(VOVworld) – A seminar opened today/ on Tuesday in Hanoi to discuss the involvement of youngsters in wildlife preservation in response to the International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22^nd. The seminar, co-sponsored by the Vietnam Environment Administration and the Freeland Foundation-a wildlife trafficking deterrence group-highlighted measures to protect wild animals like intensifying communications in the community, training wildlife protectors, and severely punishing wildlife smuggling. Organizers also launched a movement calling on Hanoi youths not to receive endangered species, which threatens Vietnam’s biological diversity.

Panthera pardus is listed in Vietnam' red book for endangered species. (Photo:giaoduc.net.vn)

Vietnam is among the world’s top ten countries for biodiversity. It has 10% of the planet’s wild species while occupying less than 1% of the earth’s surface area. Rapid economic growth in Vietnam has resulted in a significant decrease of natural habitats, leading to shrinking populations, even extinction of several wild species.