Silver-backed chevrotain, other rare species added to Vietnam’s endangered list

A new circular issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has added a large number of rare Vietnamese species to Group IB, the highest protection category.

This reflects the alarming decline of many species, from forests to coastal waters, and highlights the urgency of conservation efforts.

Severe population declines

The Vietnamese mouse-deer, or silver-backed chevrotain, was once recorded in the provinces of Khanh Hoa and Gia Lai.

Between 2017 and 2022, only three small populations were found in Khanh Hoa and Phu Yen, and none in the Central Highlands.

This species has lost habitat due to forest clearance for farmland, logging, and poaching. Its population has fallen by more than 80 percent over the past 20 years.

The yellow-breasted bunting (Emberiza aureola) was once widespread in Vietnam but now numbers fewer than 250 individuals, with each subpopulation under 50 mature birds.

Habitat loss and overhunting for food and release rituals are the main causes.

The greater adjutant (Leptoptilos dubius) used to inhabit central and southern Vietnam, but the most recent record was of a single bird at Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province in 2019.

Fewer than 50 remain, primarily due to habitat loss and degradation.

Roosevelt’s muntjac (Muntiacus rooseveltorum) is extremely rare and confined to a small range in north-central Vietnam.

According to Le et al. (2014), the species is heavily hunted for food and its habitat has been drastically reduced. Fewer than 250 individuals remain, with each subpopulation numbering under 50 adults.

The masked finfoot (Heliopais personata) was recorded only once in Yok Don National Park in Dak Lak Province in 2003.

No sightings have been made since, suggesting its habitat has been severely altered. Fewer than 50 individuals are thought to survive in Vietnam.

The orange-breasted laughingthrush (Garrulax annamensis), a resident of the Da Lat Plateau in Lam Dong Province, has been hunted for the pet trade and lost much of its habitat. Fewer than 2,500 remain, with subpopulations limited to under 250 individuals.

The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), once abundant worldwide, has seen its population decline by more than 50 percent over the past two decades.

Nesting beaches have been damaged, while pollution, plastic waste, and hunting further threaten the species. Populations at Con Dao in Ho Chi Minh City and Nui Chua in Khanh Hoa show signs of recovery thanks to conservation programs.

New conservation policy

Circular No. 27/2025 from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, effective July 1, 2025, adds 116 species to Group IB and 187 species to Group IIB.

The exploitation and trade of Group IB species are strictly prohibited, while activities involving Group IIB species are subject to restrictions.

In addition to the species above, the expanded Group IB list includes the crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela), Chinese white dolphin (Sousa chinensis), dugong (Dugong dugon), loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), and leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).

Notably, the silver pheasant (Lophura nycthemera) and Sunda flying lemur (Galeopterus variegatus) were re-classified from Group IB to Group IIB, meaning their protection status was downgraded but exploitation remains restricted.