The wildlife of

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

is rich in flora and fauna as reflected by its unique biodiversity. Rare and endemic antelope-like animal, categorized under the bovine subfamily, was found in 1992, in

Bạch Mã National Park Bạch Mã National Park ( vi, Vườn quốc gia Bạch Mã) is a protected area in central Vietnam, near the city of Huế. It covers 220 km2 and comprises three zones: a strictly protected core area, an administrative area and a buffer zo ...

. In the 1990s, three other large mammal species, the deer-like

Truong Son muntjac The Truong Son muntjac or Annamite muntjac (''Muntiacus truongsonensis'') is a species of muntjac deer. It is one of the smallest muntjac species, at about , half the size of the Indian muntjac (or common muntjac). It was discovered in the Truon ...

giant muntjac The giant muntjac (''Muntiacus vuquangensis''), sometimes referred to as the large-antlered muntjac, is a species of muntjac deer. It is the largest muntjac species and was discovered in 1994 in Vũ Quang, Hà Tĩnh Province of Vietnam and in cen ...

and

Pu Hoat muntjac The Pu Hoat muntjac (''Muntiacus puhoatensis'') is a species of muntjac only known from Pu Hoat region in Vietnam, which is bordering Laos. It is sometimes considered to be conspecific with Roosevelt's muntjac, and its habitat and behavior are li ...

, were also discovered, the first two in the same park. Conservation protection and scientific studies of the ecology of Vietnam, particularly in the protected forest areas, have been given priority attention by the Government of Vietnam. Laws were enacted to set up Xuân Thủy Wetland National Park, four

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific program, launched in 1971 by UNESCO, that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments. MAB's work engag ...

s, and

Hạ Long Bay Hạ Long Bay or Halong Bay ( vi, Vịnh Hạ Long, ) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular travel destination in Quảng Ninh Province, Vietnam. The name Hạ Long means "descending dragon". Administratively, the bay belongs to Hạ Lo ...

and

Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park Phong may refer to: Computer graphics *Phong shading *Phong reflection model *Blinn–Phong shading model *Bui Tuong Phong - creator of the Phong shading interpolation method and reflection model. Other

*Phong-Kniang language *Nam Phong ...

s; the last two are also designated as

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

s. The rich diversity of Vietnam's wildlife includes 11,400 species of

vascular plant Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes () or collectively Tracheophyta (), form a large group of land plants ( accepted known species) that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They al ...

s, 1030 species of

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...

, 310 species of mammals, 296 reptile species, 162 amphibian species, 700 freshwater species of fish and 2000 species of marine fish. There are about 889 species of birds and over 850 species of land

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

s. However, a study by the WWF has reported that nearly 10% of the wildlife in the country is threatened with extinction. Vietnam is placed 16th highest among 152 countries studied in terms of the proportion of its wildlife species found to be in danger.

National parks

While the national reserves cover small areas of scientific significance with restricted access, the national parks also cover wetlands of Ramsar designated areas and

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...

inscribed bird areas. The largest of the national parks initially covered were the Cuc Phuong National Park, the Cat Tien National Park, the Con Dao National Park and Con Dao National Park, which to start with, were forest areas cum reserves or prohibited areas. The objective for creating national parks was to allow access to the reserved areas as a part of

ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds ...

and cultural needs with full attention to the basic approach of conservation of natural environmental resources. The national parks and reserves, as per present status, (as reported by the national parks of Vietnam) conforming to the topography of the country which cover terrestrial, deltas of rivers, and coastal zones are: Five national parks and four reserves in the

Mekong Delta The Mekong Delta ( vi, Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long, lit=Nine Dragon River Delta or simply vi, Đồng Bằng Sông Mê Kông, lit=Mekong River Delta, label=none), also known as the Western Region ( vi, Miền Tây, links=no) or South-weste ...

; two national parks in the northeastern area; five reserves in the north western area; three parks in the

Red River Delta The Red River Delta or Hong River Delta ( vi, Châu thổ sông Hồng) is the flat low-lying plain formed by the Red River and its distributaries merging with the Thái Bình River in northern Vietnam. ''Hồng'' (紅) is a Sino-Vietnamese wor ...

; two parks and one reserve in the North Central Coastal area; two reserves in South Central Coastal area; three parks and one reserve in Central Highlands; one park and one reserve in south eastern area.

