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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Dear
Sir/ Madam,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Education
for Nature - Vietnam (ENV) has launched a new version of an <a
href="http://thiennhien.org/dinh-dang-loai"><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>online
species identification resource</span></a> with a friendlier interface and
additional species. The improvements are designed to encourage greater public
participation in protecting Vietnam’s wildlife. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
web-based species identification resource allows members of the public to
identify wildlife species that are commonly observed in trade using key
characteristics that distinguish the animal from other similar species. The
resource also includes references to the current legal status of each species,
and links to ENV’s online wildlife crime reporting system. This enables
users to easily report crimes that they have observed, either directly via the
webpage or through ENV’s national toll-free Wildlife Crime Hotline.</span><span
style='font-size:1.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black;
border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:black;layout-grid-mode:
line'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
species identification resource was initially launched in May 2012. The new
upgraded version now contains 25 species, and additional species will be added
in the future. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>“People
who witness wildlife crimes may not realize how serious the cases are”</span></i><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>, says Mr. Tran Viet
Hung – Vice Director of ENV. <i>“This resource provides more
information to help people identify species and common crimes, and find out how
they can take action. Getting the public actively involved in combating
wildlife crime is essential for any hope of winning the battle to protect
Vietnam’s wildlife.” </i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>According
to ENV, each<span style='color:black;background:white'> day hundreds, if not
thousands, of wild animals are taken from their natural habitats and sold to
meet the rising demand of Vietnamese consumers for exotic foods and traditional
medicines made from wildlife.</span><span style='background:white'> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
background:white'>Produced in Vietnamese, ENV’s improved online wildlife
identification resource will aid</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> the public in identifying and reporting
wildlife crimes. The resource will also be used by ENV’s growing army of
young volunteers spread throughout the country, mainly in urban centers, who
assist in monitoring business establishments and reporting violations of
wildlife laws.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black;background:white'>ENV wishes to thank The Critical Ecosystem
Partnership Fund (CEPF) for supporting ongoing development of this important
resource.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
background:white'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal'><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
online identification resource can be accessed through the following link:<br>
<a href="http://thiennhien.org/dinh-dang-loai"><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>http://thiennhien.org/dinh-dang-loai</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal'><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal'><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>For
further details, please contact:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Ms.
Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Communication and Public Awareness Unit</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
<b>Education for Nature - Vietnam (ENV)</b><br>
<span style='color:black'>No. 5 IF1, lane 192 Thai Thinh Street, Dong Da
district, Hanoi<br>
</span>PO Box 222, Hanoi<br>
Tel/fax: +84 4 35148850 (Ext: 404), +84 168 996 2912<br>
E-mail: </span><a href="mailto:communication.env@gmail.com"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>communication.env@gmail.com</span></a><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>, </span><a
href="mailto:communication.env@fpt.vn"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>communication.env@fpt.vn</span></a><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
Website: </span><a href="http://www.envietnam.org/"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>www.envietnam.org</span></a><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>
(English), </span><a href="http://www.thiennhien.org/"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>www.thiennhien.org</span></a><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>
(Vietnamese) <br>
Facebook: </span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a
href="http://www.facebook.com/EducationforNatureVietnam"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>http://www.facebook.com/EducationforNatureVietnam</span></a></span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>
(English)<br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ENVvolunteers"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>http://www.facebook.com/ENVvolunteers</span></a></span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>
(Vietnamese)<br>
Twitter: </span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a
href="https://twitter.com/"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>https://twitter.com//#!/edu4naturevn</span></a></span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>About
Education for Nature – Vietnam<br>
</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Education
for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) was established in 2000 as Vietnam’s first
non-governmental organization focused on conservation of nature and the
environment. Our mission is to foster greater understanding amongst the
Vietnamese public about environmental issues of local, national and global
significance, ranging from protection of wildlife and natural ecosystems to
climate change. We employ creative and innovative strategies to influence
attitudes and behavior, not only highlighting the need to protect
Vietnam’s rich natural heritage and the living world around us, but also
encouraging greater public participation in achieving this important and
challenging task.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal;text-autospace:none'><b><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"'>About ENV’s Wildlife Crime Hotline<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>ENV
maintains a toll-free national Wildlife Crime Hotline to facilitate reporting
of crimes by the general public. Trained case officers from ENV receive calls
and transfer information about wildlife crimes to appropriate local
authorities. Each case is then documented and tracked through to conclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Members
of the public are kept informed of the results of cases that they report to
ENV.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>So
far, ENV has documented more than 4,500 wildlife crime cases resulting in
confiscation of hundreds of animals, closure of wildlife markets and
restaurants, removal of advertisements, and punishment to violators, as well as
voluntary action by hundreds of violators after initial warnings were issued by
ENV.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal;text-autospace:none'><b><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"'>About ENV’s National Wildlife Protection Network<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>ENV
also works in close cooperation with more than 3,500 volunteers in our National
Wildlife Protection Network, which is active in 32 provinces. Members assist
with the monitoring of business establishments to ensure they are complying
with wildlife protection laws.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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