World Wildlife Day was celebrated this year under the theme ‘Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation’ and brought together the Department of Forestry from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the European Union Delegation to Lao PDR, the Embassy of France to Lao PDR, Wildlife Conservation Society and conservation partners, the Working Group 15.7 on Combating Wildlife Crime and students at the National University of Laos in Vientiane.
People around the world rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet their needs - from food, to fuel, medicines, housing, and clothing. Nearly half of the world’s population is directly dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods, with 70% of the world’s poor living in rural areas and depending directly on biodiversity for their survival and well-being.
To enjoy the benefits and the beauty that nature brings to humans and the planet, people have been working together to ensure ecosystems are able to thrive and plant and animal species are able to exist for generations to come.
Lao PDR is recognized as a unique biodiversity hotspot and is home to some of the world’s biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and species. However, its exceptional biodiversity is declining due to climate change, illegal wildlife trade, hunting, and poaching coupled with high rates of deforestation causing fragmentation and loss of habitats.
"As you may be aware that Lao PDR is a natural resource-rich country, both on land and in water. There are more than 1000 species of wild animals, especially the rare and endangered wild animals, such as Saola, Asian rock rats, Asian elephants, tigers, Eld’s deers, Irrawaddy Dolphin and other species. These wild animals are important for preserving the intactness of forest, the balance of the ecosystem, and are precious natural heritages of our nation, Lao PDR", said Associate Prof Dr Somvang Phimmavong, Director General of the Forestry Department.
This year’s World Wildlife Day focuses on digital innovations that are transforming the way we safeguard our invaluable ecosystems and biodiversity. It is a global platform to explore sustainable solutions to address threats to wildlife. New tools such as SMART patrol, drones, GIS, and maps are helping conservationists to identify, locate and monitor wildlife and critical species in forests and protected areas and wetlands, thus making wildlife conservation easier, more accurate, and efficient.
“In the Lao PDR, the Government is taking bold steps in the right direction, with the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2016 – 2025, the forest Law voted in 2019, the protected area decree adopted in June 2023, the Decree on wetlands, the CITES decree under revision, the protected area roadmap in the drafting process. Through enhanced protection of its ecosystems, Laos actively participates in the national and global biodiversity conservation”, said Mrs. Ina Marčiulionytė, EU Ambassador to Lao PDR.
“We are very proud to fund the Ecosystem Conservation through Integrated Landscape Management in Lao PDR (ECILL) implemented by the Wildlife Conservation Society in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. This project, builds on field experience in Nam Et-Phou Louey, Nam Kading, Phou Si Thon Endangered Species Conservation Area, and Xe Champhone wetlands, to reflex and feed the policy development process, integrating field experience and lessons learnt”, added Mrs. Ina Marčiulionytė, EU Ambassador to Lao PDR.
French Ambassador Siv-Leng Chhuor echoed the EU Ambassador by saying: “I place emphasis the Protected Areas Decree adopted in June 2023, an ambitious text and a bold step for biodiversity protection in Laos, which was draft with inputs from the ECILL project, co-financed by AFD and the European Union and which we hope will be operationalized in the coming months and years. Despite today's celebrations, we must remain vigilant in the face of threats to biodiversity and we encourage the Government of Lao PDR to pursue these efforts and continue now with the implementation of these legislations.”
Through various panel discussions with conservation organizations and experts, the event aimed to raise awareness among students of various faculties and colleges about the latest applications of digital technologies in wildlife conservation and the impact of digital interventions on ecosystems and communities.
Exhibition booths by conservation partners and educational institutions showcased technological innovation, tools, and services to drive wildlife conservation and human-wildlife coexistence, and highlighted the contributions made to sustainability, wildlife and biodiversity conservation in Lao PDR.
World Wildlife Day is celebrated every year on March 3rd to connect people with the natural world and inspire continued learning and action for animals and plants. The event was attended by over 250 people and was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with the support of the Working Group 15.7 on combating illegal wildlife trade and trafficking.