Flora

The flora of Vietnam has existed in its current form since at least the Oligocene, as evidenced by the assemblage known as the Ha Long megafossil flora from the Oligocene-aged Dong Ho Formation, which outcrops in the Ha Long region. The country was once totally covered with forests but over the years due to the war and deforestation and anthropological pressures some areas have lost their biodiversity value. The floral richness of the rain forest habitats comprise a broad range of evergreens. According to the Conservation International List Vietnam is identified as the fifth biodiversity hot spot in the world, on account of its exotic flora and fauna. Between 1997 and 2007, almost 1000 new species have been discovered. However, many areas still remain to be explored, and more species are likely to appear in the future. Natural forests are at higher elevations in the northwest and mangrove swamps are in the coastal areas. Rainforest in the hilly region has wild

rhododendrons ''Rhododendron'' (; from Ancient Greek ''rhódon'' "rose" and ''déndron'' "tree") is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are nati ...

in the northwest along with dwarf

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

s and numerous types of

orchids Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

. The central dry region has

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...

s and the river deltas have mangrove forests. The largest and the most conspicuous find in recent years is of the plant species in the

Halong Bay Halong may refer to: * Ha Long, also known as Hong Gai, the capital city of Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam * Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam * Halong naval base, an Indonesian Navy (previously Dutch) ...

area known as

Halong fan palm Halong may refer to: * Ha Long, also known as Hong Gai, the capital city of Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam * Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam * Halong naval base, an Indonesian Navy (previously Dutch) ...

. The largest species was the gum tree. Considered one of the world biological diversification centers, the flora estimated is of the order of 12,000 species (veined flora) of which 9,628 have been recorded under 291 families. It includes 1000 endemic species. Trees, which provide timber, are of 1,000 species. Timber plants are 100 species. Commercially usable species are 352 species including 42 listed as precious tree species. Further categorization of the flora relates to 76 aromatic spices, 160 species providing vegetable oils, and also herbal species. Some of the well known herbal species are:

ginseng Ginseng () is the root of plants in the genus ''Panax'', such as Korean ginseng ('' P. ginseng''), South China ginseng ('' P. notoginseng''), and American ginseng ('' P. quinquefolius''), typically characterized by the presence of ginsenosides an ...

, '' Coscinium fenestratum'', ''

Coptis teeta ''Coptis teeta'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the buttercup family. Medicinal uses It is a species of importance in Chinese herbology. Known as Yunnan goldthread (), its rhizome is used as an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. Habi ...

'', ''

Panax vietnamensis The ''Panax'' (ginseng) genus belongs to the ''Araliaceae'' (ivy) family. ''Panax'' species are characterized by the presence of ginsenosides and gintonin. ''Panax'' is one of approximately 60 plant genera with a classical disjunct east Asian and ...

'', ''

Stephania ''Stephania'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Menispermaceae, native to eastern and southern Asia and Australia. They are herbaceous perennial vines, growing to around four metres tall, with a large tuber. The leaves are arranged sp ...

'' spp.

Fauna

Faunal species noted are accounted as 11,217 species of animals, in Vietnam's hot and humid climate. These are broadly:

Indian elephant The Indian elephant (''Elephas maximus indicus'') is one of four extant recognised subspecies of the Asian elephant and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, the Asian elephant has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List as the wild po ...

bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...

s (

black bear Black bear or Blackbear may refer to: Animals * American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species * Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species Music * Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...

and honey bear),

Indochinese tiger The Indochinese tiger is a population of the ''Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies that is native to Southeast Asia. This population occurs in Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. In 2011, the population was thought to comprise 342 individuals, including ...

s and

Indochinese leopard The Indochinese leopard (''Panthera pardus delacouri'') is a leopard subspecies native to mainland Southeast Asia and southern China. In Indochina, leopards are rare outside protected areas and threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation as w ...

s as well as smaller animals like pygmy lorises,

monkey Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as the simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes, which constitutes an incomple ...

s (such as snub-nosed monkey), bats, flying

squirrel Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Squ ...

turtle Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...

s and

otter Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes wea ...

s. Reptiles such as

crocodile Crocodiles (family (biology), family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term crocodile is sometimes used even more loosely to inclu ...

snake Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...

s and

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

s are also reported. Specifically the faunal species which are endemic to Vietnam are the following. While many variety of animals have become extinct like the

Northern Sumatran rhinoceros The Northern Sumatran rhinoceros (''Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis''), also known as Chittagong rhinoceros or northern hairy rhinoceros was the most widespread subspecies of Sumatran rhinoceros, as well as the only known subspecies native to ma ...

, the protection of large animals have been addressed. The Vietnamese Javan rhinoceros used to live throughout the region of Vietnam but was declared extinct in 2010 when the last remaining individual was found dead with the horn removed. There are also 2,470 species of fish, more than 23,000 species of

corals Corals are marine invertebrates within the class (biology), class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact Colony (biology), colonies of many identical individual polyp (zoology), polyps. Coral species include the important C ...

and many species of invertebrates recorded in the wildlife of Vietnam.

Mammals

Primates

Red-Shanked duoc in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

Hatinh langur The Hatinh langur (''Trachypithecus hatinhensis'') is a highly threatened Old World monkey found in limestone forests in Vietnam, primarily in the Quảng Bình Province. A recent survey discovered a small population living in the Quảng Trị ...

* Francois' Langur * Black-crested gibbon * White-cheeked gibbon *

Southern white-cheeked gibbon The southern white-cheeked gibbon (''Nomascus siki'') is a species of gibbon native to Vietnam and Laos. It is closely related to the northern white-cheeked gibbon (''Nomascus leucogenys'') and the yellow-cheeked gibbon (''Nomascus gabriellae'') ...

