Animal release tour debuts at Cuc Phuong national park

A newly-launched free tour would allow tourists to release animals back into the Cuc Phuong National Park forest.

Illegally trafficked animals like birds, monkeys, reptiles, wild cats, and civets would be released back into the forest during the tours, named ‘Coming Home’, comprising a maximum 15 participants. Visitors are encouraged to donate to the park for its preservation work.

Enthusiasts can register a month in advance via the Cuc Phuong National Park Tourism fanpage to obtain their letter of invitation.

Cuc Phuong is Vietnam’s first national park, located in the Tam Diep mountain range, across the territory of three provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa.

On March 20, about 50 tourists, including reporters and families, participated in the release of 92 animals from 17 species.

Pham Kien Cuong, director of the Center for Environmental Education and Service in Cuc Phuong National Park, said in the past, release drives had taken place in secret to avoid animals being recaptured.

Thanks to tightened management and stricter penalties, the park has recently decided to allow visitor participation to raise awareness on the protection of wild animals and primary forests.

The national park covers an area of 22,408 hectares with mainly tropical rain forest. It is the natural habitat of 300 species of birds, 110 species of reptiles and amphibians, 65 species of fish, nearly 2,000 species of insects and 117 species of mammals.

Tourist activities available here include primary forest trekking, ecotourism, and wildlife viewing tours at night.