory trade in 1989. Traders in Thailand have thrived in part because the 1989 ban did not address domestic trade. That loophole allows them to deceive authorities by claiming that their African ivory came from domestic sources -- a tactic that is effective because it can be difficult without DNA testing to tell the difference between African and Asian ivory.

Authorities say 10 tons of African ivory were seized in Southeast Asia last year, including three seizures in Thailand.

Top 50 destinations for US and Canadians include NYC-12 January, 2010

Travel search site Skyscanner (www.Skyscanner.com) says the Top 50 most searched for destinations from Canadian and the US airports include London, New York City, Paris and Dublin, all of which were among the top seven spots.


London was unanimous at No. 1.


“With two monumental world events in the same year - the 2010 Winter Olympics in February and the World Cup in June - Vancouver and Johannesburg (South Africa) have turned up on both lists, with Canada's also including Cape Town,” says PRNewswire.


Travelers from both countries are also interested in Poland, though Canadians prefer the current capital, Warsaw, while Americans want to see the former capital, Krakow.


Americans continue to be intent on getting some Caribbean sun, with even Havana sneaking into the 49th place on the US chart.


“It seems that American tourists are eagerly waiting for the border to open up again, and the sooner the better, especially with many growing tired of the extreme winter temps by now.

"Canadians are clearly enjoying the island already, with the Cuban cultural center showing up in the 27th position for them,” the site says.


Top 10 Most Searched for destinations for 2010, from US airports:

1. London, UK
2. New York City
3. Las Vegas, NV
4. Paris, France
5. Dublin, Ireland
6. Los Angeles, CA
7. Orlando, FL
8. Rome, Italy
9. Madrid, Spain
10. Miami, FL