Red-shanked douc The red-shanked douc (''Pygathrix nemaeus'') is an arboreal and diurnal Old World monkey belonging to the Colobinae subfamily. They are endemic to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. They are known for their bright colors and express exhibit sexual dimo ...

Black-shanked douc The black-shanked douc (''Pygathrix nigripes'') is an endangered species of douc found mostly in the forests of Eastern Cambodia, with some smaller populations in Southern Vietnam. The region they are mostly found in is called the Annamite Range, ...

* Gray-shanked douc *

Tonkin snub-nosed monkey The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey or Dollman's snub-nosed monkey (''Rhinopithecus avunculus'') is a slender-bodied arboreal Old World monkey, endemic to northern Vietnam. It has black and white fur, a pink nose and lips, and blue patches around the ey ...

Stump-tailed macaque The stump-tailed macaque (''Macaca arctoides''), also called the bear macaque, is a species of macaque native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. In India, it occurs south of the Brahmaputra River, in the northeastern part of the country. Its range ...

* Pygmy loris Stump-tailed macaque eating

Crab-eating macaque The crab-eating macaque (''Macaca fascicularis''), also known as the long-tailed macaque and referred to as the cynomolgus monkey in laboratories, is a cercopithecine primate native to Southeast Asia. A species of macaque, the crab-eating macaqu ...

Pig-tailed macaque The pig-tailed macaques are two macaque sister species. They look almost identical and are best distinguished by their parapatric ranges: * Northern pig-tailed macaque, ''Macaca leonina'' (Bangladesh to Vietnam, south to northern Malaysia) * South ...

Cats

Leopard cat The leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a small wild cat native to continental South, Southeast, and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely distributed although threatened by hab ...

Marbled cat The marbled cat (''Pardofelis marmorata'') is a small wild cat native from the eastern Himalayas to Southeast Asia, where it inhabits forests up to an elevation of . As it is present in a large range, it has been listed as Near Threatened on the ...

Jungle cat The jungle cat (''Felis chaus''), also called reed cat, swamp cat and jungle lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to the Middle East, the Caucasus, South and Southeast Asia and southern China. It inhabits foremost wetlands like swamps, littora ...

Clouded leopard The clouded leopard (''Neofelis nebulosa''), also called the mainland clouded leopard, is a wild cat inhabiting dense forests from the foothills of the Himalayas through mainland Southeast Asia into South China. In the early 19th century, a cl ...

Asian golden cat The Asian golden cat (''Catopuma temminckii'') is a medium-sized wild cat native to the northeastern Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and China. It has been listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List since 2008, and is threatened by poach ...

Civets

Large Indian civet The large Indian civet (''Viverra zibetha'') is a viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The global population is considered decreasing mainly because of trapping-driven declines in heavil ...

Large-spotted civet The large-spotted civet (''Viverra megaspila'') is a viverrid native to Southeast Asia that is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Characteristics Pocock described the large-spotted civet as varying in colour from silvery-grey to golden- ...

Small Indian civet The small Indian civet (''Viverricula indica'') is a civet native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because of its widespread distribution, widespread habitat use and healthy populations living in agr ...

Owston's palm civet Owston's palm civet (''Chrotogale owstoni'') is a civet native to Vietnam, Laos and southern China. It is listed as Endangered by IUCN because of an ongoing population decline, estimated to be more than 50% over the last three generations, inferr ...

Asian palm civet The Asian palm civet (''Paradoxurus hermaphroditus''), also called common palm civet, toddy cat and musang, is a viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia. Since 2008, it is IUCN Red Listed as Least Concern as it accommodates to a broad range ...

Binturong The binturong (''Arctictis binturong'') (, ), also known as the bearcat, is a viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is uncommon in much of its range, and has been assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because of a declining popu ...

Masked palm civet The masked palm civet (''Paguma larvata''), also called the gem-faced civet, is a palm civet species native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List since 2008 as it occurs in many p ...

Small-toothed palm civet The small-toothed palm civet (''Arctogalidia trivirgata''), also known as the three-striped palm civet, is a palm civet native to dense forests of Southeast Asia, from the Assam district of India to Indochina and the Malay Peninsula and on Sumat ...

Deer

Giant muntjac The giant muntjac (''Muntiacus vuquangensis''), sometimes referred to as the large-antlered muntjac, is a species of muntjac deer. It is the largest muntjac species and was discovered in 1994 in Vũ Quang, Hà Tĩnh Province of Vietnam and in cen ...

Indian muntjac The Indian muntjac or the common muntjac (''Muntiacus muntjak''), also called the southern red muntjac and barking deer, is a deer species native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. In popular local l ...

* Vietnamese sika deer *

Sambar deer The sambar (''Rusa unicolor'') is a large deer native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 2008. Populations have declined substantially due to severe hunting, local ins ...

