A photo of a family of the endangered primates – red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus) langurs is taken in jungle of the Sơn Trà Nature Reserve in Đà Nẵng. Photo courtesy of Bui Van TuanIt will provide information, documents, photographs and statistics from naturereserves in Son Tra and Ba Na-Nui Chua, as well as a special-use forest ofSouth Hai Van in the central city.
The portal (thiennhiendanang.vn), was jointly-built by lecturers of Environment& Biological Resource (DN-EBR) group and Faculty of Biology and Environmentfrom the Science and Education University (University of Da Nang), and theCentre of Biodiversity Conservation, GreenViet.
It contains 1,100 documents, with 1,000 photos and 53 video clips, from anumber of organisations, photographers, biologists and the local community.
Biologist Nguyen Thi Tinh from GreenViet said the portal is the first ever dataof nature, forest protection, wildlife conservation and research onbiodiversity covering a total 43,722ha of nature reserves.
She said the portal will provide a database and information serving for studiesand curriculum among 10,000 teachers and 300,000 students in Da Nang.
School teachers could use material from the portal to give lively lectures onnature of Da Nang to students, she said.
“It’s the first time a knowledge data on biodiversity and endangered specieshas been built in Da Nang," Tinh said.
"Most of the data and information was voluntarily contributed by thecommunity, organisations, researches and photographers.
“The portal introduces seven items on typical ecological system and species inthe two nature reserves and forest in showing off rich nature value of Da Nangand improves the awareness among the community on the importance ofbiodiversity protection and conservation.”
Tinh said the portal focuses on theconservation of two endangered primates – red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus)and grey-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix cinerea) – and key protected flora andfauna of central Vietnam that are existing in Da Nang.
The development of the portal had received support from the UK-basedSynchronicity Earth, VisualViet and Comclick, she said.
The GreenViet-managed Nature Education and Experience Centre on Son TraPeninsula has provided nature awareness education activities for more than25,000 school students and 3,000 local residents exploring the biodiversity ofthe reserve.
The European Union (EU) also funded a biodiversity protection and environmentalsustainability project in Da Nang City in 2020-23 with total funding of 650,000euros (686,000 USD).
The Son Tra Nature Reserve, 10km from Da Nang downtown, is home to more than1,300 red-shanked douc langurs and more than 1,000 plant and 370 animalspecies.
It’s also the easiest site in Vietnam to see red-shanked douc langurs at closerange from 30m to 50m in jungle.
The city’s People's Committee approved a master plan on biodiversityconservation in 2030 in line with long-term socio-economic and sustainabledevelopment goals./.
VNA
