Environmentalists issue warning on Mekong biodiversity

Voice of America 31 July 2015 Scientists say the Southeast Asia’s rapid development is driving deforestation in the vital Mekong Subregion, and threatening scores of species in one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems. Trafficking in plant and animal wildlife is accelerating the trend, and governments are being pressed to do more to stop it. In almost two decades, scientists Read More…

Mekong meet helps states prepare for AEC

The Nation 27 July 2015 To welcome the launch of the Asean Economic Community and help Greater Mekong Subregion countries cope with e-commerce, an international conference was held recently to bring specialists and officials together to swap ideas and experiences. The July 8 event, titled "Mekong Forum 2015 - Modernising the GMS towards post-AEC 2015", was hosted by the Mekong Institute Read More…

Fish Releasing Day in hot water

Vientiane Times 10 July 2015 Fears of increasing water temperatures in Lao rivers caused by global warming is concerning an expert as more fish are set to be released next week to face the same threat. Despite the rains, the fish expert from the Department of Livestock and Fisheries is worried that climate change will have an impact on the 35 million small fish that will be released on the Read More…

Museum of natural history sought for Mekong Delta

The Saigon Times 19 June 2015 Representatives of Can Tho University have proposed building Mekong Delta Museum of Natural History in Can Tho City since the city is the center of the delta. Associate Professor Dr. Ha Thanh Toan, the president of the university, said: “Can Tho University wants to build the museum as Can Tho City is the center of the Mekong Delta.” Dr. Duong Van Ni, Read More…

‘Dementor’ wasp among 139 new species identified in Mekong region

RTE News 27 May 2015 From a soul-sucking 'dementor' wasp named after a creature from the Harry Potter books to a half-metre-long stick insect, scientists identified 139 new species in the Greater Mekong Region in 2014, according to a new report. Many of the newly-described species are already under threat from new roads and dams and the region's demand for wildlife meat and luxury timber, Read More…

Ensuring that protected areas are more than “paper parks”

Phys.org 26 May 2015 Protected areas are the cornerstone to prevent species extinctions. The Convention on Biological Diversity have set a target to protect 17% of all terrestrial land by 2020. Many of the recommendations are provided for single countries to take action individually. Researchers in the University of Helsinki, Finland, stress the importance of international collaborations Read More…

Experts examine growing threat to Vietnam’s dwindling biodiversity

VietNamNet Bridge 25 May 2015 Viet Nam's struggle with its degrading biodiversity was the top concern expressed by experts at a meeting commemorating International Day for Biological Diversity at Botanical Garden, Ha Noi, on Friday (May 22). Every year some 3,700 to 4,500 wild animals are killed for consumption, decoration, medicinal purposes, as well as for domestication. The Read More…

New way to save fish—and fishers

Phys.org 19 May 2015 An end to poaching will benefit ocean conservation and fishing communities worldwide, an Australian-led scientific study shows. Researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED) have found that well-enforced fishing areas can boost the incomes of fishers by up to 50 per cent through catching more fish, compared with those fishing in Read More…

Erosion hits Mekong hard in dry season

Viet Nam News 18 May 2015 HCM CITY (VNS) — Soil erosion caused mainly by lower levels of water in rivers and canals in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta has damaged houses, fruit orchards and construction works. Hau Giang Province's Chau Thanh District is one of the delta's hardest-hit areas. Tran Quang Hanh, head of the district's Agriculture and Rural Development Bureau, said this year Read More…

Grazing fish can help save imperiled coral reefs

Phys.org 15 May 2015 Grazing fish can help save coral reefs, but not all grazers are created equal, according to a Florida International University study published in Marine Ecology Progress Series. A combination of factors is leading to the alarming loss of coral reefs worldwide, including ocean warming, disease and pollution. To make things worse, algae that can harm corals have also Read More…