Elephants

Bovine

Banteng The banteng (''Bos javanicus''; ), also known as tembadau, is a species of cattle found in Southeast Asia. The head-and-body length is between . Wild banteng are typically larger and heavier than their domesticated counterparts, but are otherw ...

Kouprey The kouprey (''Bos sauveli''), also known as forest ox is a forest-dwelling, wild bovine species native to Southeast Asia. A young male was sent to the Paris Zoological Park in 1937 and was described by the French zoologist Achille Urbain who d ...

Saola The saola (''Pseudoryx nghetinhensis''), also called spindlehorn, Asian unicorn, or infrequently, Vu Quang bovid, is one of the world's rarest large mammals, a forest-dwelling bovine native to the Annamite Range in Vietnam and Laos. It was descr ...

Gaur The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ), also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 m ...

Water buffalo The water buffalo (''Bubalus bubalis''), also called the domestic water buffalo or Asian water buffalo, is a large bovid originating in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Today, it is also found in Europe, Australia, North America, So ...

Rhinoceros

which is officially

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

in Vietnam and on the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

. * Vietnamese Javan rhinoceros which is officially

in Vietnam and on the

Cetacea

Chinese white dolphin The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (''Sousa chinensis'') is a species of humpback dolphin inhabiting coastal waters of the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans. This species is often referred to as the Chinese white dolphin in mainland Chi ...

Finless porpoise ''Neophocaena'' is a genus of porpoise native to the Indian and Pacific oceans, as well as the freshwater habitats of the Yangtze River basin in China. They are commonly known as finless porpoises. Genetic studies indicate that ''Neophocaena'' is ...

( Narrow-ridged finless porpoise) *

Irrawaddy dolphin The Irrawaddy dolphin (''Orcaella brevirostris'') is a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin found in scattered subpopulations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia. It closely resembles the ...

Spinner dolphin The spinner dolphin (''Stenella longirostris'') is a small dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world. It is famous for its acrobatic displays in which it rotates around its longitudinal axis as it leaps through the air. It is a ...

Sirenia

Dugong The dugong (; ''Dugong dugon'') is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest m ...

Reptiles

Turtles/Tortoises

Elongated tortoise The elongated tortoise (''Indotestudo elongata'') is a species of tortoise found in Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia. Description Shell considerably depressed, more than twice as long as deep, with flat vertebral region; anterior and post ...

''Indotestudo elongata'' *

Vietnamese pond turtle The Vietnamese pond turtle or Annam leaf turtle (''Mauremys annamensis'') is a species of turtle in the family (biology), family Geoemydidae. It can be distinguished from its relatives by its color pattern: the head is dark with three or four ye ...

''Mauremys annamensis'' *

Asian forest tortoise The Asian forest tortoise (''Manouria emys''), also known commonly as the Mountain tortoise, is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia. It is believed to be among the most primitive of living ...

''Manouria emys'' *

Green sea turtle The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exten ...

''Chelonia mydas'' *

Hawksbill turtle The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is large ...

''Eretmochelys imbricata'' *

Leatherback sea turtle The leatherback sea turtle (''Dermochelys coriacea''), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to and weights ...

''Dermochelys coriacea'' * Asian giant softshell turtle ''Pelochelys cantorii'' *

Yangtze giant softshell turtle The Yangtze giant softshell turtle (''Rafetus swinhoei''), also known as the Red River giant softshell turtle, the Shanghai softshell turtle, the speckled softshell turtle, and Swinhoe's softshell turtle, is an extremely rare species of turtle i ...

''Rafetus swinhoei''

Lizards

Agamids

Chinese water dragon The Chinese water dragon (''Physignathus cocincinus'') is a species of agamid lizard native to China and mainland Southeast Asia. It is also known as the Asian water dragon, Thai water dragon, and green water dragon. The genus name is Greek for " ...

''Physignathus cocincinus'' *Short-footed lizard '' Acanthosaura brachypoda'' *Mountain horned-dragon '' Acanthosaura capra'' *Crowned spiny lizard '' Acanthosaura coronata'' *Brown pricklenape '' Acanthosaura lepidogaster'' *Murphy's agama '' Acanthosaura murphyi'' *Natalie's agama '' Acanthosaura nataliae'' *Phong Dien agama '' Acanthosaura phongdienensis'' *Short-spined agama '' Acanthosaura prasina'' *Banded japalure '' Diploderma fasciatum''

Geckos

* Adler's gecko ''

Gekko adleri Adler's gecko (''Gekko adleri)'' is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to southern China and northern Vietnam. Etymology The specific name, ''adleri'', is in honor of American herpetologist Kraig Adler. Geograp ...

'' * Ba Na dwarf gecko '' Hemiphyllodactylus banaensis''

Monitors

Clouded monitor The clouded monitor (''Varanus nebulosus'') is a species of monitor lizard, native to Burma, Thailand and Indochina to West Malaysia, Singapore, Java, and Sumatra. They are excellent tree climbers. It belongs to the subgenus ''Empagusia'' along ...

