Two highly endangered animals; the black-shanked douc (Pygathrix nigripes), a primate; and Ptyas mucosus, a type of snake, are believed to be available on the menu of a restaurant in Vinh Cuu district.
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| Left photo: a black-shanked douc, taken at restaurant 9999, which the Institute of Tropical Biology confirmed as a black shanked douc. Right photo: The sample sent to the institute that could only be specified as a type of monkey. |
Local authorities raided restaurant 9999 in Vinh Cuu district, where they found hundreds of wild animals and wild products.
Among them, two products were thought to be from the King-cobra and black-shanked douc species, which are listed in the 1B group of rare animals.
Trading in animals of this group is illegal in Vietnam, and is punishable by criminal charges.
The two samples were later sealed off and preserved by Hoang Van Dien, an official of the district’s forest management department.
On the morning of November 8, Dien sent the two samples to the Institute of Tropical Biology, under the Vietnam National Academy of Science and Technology, for testing.
The results showed that one of the samples is the Ptyas mucosus, a rare snake.
Regarding the sample suspected of being a black-shanked douc, the institute concluded that it is an animal belonging to the monkey family, but they couldn’t identify exactly what kind of monkey it was.
The institute later asked the district’s forest management department to provide photos for further testing.
On the afternoon of November 11, Dien brought three photos of the suspected douc, which the restaurant owner confirmed were taken on November 4, to the institute, as requested.
Based on the length of fingers, skin color, and molar teeth, as shown by the photos, the institute concluded that the sample is indeed from a black-shanked douc.
The institute officially concluded that the two primate photos were actually from different animals, leaving a posibility that a manipulation has been made by someone to replace the sample confiscated at the scene by another one.
Local police are still investigating.
(Source: TTNews)
