Flora+and+Fauna

=Vietnams Fauna= For this task Angus and myself have taken on the flora and fauna of Vietnam. Vietnam is full of wonderful and interesting fauna. quite a lot of it is the same as Australia and some a lot different which i find interesting. =Rare fauna= Scientists have just discovered the largest community of grey-shanked douc langer (Pygathrix cinerea) in Vietnam so far, they have found around about 180 heads in the region Quang Nam. The grey- shanked douc is one of the worlds 25 most endangered primates and has only been recorded in the five central provinces of Quang nam, Kon Tum, Quang Ngai, Binh and Gia Lai. Fewer than 1000 are believed to still exist, and previously with one other population of 100.

it is very rare to find such a big population in such a small area, especially for a species on the edge of extinction.

Grey shanked doucs, first identified in 1997, are tree-dwelling colobine monkeys with orange faces and tufts of whiskers. Like many primates species in Vietnam they face an uncertain future due to hunting and habitat loss.

=Most common animals in Vietnam=

The most common domesticated animals in Vietnam are water Buffalo, cattle, dogs, cats, pigs, goats, ducks and chickens. Wild game in the central highlands includes elephants and tapirs; Sumatran rhinoceros, believed to have become extinct by the 1960s, were sighted in the 1990s. Also found in the forests are large cats, including tigers, leopards and ounces (snow leopard); several kinds of wild oxen, including gaurs and koupreys; and various types of bears. Deer are plentiful and include the small musk deer and barking deer. Other common wild animals are wild pigs, porcupines, jackals, otters, mongooses, hares, skunks and squirrels including flying squirrels.

=Vietnams extinct animals=

Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle was previously thought to be extinct in the wild. Three other turtles of the species are in captivity, said experts from the Zoo's Asian turtle program.

There have been rumors for years of a mythical creature living deep in the waters of a northern Vietnam lake. Some villagers west of Hanoi claimed to be blessed by catching a glimpse of its concave shell as it crested above the surface of their lake.

A national legend tells of a giant golden turtle that bestowed upon the Vietnamese people a magic sword and victory over Chinese invaders in the 16th century. Whether that sacred turtle has materialized in the 21st century will be a matter of cultural debate among the Vietnamese.

=Wild animals of Vietnam=

Some wild animals are wild pigs, porcupines, jackals, otters, mongooses, hares, skunks, and squirrels, including flying squirrels. There are also small wild cats,binturongs, and palm civets. Primates such as langurs, macaques, gibbons and rhesus monkeys live in the forests. Three species of hoofed mammals, the saola, giant muntjac and Truong Son muntjac were discovered in the 1990s. Crocodiles are found on the edges of some lakes and along riverbanks; other reptiles include several kinds of lizards, pythons, and cobras. Of the wide variety of land and water birds, some 600 species have been identified in southern Vietnam alone.

=Vietnam wars effect on the wildlife= During the Vietnam War, herbicides were used by the U.S. Army to defoliate large areas of forest in southern Vietnam. Most of these forests have been regenerating, but resettlement programs and illegal logging appear to have created longer lasting damage.

By Lachlan Rodgers