''Varanus nebulosus'' *

Water monitor The Asian water monitor (''Varanus salvator'') is a large varanid lizard native to South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the most common monitor lizards in Asia, ranging from coastal northeast India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, mainland Southeast As ...

''Varanus salvator''

Skinks

* Chinese short-limbed skink '' Ateuchosaurus chinensis''

Snakes

Venomous

* Mountain pit viper ''Ovophis monticola'' *

Sharp-nosed viper ''Deinagkistrodon'' is a monotypic genus created for the venomous pit viper species, ''D. acutus'', which is endemic to Southeast Asia. No subspecies are currently recognized. Description ''Deinagkistrodon acutus'' is light brown or greyish b ...

''Deinagkistrodon acutus'' *

Jerdon's pit viper ''Protobothrops jerdonii'', also known commonly as Jerdon's pitviper, Brown JH (1973). ''Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes''. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73–229. . the yellow-speckled pit v ...

''Protobothrops jerdonii'' *Brown-spotted pit-viper ''

Protobothrops mucrosquamatus ''Protobothrops mucrosquamatus'' is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Asia. Common names include: brown-spotted pit viper,Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S. 2004. ''Asian Pitvipers''. Geitje Books. Berlin. 1st Edition ...

'' *Three-horned pit-viper ''

Protobothrops sieversorum ''Protobothrops sieversorum'', commonly known as the three horned-scaled pitviper or the three-horn-scaled pit-viper, is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to Vietnam. Taxonomy ''Protobothro ...

'' *Stejneger's bamboo viper '' Trimeresurus stejnegeri'' *Ruby-eyed pit-viper ''

Trimeresurus rubeus ''Trimeresurus rubeus'', commonly known as the ruby-eyed green pitviper, is a venomous pit viper species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A ...

'' *White-lipped pit-viper ''

Trimeresurus albolabris ''Trimeresurus albolabris'', the white-lipped pit viper or white-lipped tree viper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Southeast Asia. Taxonomy Giannasi ''et al.'' (2001) raised '' insularis'' and '' septentrionalis'' to species level. ...

'' * King Cobra ''Ophiophagus hannah'' *

Monocled cobra The monocled cobra (''Naja kaouthia''), also called monocellate cobra and Indian spitting cobra, is a venomous cobra species widespread across South and Southeast Asia and listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Taxonomy The scientific n ...

''Naja kaouthia'' *

Indochinese spitting cobra The Indochinese spitting cobra (''Naja siamensis'') ( th, งูเห่า, pronounced: nguu hao) also called the Thai spitting cobra, Siamese spitting cobra, is a species of spitting cobra found in Southeast Asia. Description This is a medium ...

''Naja siamensis'' *

Chinese cobra The Chinese cobra (''Naja atra''), also called the Taiwan cobra, is a species of cobra in the family Elapidae, found mostly in southern China and a couple of neighboring nations and islands. It is one of the most prevalent venomous snakes in C ...

''Naja atra''

Non-venomous

Reticulated python The reticulated python (''Malayopython reticulatus'') is a python species native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the world's longest snake, and is among the three heaviest. It is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List because of its wi ...

Burmese python The Burmese python (''Python bivittatus'') is one of the largest species of snakes. It is native to a large area of Southeast Asia and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Until 2009, it was considered a subspecies of the Indian python ...

* Red-tailed green ratsnake Siamesecroc

Crocodilians

Saltwater crocodile The saltwater crocodile (''Crocodylus porosus'') is a crocodilian native to saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India's east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaic region to northern Australia and Micronesia. It has been listed ...

, which has been extinct in Vietnam since at least the 1980s. *

Siamese crocodile The Siamese crocodile (''Crocodylus siamensis'') is a medium-sized freshwater crocodile native to Indonesia (Borneo and possibly Java), Brunei, East Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The species is critically endangered an ...

which is critically endangered on the

and, in Vietnam, is currently only found within Cat Tien National Park, but was much more widespread historically.

Birds

Rare and little known birds have been identified such as the Edward's pheasant which was believed to be extinct, the white-winged wood duck and the white-shouldered ibis. The country lies on the east Asian flyway of Siberian birds and is an important stopover for migratory waders. According to the

records of 2011, the avifauna recorded are of 889 species, which includes 18 endemic species, 44 globally threatened species and 6 introduced species. The globally threatened species are listed under the following three categories, excluding vulnerable category. ;Near-threatened: The near threatened species listed by IBA are: *

Falcated duck The falcated duck or falcated teal (''Mareca falcata'') is a gadwall-sized dabbling duck from the east Palearctic (East Siberia and Mongolia to North Japan; wintering to India). Taxonomy The closest relative of this species is the gadwall, follo ...

(''Anas falcata'') *

Ferruginous duck The ferruginous duck (''Aythya nyroca''), also known as ferruginous pochard, common white-eye or white-eyed pochard, is a medium-sized diving duck from Eurosiberia. The scientific name is derived from Greek '' aithuia'' an unidentified seabird ...

