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December 27, 2018• Behind the Scenes at EPRC, English, Tiếng Việt

We Celebrated Christmas in EPRC!

Merry Christmas from Vietnam

Although it is not a Vietnamese tradition to celebrate Christmas, we decided we would share our Santa Claus with Vietnamese children of the village!

First he distributed his presents to EPRC keepers’ kids, then rode his bike along with his reindeers-volunteers around Cuc Phuong, with a bag full of presents and treats, in search of children who have been kind this year…

Besides, thanks to our Santa-keepers, EPRC gibbons also have discovered their Christmas tree and opened their presents!!

We wish you all end of year greetings on behalf of EPRC team!

December 7, 2018• English, News

Vacancy: Director of the Endangered Primate Rescue Center

Director (M/F), Endangered Primate Rescue Center

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Serve as country representative of Zoo Leipzig in collaboration with the Vietnamese authorities (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Cuc Phuong National Park, PACCOM, etc).
Managing the annual budget and providing accurate financial reports two times per year
Developing and implementing all EPRC activities in line with the Project Management Plan
Provide guidance and support to Vietnamese staff in undertaking all daily tasks and developing staff capacity
Preparation of project proposals/reports, as well as other administrative tasks as required.
Co-ordinate and maintain co-operation with other conservation projects, NGOs and institutions in Vietnam
Obtaining third party funding for EPRC operations in cooperation with Zoo Leipzig

December 5, 2018• Behind the Scenes at EPRC, English

Our Lorises Get Prepared for Winter

Winter in Northern Vietnam

Most people assume that Vietnam weather is always warm. It is hard to imagine but we have a pretty cold winter here in Northern Vietnam, especially in Cuc Phuong rainforest which has its own micro-climate. Days have just started to get colder here and if you have a closer look you can notice it is affecting our Lorises who are also getting prepared for winter!

Before the end of autumn, they start eating a lot and gain weight. They need to do so because during the next very cold days they will fall into a torpor and stop eating, sometimes even for several days. Which results in a significant variation of weight from one season to another. As an example, Pygmy Lorises can weigh up to 500g or even more just before winter and drop down to only 300g in spring.

Another striking observation is the difference in their fur appearance. The important variations along the seasons confused the scientists in the past. Not so far from now, twenty years ago, there were three known Loris species in Vietnam:

November 29, 2018• Behind the Scenes at EPRC, English

Cubes Enrichment for Our Gibbons

Enrichment while eating

With new encounters come new ideas! Nadine works as a keeper in Vienna Zoo and came to volunteer among us for a month. She fell in love with our gibbons and decided to construct them new enrichment and make their feeding time a little bit more challenging!

The concept is to build cubes out of straps that we can stuff with food and hang in the enclosures. A whole team of volunteers and keepers gave a hand to make it happen and had great fun while learning in the process… But make no mistake, it is more complicated than it looks!

November 23, 2018• English, News

A New Female Gibbon Rescued!

A Name and A Home at EPRC

EPRC is welcoming a new gibbon who was kept by a family for twelve years in Hoa Binh Province. The family got it as a gift by a friend who brought it all the way down from Gia Lai Province at the border of Cambodia. At that time the gibbon was a baby of less than a year old and her fur color had not changed to black yet.

They named her Thien Tam, which means good heart in Vietnamese, and she got used to life among humans, being pet and taken into people’s arms, being fed with the same food the family was eating everyday: rice, meat, fruits… We also learned they got a second baby gibbon to keep her company, who died of sickness.

When she grew up, most likely because of the complications of keeping an adult gibbon in their home, the family tried to release her in the mountains behind the house but she came back by herself. After twelve years in captivity, the rangers from Hoa Binh Province Forestry department found out about the gibbon and convinced the family to leave her in our hands.

November 13, 2018• Behind the Scenes at EPRC, English

What Is It Like Being a Keeper at EPRC?

Vinh is telling us about his experience as Technical Head Keeper!

Vinh, you have been working here for a while, right?

November 7, 2018• Behind the Scenes at EPRC, English

How Are EPRC Gibbons Behaving?

With researcher Kaylen from the United States

When you think about the health of a primate, you think about sickness, right? Physical health. Well, behavioral health is just as important! How a primate is behaving can give a glimpse of their mental and emotional state, as well as providing clues about whether or not they are sick or in pain.

Studying behavior is for us the only way to guess what they are thinking or feeling and help provide answers to questions like: how do they form relationships with each other? Do they prefer one food over another? Are they happy and acting like they would do in the wild?

November 1, 2018• Behind the Scenes at EPRC, English

Inspiring Youth to Care About Primates Conservation

EPRC Welcome Young People From All Over The World.

Our center has been packed with school groups during the whole month of October.

This year we had the pleasure to receive teenagers from a Hong Kong school for the first time, but also the 6th grade pupils of the United Nations International School of Hanoi, who are now coming every year!

We are always particularly enthusiastic to catch the attention of the young publics, who will be the wildlife protectors of tomorrow. Educating the youth about facts and issues facing Vietnam primates is more demanding than a classic tour! It is also the occasion for EPRC to make it fun and truly memorable, so our little visitors will not only take pictures but hopefully be driven to take a stand for them against extinction.

October 26, 2018• Behind the Scenes at EPRC, English

Our Staff Received Training by Australian Zookeepers

Welcome Back Lou From Australia

We receive a lot of visitors all year round, but there are encounters that last much more than an holiday tour. It is the seventh time that Lou, a zoo keeper from Australia, is coming to EPRC after she discovered the center in 2004. Lou decided she wanted to help our project and we thought our keepers could greatly benefit from her professional experience. Last year she gave them a lesson about animal training which was very funny and interactive! This time she brought three other zoo related people with her to teach our staff how to make good enrichment.

October 22, 2018• English, News

Two New Gibbons Rescued

Linh and Dan, a Male and Female Yellow-Cheeked Gibbons Rescued

We were called to rescue a male and female Yellow-cheeked gibbons who were held in illegal captivity for no less than a decade. After a three hours trip we reached the city of Hải Phòng, where they were living in a family house backyard in what looked like a hen house.

The family agreed to voluntarily transfer the primates after someone called our partner organization ENV wildlife crime hotline. Following the call Hai Phong Environmental Police, Hai Phong Forest Protection Department and the ward police all descended on their house to confiscate the gibbons and wait for our arrival.

Working to ensure a future for Vietnam's primates