Pù Mát National Park's officials received the two macaques on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

NGHỆ AN — Pù Mát National Park in the central province of Nghệ An has reported that on Thursday, the park received two adult macaques – a stump-tailed macaque and an Assam macaque, which were discovered and secured by local residents after they wandered into their homes.

On the morning of the same day, two women in Anh Sơn Commune found and safely held a stump-tailed macaque and an Assam macaque that had strayed into their houses and gardens.

Upon receiving the report, the commune police and forest protection forces visited each household to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife protection and biodiversity conservation, while encouraging them to voluntarily hand over the two macaques to the authorities.

In the afternoon, the two macaques were transferred to Pù Mát National Park so that experts could provide proper care, monitor their health at the wildlife conservation facility, and complete the required procedures before releasing them back into their natural habitat.

According to Lê Anh Tuấn, Director of Pù Mát National Park, the voluntary handover of these rare macaques reflects the awareness and responsibility of local residents and communities, contributing significantly to wildlife preservation and biodiversity protection.

He called on people who encounter wandering, captive, or illegally traded rare and endangered wildlife to contact the authorities for lawful and timely intervention to help save these wild animals.

The stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides) and the Assam macaque (Macaca assamensis) are endangered and rare species listed under Group IIB of Government Decree 06, dated January 22, 2019, on the management of endangered, precious, and rare forest plants and animals and the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

They are also included in the Vietnam Red Book and listed in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These two macaque species play an important role in Việt Nam’s diverse ecosystems. — VNA/VNS