(''Aythya nyroca'') *

Chestnut-necklaced partridge The chestnut-necklaced partridge (''Tropicoperdix charltonii'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in forests in the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. It is threatened by habitat loss and trapping. The International Union for ...

(''Arborophila charltonii'') *

Siamese fireback The Siamese fireback (''Lophura diardi''), also known as Diard's fireback, is a fairly large, approximately long, pheasant. The male has a grey plumage with an extensive facial caruncle, crimson legs and feet, ornamental black crest feathers, re ...

(''Lophura diardi'') *

Germain's peacock-pheasant Germain's peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron germaini'') is a pheasant that is endemic to Indochina. The name commemorates the France, French colonial army's veterinary surgeon Louis Rodolphe Germain. Description The bird is a medium-sized, approx ...

(''Polyplectron germaini'') *

Platalea minor The black-faced spoonbill (''Platalea minor'') is a species of wading bird in the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae, found in eastern Asia. This species has the most restricted distribution of the six spoonbill species, and it is the ...

(''Ichthyophaga humilis'') * Gray-headed fish-eagle (''Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus'') *

Cinereous vulture The cinereous vulture (''Aegypius monachus'') is a large raptor in the family Accipitridae and distributed through much of temperate Eurasia. It is also known as the black vulture, monk vulture and Eurasian black vulture. With a body length of , ...

(''Aegypius monachus'') * White-rumped falcon (''Polihierax insignis'') *

Laggar falcon The laggar falcon (''Falco jugger''), also known as the lugger falcon or jugger (from Hindi जग्गर — jaggar, “falcon”) is a mid-sized bird of prey which occurs in the Indian subcontinent from extreme southeastern Iran, southeaste ...

(''Falco jugger'') *

Corn crake The corn crake, corncrake or landrail (''Crex crex'') is a bird in the rail family. It breeds in Europe and Asia as far east as western China, and migrates to Africa for the Northern Hemisphere's winter. It is a medium-sized crake with buff- ...

(''Crex crex'') * Band-bellied crake (''Porzana paykullii'') *

Malaysian plover The Malaysian plover (''Charadrius peronii'') is a small (c. 35–42 g) wader that nests on beaches and salt flats in Southeast Asia. Description The Malaysian plover is 15 cm (5.9 in) in length. The male can be recognized by a thin b ...

(''Charadrius peronii'') *

Eurasian curlew The Eurasian curlew or common curlew (''Numenius arquata'') is a very large wader in the family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia. In Europe, this species is often referred t ...

(''Numenius arquata'') *

Black-tailed godwit The black-tailed godwit (''Limosa limosa'') is a large, long-legged, long-billed shorebird first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is a member of the godwit genus, ''Limosa''. There are four subspecies, all with orange head, neck and chest ...

(''Limosa limosa'') *

Asian dowitcher The Asian dowitcher (''Limnodromus semipalmatus'') is a rare medium-large wader. Description Adults have dark legs and a long straight dark bill, somewhat shorter than that of the long-billed dowitcher. The body is brown on top and reddish under ...

(''Limnodromus semipalmatus'') *

Black-bellied tern The black-bellied tern (''Sterna acuticauda'') is a tern found near large rivers in the Indian subcontinent, its range extending from Pakistan, Nepal and India to Myanmar. It has become very scarce in the eastern part of its range and the Intern ...

(''Sterna acuticauda'') *

Nicobar pigeon The Nicobar pigeon (''Caloenas nicobarica'', Car: ') is a bird found on small islands and in coastal regions from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, east through the Malay Archipelago, to the Solomons and Palau. It is the only living member ...

(''Caloenas nicobarica'') *

Blue-rumped parrot The blue-rumped parrot (''Psittinus cyanurus'') is a parrot found in the very southern tip of Myanmar, peninsular Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra and nearby islands. It is a small parrot (18 cm) and is primarily green with bright red und ...

(''Psittinus cyanurus'') *

Long-tailed parakeet The long-tailed parakeet (''Psittacula longicauda'') or Burung Bayan Nuri in Malay is a parakeet endemic to the regions of Andaman and Nicobar islands, Sumatra, Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia (including Singapore). It is allopatric with the co ...

(''Psittacula longicauda'') *

Black-bellied malkoha The black-bellied malkoha (''Phaenicophaeus diardi'') is a species of malkoha in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland fo ...

(''Phaenicophaeus diardi'') *

Ward's trogon Ward's trogon (''Harpactes wardi'') is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. Its range includes the northeastern parts of the Indian subcontinent stretching eastwards to Southeast Asia. It is found in Bhutan, India, Tibet, and Myanmar. It ...

(''Harpactes wardi'') *

Blyth's kingfisher Blyth's kingfisher (''Alcedo hercules'') is the largest kingfisher in the genus ''Alcedo''. Named for Edward Blyth, the species has also been known as ''Alcedo grandis'' and as the great blue kingfisher. Between long, the kingfisher has deep ru ...

