The Ho Chi Minh City Forest Protection Department, in cooperation with the Chu Yang Sin National Park in Dak Lak Province in the Central Highlands, released a seven-kilogram Java pangolin along with 41 other wild animals back to nature in the national park on Tuesday.

The wild animals consisted of 11 species, including Java pangolins, wild cats, reticulated pythons, ball pythons, pig-tailed macaques, Asian water monitors, elongated tortoises, Mekong snail-eating turtles, yellow-headed temple turtles, giant Asian pond turtles, and Caspian turtles.

These wild animals were mostly voluntarily surrendered by local residents to the Ho Chi Minh City Forest Protection Department. 

After being cared for at the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Center in Ho Chi Minh City, they were released into the Chu Yang Sin National Park.

Among the released wild animals was a seven-kilogram Java pangolin, which is classified as endangered species in group IB on Vietnam's government list of rare and endangered wildlife prioritized for protection.

The Java pangolin was voluntarily handed over by Nguyen Minh Tuan from the Biotechnology Center of Ho Chi Minh City based in District 12.

Ta Gia Thuy, a security guard at the Biotechnology Center of Ho Chi Minh City, shared that on the night of October 20, 2024, a person outside the gate of the center told him that there was a pangolin inside.

Thuy confirmed that the pangolin was crawling near the security office, so he captured it and reported the situation to Tuan.

Tuan said he did not know where the pangolin was from.

After receiving the report from the security guard, he instructed the guard to take the pangolin to the security office for immediate care. 

Tuan later informed the center's leadership of the Java pangolin and contacted the Ho Chi Minh City Forest Protection Department for handover.

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