Vice director of the MPA, Nguyễn Văn Vũ told Việt Nam News that the pangolin, weighing around 1kg, was discovered living in a garden of a household in Cẩm Phô Ward in Hội An City, a few months ago.

The MPA and local rangers checked the health condition of the pangolin before taking it to the forest on Chàm Islands on Sunday.

Vũ said pangolins, which are listed as Critically Endangered species by International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are living in the Islands’ forest. They were discovered after a diversity study by the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Research (GreenViet).

The endangered pangolin is released back to the wild on Chàm Islands, off the coast of Hội An. Photo courtesy of Chàm Islands MPA management board

An endangered pangolin (Manis Javanica) was captured by locals in Hội An City. Photo courtesy of Chàm Islands MPA management board

Chàm Islands-Hội An (including the total area of the Islands’ land and water and Hội An), was recognised as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2009 and covers 1,500ha of tropical forests and 6,700ha of sea. 

A wide range of marine fauna and flora  including many endangered species such as salangane (swallows), the long-tailed monkey and the crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) live in the area.

The islands and buffer zones did attract around 1.5 million tourists per year, but the COVID-19 pandemic has seriously damaged the visitor rate. — VNS