(''Alcedo hercules'') *

Black hornbill The black hornbill (''Anthracoceros malayanus'') is a species of bird of the hornbill family Bucerotidae. It lives in Asia in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand. The Black-casqued Hornbill has a selectiveness towards th ...

(''Anthracoceros malayanus'') *

Great hornbill The great hornbill (''Buceros bicornis''), also known as the concave-casqued hornbill, great Indian hornbill or great pied hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. It occurs in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It ...

(''Buceros bicornis'') * Brown hornbill (''Anorrhinus austeni'') * White-crowned hornbill (''Aceros comatus'') *

Red-collared woodpecker The red-collared woodpecker (''Picus rabieri'') is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Cambodia, China, Laos, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destructio ...

(''Picus rabieri'') * Japanese paradise-flycatcher (''Terpsiphone atrocaudata'') *

Collared crow The collared crow (''Corvus torquatus''), also known as the ring-necked crow or white-collared crow, is a member of the family Corvidae native to China and north of Vietnam. Description It is about 52–55 cm in length—the same size or sl ...

(''Corvus torquatus'') *

Yellow-billed nuthatch The yellow-billed nuthatch (''Sitta solangiae'') is a species of bird in the family Sittidae. It is found in Hainan, Laos, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist mont ...

(''Sitta solangiae'') * Streaked bulbul (''Ixos malaccensis'') * Black-headed parrotbill (''Paradoxornis margaritae'') * Rufous-rumped grassbird (''Graminicola bengalensis'') * Short-tailed scimitar-babbler (''Jabouilleia danjoui'') * Black-hooded laughingthrush (''Garrulax milleti''); * Vietnamese cutia (''Cutia legalleni'') *

Scarlet-breasted flowerpecker The scarlet-breasted flowerpecker (''Prionochilus thoracicus'') is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subt ...

(''Prionochilus thoracicus'') *

Mekong wagtail The Mekong wagtail (''Motacilla samveasnae'') is a species of bird in the family Motacillidae. It was first described in 2001 and named in honour of the late Cambodian ornithologist Sam Veasna. It is a black and white bird, similar in appearance ...

(''Motacilla samveasnae'') *

Vietnamese greenfinch The Vietnamese greenfinch (''Chloris monguilloti'') is a small passerine bird in the family Fringillidae. It is found only in Da Lat, Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest. It is threatened by habitat loss. Taxonomy ...

(''Chloris monguilloti'') * Asian golden weaver (''Ploceus hypoxanthus'') ;Endangered: The endangered list covers the following species. Male edwards' pheasant

White-winged duck The white-winged duck or white-winged wood duck (''Asarcornis scutulata'') is a large species of duck, formerly placed in the genus ''Cairina'' with the Muscovy duck (''Cairina moschata'') and allied with the dabbling ducks. However, mtDNA cyt ...

(''Cairina scutulata'') *

Baer's pochard Baer's pochard (''Aythya baeri'') is a diving duck found in eastern Asia. It is a resident bird in North and Central China, formerly bred in southeast Russia and Northeast China, migrating in winter to southern China, Vietnam, Japan, and India. ...

(''Aythya baeri'') *

Scaly-sided merganser The scaly-sided merganser or Chinese merganser (''Mergus squamatus'') is an endangered typical merganser (genus ''Mergus''). It lives in Manchuria and extreme Southeast Siberia, breeding in the north and wintering in the south. Description Thi ...

(''Mergus squamatus'') * Orange-necked partridge (''Arborophila davidi'') *

Edwards's pheasant Edwards's pheasant (''Lophura edwardsi'') is a bird of the pheasant family Phasianidae and is endemic to the rainforests of Vietnam. It is named after the French ornithologist Alphonse Milne-Edwards and first described to science in 1896. The ...

(''Lophura edwardsi'') *

Vietnamese pheasant The Vietnamese pheasant, or Vietnam fireback, was formerly considered a species of gallopheasant, ''Lophura hatinhensis'', but is now considered a variant of Edward's pheasant. Discovered in 1964, it is endemic to central Vietnam. Its range conce ...

Black-faced spoonbill The black-faced spoonbill (''Platalea minor'') is a species of wading bird in the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae, found in eastern Asia. This species has the most restricted distribution of the six spoonbill species, and it is the ...

* Lesser fish-eagle (''Platalea minor'') *

Nordmann's greenshank Nordmann's greenshank (''Tringa guttifer'') or the spotted greenshank, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. Description The Nordmann's greenshank is a medium-sized sandpiper, at long, with a slightly upturned, bicol ...

(''Tringa guttifer'') * Collared laughingthrush (''Garrulax yersini'') * Gray-crowned crocias (''Crocias langbianis'') *

Sooty babbler The sooty babbler (''Stachyris herberti'') is a species of bird in the family Timaliidae. It is found in Laos and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss. References *Colla ...

