What should be done to prevent illegal hunting and the trade in wildlife?

Despite legislation aimed at ending the hunting and sale of wild animals, there are daily reports of violations. Vientiane Times asked members of the public what they think about the current status of wildlife preservation in Laos and what should be done to protect animals, their habitat and the environment.

Mr Samlanxay, a resident of Huaphan province: Wild animals have decreased in number across Laos. The main reason is that so many people kill and eat them in large numbers. We know it’s illegal to hunt and sell them, but the trade is burgeoning in markets in both rural and urban areas. Authorities should do more to prevent the trade in wildlife by penalising hunters and vendors. I also urge people not to kill animals that are pregnant or breeding, because this is another factor in declining animal and fish populations.

Mr Vansom Vannasarn, a government official in Chanthabouly district, Vientiane: I know that hunting weapons are being confiscated by the police, but as far as I know very few hunters and vendors are penalised. Even though the authorities are taking steps to tackle this issue, it shows no sign of being resolved. This is partly because many people survive on the animals they hunt and kill, as they have no jobs and only limited food sources. If possible, we should encourage them to find other ways of survival and teach them about the need to protect wildlife. 
 
Mr Ded Thepphavong, a student in Xayaboury province: Wild animals are a crucial source of food for many people and are valued for their nutritional value and sometimes their medicinal properties. But animal populations have dwindled significantly, not because there are so many people in Laos, but because we don’t care enough about the environment. The meat of wild animals is very popular among Lao people, but this factor, combined with habitat loss, means that many species have become and will become extinct because of poor law enforcement.
 
Ms Chanthaphone Ounkhamthip, a student in Vientiane: It’s rare to see animals such as wild boar, deer, birds and water buffaloes in Lao forests, but their meat is on sale in markets even though it’s illegal. We should get serious about this problem and think about what we can do to stop the hunting and sale of wild animals and make people fear the law. Fish populations are also at risk too because of dams and over-fishing. The authorities should do more to tackle illegal fishing methods such as the use of electrical devices to kill large numbers of fish, which is quite common.
 
Ms Poutsady Boulommavong, a resident of Xayaboury province: I think the authorities are doing more to preserve forests and swamps and trying to stop trees being cut down as these places are home to many animal species. Even though hunting is illegal, I often see many kinds of animals on sale in markets, including some that are highly endangered. There are reports on the Internet about the large trade in wildlife in Laos, but not much is done to stop it. Aquatic species are also being affected because of chemicals that run off from plantations and are discharged by factories. In addition, fishermen use damaging methods to catch fish, such as electricity, poison and even explosives. All of this must be stopped by the authorities.

By Lamphone Pasanthong
(Latest Update August 31, 2022)