Improving the Welfare of Wild Animals Kept in Captivity- Vietnam
Change For Animals Foundation is working in partnership with Animals Asia and leading experts in captive wildlife care to improve the welfare of wild animals housed in zoos and government-run rescue centres, set up to accommodate animals confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam.
By joining forces with wildlife enrichment experts and key stakeholders, CFAF is working to train local staff in appropriate animal management, focusing on the need to provide environmental enrichment to minimise physical and behavioural problems associated with restrictions and stresses linked to a life in captivity.
Whilst CFAF maintains that the keeping of wildlife in captivity for the purposes of entertainment is not ethically justifiable, where wildlife holding facilities do exist, we believe it is important to improve conditions for the animals to ensure the highest welfare standards possible. In the case of rescue centres, the animals will often remain in these facilities for the remainder of their lives, as reintroduction back into the wild may not always be feasible. Providing the best possible care for those animals is therefore of primary concern. CFAF is committed to working collaboratively and in partnership with animal protection organisations and facilities housing wildlife to make positive and lasting change for animals.
Find out more about what CFAF is doing to support positive change for animals housed at these facilities
CFAF’s Co-Sponsored "Shape of Enrichment" Workshop
In September 2013, CFAF and Animals Asia co-hosted a workshop in Hanoi that explored ways of improving the welfare of wild animals living in captivity. Over 60 staff from 14 different zoos and wildlife rescue centres from throughout Vietnam participated.. ‘The Shape of Enrichment’ workshop included lectures on topics such as animal enrichment and staff training. In addition, practical sessions taught staff how to build various species-specific enrichment structures (for example, hammocks, bamboo feeders, etc.), to demonstrate easy and inexpensive changes that can be made to improve the well-being of animals housed in captivity. Find out more here...
Changing Animal Welfare Attitudes in Vietnam
Change For Animals Foundation recently partnered with Erin Ivory, an independent Animal Welfare Management Advisor, and Animals Asia to launch a project in Vietnam to help boost animal welfare in the country’s captive animal facilities. Erin is heading up the project and hopes that her team’s work over the next few months will change people’s attitudes toward animals in captivity. Find out more here...
Raising Awareness of the Need to Ensure High Welfare Standards For Wild Animals Housed in Captivity
On the 8th and 9th December 2014, a director’s forum to discuss the need to protect the welfare of animals at captive wild animal facilities in Vietnam- such as wildlife rescue centres and zoos- was convened and hosted by the Vietnam National Agriculture University, Change for Animals Foundation, Animals Asia and Wild Welfare, with the support of the Hanoi Agriculture Department. Find out more here...
This week saw the opening ceremony of the new electric fence system at Hanoi Zoo’s elephant enclosure, allowing the elephants to finally wander in the grassy enclossure after years confined by chains. This is a major achievement for the collaborative efforts of Change For Animals Foundation, Animals Asia and Wild Welfare to improve the conditions for the animals housed in captivity in Vietnam. Find out more here...