(''Stachyris herberti'') ;Critically endangered: The list of critically endangered species identified by IBA is given below. Eurynorhynchus pygmeusIbis1869P012AA

Christmas Island frigatebird The Christmas frigatebird (''Fregata andrewsi''), or Christmas Island frigatebird, is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae which is an endemic breeder to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. The Christmas frigatebird is a large lightl ...

(''Fregata andrewsi'') *

White-shouldered ibis The white-shouldered ibis (''Pseudibis davisoni'') is a large species of bird in the family Threskiornithidae. It is native to small regions of Southeast Asia, and is considered to be one of the most threatened bird species on this part of the co ...

(''Pseudibis davisoni'') *

Giant ibis The giant ibis (''Thaumatibis gigantea''), the only species in the monotypic genus ''Thaumatibis'', is a wading bird of the ibis family, Threskiornithidae. It is confined to northern Cambodia, with a few birds surviving in extreme southern Laos ...

(''Pseudibis gigantea'') *

White-rumped vulture The white-rumped vulture (''Gyps bengalensis'') is an Old World vulture native to South and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2000, as the population severely declined. White-rumped vultures di ...

(''Gyps bengalensis'') *

Indian vulture The Indian vulture (''Gyps indicus'') is an Old World vulture native to India, Pakistan and Nepal. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2002, as the population severely declined. Indian vultures died of kidney fa ...

(''Gyps indicus'') *

Red-headed vulture The red-headed vulture (''Sarcogyps calvus''), also known as the Asian king vulture, Indian black vulture or Pondicherry vulture, is an Old World vulture mainly found in the Indian subcontinent, with small disjunct populations in some parts of So ...

(''Sarcogyps calvus'') *

Bengal florican The Bengal florican (''Houbaropsis bengalensis''), also called the Bengal bustard, is a bustard species native to the Indian subcontinent, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List because fewer than 1,00 ...

(''Houbaropsis bengalensis'') *

Spoon-billed sandpiper The spoon-billed sandpiper (''Calidris pygmaea'') is a small wader which breeds on the coasts of the Bering Sea and winters in Southeast Asia. This species is highly threatened, and it is said that since the 1970s the breeding population has dec ...

(''Eurynorhynchus pygmeus'')

Molluscs

Marine molluscs

The marine molluscan fauna of Vietnam includes numerous species of

chiton Chitons () are marine molluscs of varying size in the class Polyplacophora (), formerly known as Amphineura. About 940 extant and 430 fossil species are recognized. They are also sometimes known as gumboots or sea cradles or coat-of-mail s ...

gastropods The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. Ther ...

, tusk shells,

cephalopod A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda (Greek plural , ; "head-feet") such as a squid, octopus, cuttlefish, or nautilus. These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head ...

s and

bivalves Bivalvia (), in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of marine and freshwater molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hinged parts. As a group, bival ...

Non-marine molluscs

Vietnam's fauna of non-marine molluscs comprises various species of freshwater gastropods, freshwater bivalves and terrestrial gastropods. The terrestrial gastropod fauna is highly diverse and includes more than 850 described land snail and slug species; many species inhabit limestone karst hills.

Threats and conservation

The protected areas in Vietnam have suffered a decline over the past several decades. The reasons adduced to this situation are; the Vietnam war, deforestation, hunting, export of animals under

CITES CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of interna ...

agreement which is generally violated by illegal activity due to inadequate patrolling. Illegal trade in wildlife is flourishing in Vietnam as there is great demand for these animals in China and also within the country. They have commercial value both at home and abroad Trade in wildlife resources in Vietnam is of considerable value. In respect of faunal species, trade varies between 3,700 and 4,500 tons; the use of faunal species are also for medical purposes, pets, and as food and ornamentation but excludes trade in aquatic species. Insects are also a valuable source of trade with '' Coleopterus'' and ''

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

'' species contributing towards a major share. Medicinal plants are also harvested and its trade is of the order of 20,000 tons. Continuous conservation efforts by the Government of Vietnam have brought more and more areas under protected status. Logging operations have been banned. The conservation efforts are showing positive results with wildlife becoming re-established in many reforested areas.

Mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evoluti ...

forest areas are on the rise due to renewed planting. Fish fauna and

crustacean Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipods and mantis shrimp. The crustacean group ...

s are proliferating and birds are seen more frequently. As a result of conservation efforts,

numbers have recovered on account of their reintroduction to ponds within the parks.

References

Bibliography

* {{Vietnam topics . Environment of Vietnam Natural history of Vietnam

National parks

Flora

Fauna

Mammals

Primates

Cats

Civets

Deer

Elephants

Bovine

Rhinoceros

Cetacea

Sirenia

Reptiles

Turtles/Tortoises

Lizards

Agamids

Geckos

Monitors

Skinks

Snakes

Venomous

Non-venomous

Crocodilians

Birds

Molluscs

Marine molluscs

Non-marine molluscs

Threats and conservation

See also

References

Bibliography