Camera traps have taken pictures of the Asian golden cat for the first time in Pu Hoat Nature Reserve in the central province of Nghe An, according to conservation officials.
The discovery came after more than two months of camera trap surveys and statistical models used to research, track, and evaluate wildlife in the area, according to Nguyen Van Sinh, director of the reserve.
Extremely rare species
Sinh reported that 120 camera traps were set up at 60 locations throughout key habitats, recording a myriad of rare species.
“The most significant result is the first-ever record of the Asian golden cat in Pu Hoat Nature Reserve. This is an extremely rare species with very high conservation value and is under strict protection,” he said, as quoted by DTI News.
The director noted that the pictures offer strong scientific evidence of the species’ existence and range within the reserve, supporting previous studies and emphasizing the significance of the area’s biodiversity.
The Asian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii), which was first identified in 1827, is classified as critically endangered and has a very high risk of extinction in the wild, according to Vietnam’s Red Data Book.
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Population declined by over 80%
Despite being widely distributed, the Asian golden cat is rarely observed, and overhunting and habitat loss are reported to have caused its population to drop by more than 80% over the previous 30 years.
According to scientific records, the species has been documented in Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, and Quang Nam provinces, among other mountainous localities in Vietnam.
Vietnam’s ecosystem recovering
Over the course of four years, the World Wide Fund for Nature collected data in Vietnam from over 350,000 camera trap days in 21 special-use and protection forests to evaluate the country’s forest ecosystems and trends in its wildlife populations.
The survey, which was carried out at 21 locations, showed that the quantity and variety of mammals and ground-dwelling bird species are rising in 16 areas, a positive indication of ecosystem recovery, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
However, persistent threats continue to jeopardize these precarious achievements, highlighting the critical need to bolster and expand coordinated conservation efforts.
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