The only real dragon in Vietnam, a series of tiktokers controversy over eating shrimp

Shrimp is a reptile classified as a class V (a group that will be endangered) in the Red Book of Vietnam, so it needs to be protected. Recently, Hai Sapa caused controversy when he posted a clip of eating shrimp.

The only real dragon in Vietnam

The upcoming Year of the Tiger (2024) is the year of the "dragon". The Dragon (or Dragon) is one of the 12 zodiac signs in Vietnam. In addition to the 11 zodiac signs from "Rat" (Rat), "Ox" (Buffalo)... to "Pig" (Pig) are animals that we often see in life, only "Thin" is a dragon, no one has seen a real dragon.

GS. Dr. Tran Cong Khanh, Vietnam Association for Nature and Environment Protection, said that dragons are just animals according to the imagination of Vietnamese people, not existing in the real world. Because it is composed according to imagination, the image of the "Vietnamese dragon" is different from the shape of European dragons, Chinese dragons and dragons in other countries.

However, the land animal kingdom in Vietnam has real dragons, a reptile called "earth dragon", also known as Ky Shrimp, Tu Sai Thoong (Thai), Bung Er Loong (Dao), Stalker (Muong), etc., the scientific name is Physignathus cocincinus Cuvier, Agamidae, Squamata.

The ground dragon, or shrimp salamander, is in the same family as the iguana but is smaller in size and weight. The body of the earth dragon is flat, with small scales evenly with rows of sharp spines on the back, with 4-8 holes on the inside of the thigh (a feature to distinguish it from the beetles). The upper surface of the body is green, dark green, or light black-brown (the color changes according to habitat conditions), the abdomen is white, and the tail has grayish-brown patches alternating with yellow. When mature, the Ground Dragon has a length of about 15cm, the tail is more than 30cm long (about 2/3 of the body length); the average weight is about 0.6 kg/head, or more.

It is found in Southeast Asia (including Eastern Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Southern China). In Vietnam, the earth dragon lives wild in the wild, distributed in many provinces from Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Yen Bai, Bac Can, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Phu Tho, Hoa Binh, Bac Giang, Quang Ninh, Vinh Phuc (Tam Dao); Old Ha Tay (Ba Vi), Ninh Binh (Cuc Phuong), Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien - Hue, Quang Nam, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Lam Dong (Loc Bac commune, Bao Lam district), Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc (Bu Gia Map National Park), Dong Nai and Kien Giang (Phu Quoc).

GS. Assoc. Prof. Tran Cong Khanh said that ground dragons often live in cavities on hills and mountains, or bushes along the banks of streams. This animal has the characteristic of climbing perch on the branches near the water in the afternoon when the sun goes down, jumping into the bath water in the morning and then going up to the tree to bask in the sun. Based on these characteristics, the hunting of R\land dragons usually takes place at night.

The number of ground dragons in the wild is currently decreasing a lot, due to the appearance of rumors that ground dragon meat is very delicious and nutritious, can cure some types of incurable diseases, earth dragon honey can cure asthma, cough, etc. so they are hunted as specialty foods, sold to restaurants and eateries (price 300,000 - 400,000 VND/kg, depending on size).

Habitat shrinks, hunted intensively

Ground dragon (scientific name: Physignathus cocincinus) is a rare reptile recorded in Vietnam. The Earth Dragon is considered to be in the group of "Vulnerable" in the IUCN World Red List and in the Red Book of Vietnam. However, the species has been exploited, hunted and traded in large numbers domestically and internationally for the past 20 years.

Hai Sapa TV posted a video of eating shrimp meat, causing a stir on social networks.

Dr. Nguyen Quang Truong, Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, said that due to its large size, Ground Dragons are hunted by locals for food, and some specialty restaurants also provide dishes from Ground Dragon meat. In addition, due to their beautiful color and shape, Ground Dragons are also kept as ornamental in zoos or households.

In Vietnam, the population of land dragons in the wild has declined sharply due to habitat loss and overhunting. The earth dragon has been included in the Red Book of Vietnam (2007) at the VU level (will be endangered). Therefore, it is very necessary to study the current situation of the Earth Dragon population in the wild in Thua Thien Hue province as a basis for coming up with solutions to conserve this reptile in the current context.

In mountainous areas such as A Luoi, Phong Dien and Nam Dong (Thua Thien Hue) are places where many land dragons grow and develop, but hunting activities are increasingly active, causing the number in the wild to decrease rapidly. In Vietnam, the population of land dragons in the wild has declined sharply due to habitat loss and overhunting to serve human needs.

Large dragons are purchased by restaurants, while small ones are often sold at local markets. The research team also investigated the situation of land dragon trade in Hue city, showing that the highest selling price was 450,000 VND/kg.

According to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) from 2010 to 2017, more than 55,700 land dragons were exported from Asian countries to the European market (Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom) and the United States, most of which were raised for ornamental purposes and partly for skin products. Among them, there are nearly 49,000 individuals exported from Vietnam.

In addition to the decrease in the number of land dragons due to hunting, logging activities and non-timber forest products (rattan, bamboo, bamboo shoots, etc.) reduce the natural forest area, negatively impacting the habitat of land dragons.

Find a way to conserve the earth dragon

Dr. Nguyen Quang Truong's research team proposes many solutions to control hunting and restore the land dragon population to prevent extinction. This includes the inclusion of land dragons on the IUCN Red List and the list of species restricted from exploitation for commercial purposes. Currently, the ground dragon is listed in the Red Book of Vietnam (2007) but is not an animal prioritized for protection according to the Government's Decrees, so there is no sanction for violators.

For restaurants and trading establishments, it is necessary to regularly inspect and supervise the illegal use of wild animals. If the animal does not have a legal origin, it may be confiscated or administratively sanctioned according to regulations, and at the same time information on sanctions and penalties when there are hunting and trading activities of wild animals.

The research team also proposed breeding ground dragons to create an alternative source of exploitation from nature. Currently, research on breeding ground dragons has been successful. In captivity, ground dragons grow, develop and reproduce well, the egg hatching rate is high, and the young are born well developed. The model of breeding ground dragons on a household scale, if properly developed, will help create jobs, increase income for local people (if raised for a period of 3 years or more and find a high-value source of output), have products to supply to the market and reduce hunting pressure from nature.

On the other hand, it is also necessary to conserve and develop the habitat of the ground dragon by planting additional native trees to create a green corridor connecting forest blocks, creating a larger space for wildlife populations, including the ground dragon.

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