Vietnam protects 34 national parks covering approximately 10,500 square kilometers, alongside 58 nature reserves and 11 species and habitat conservation areas as of 2023. The national park system falls under the Vietnam Administration of Forestry within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Cúc Phương National Park, established in 1962, became Vietnam's first national park, protecting 222 square kilometers of lowland tropical forest in Ninh Binh Province. Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park encompasses 857 square kilometers on the Annamite Range border with Laos, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 and expanded in recognition in 2015 for containing the oldest karst mountains in Asia at approximately 400 million years old.
The saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) remains Vietnam's most significant endemic large mammal, discovered in Vũ Quang Nature Reserve in 1992 by biologists from the Ministry of Forestry and World Wildlife Fund. Camera trap evidence from 2013 in central Annamite forests represents the most recent confirmed sighting. The species inhabits wet evergreen or deciduous forests at elevations between 400 and 1,000 meters along the Vietnam-Laos border. Population estimates range from fewer than 100 to possibly only a few dozen individuals. Vũ Quang Nature Reserve protects 552 square kilometers specifically managed for saola habitat, though the species also occurs in adjacent Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng and Pu Mat areas.
Cat Tien National Park protects the last viable population of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) in Vietnam, though genetic testing of dung samples in 2010 revealed only five individuals remained. Poachers killed the last confirmed individual in 2010, declared extinct in Vietnam by the International Union for Conservation of Nature that year. The park continues protection of 720 square kilometers of lowland tropical forest habitat in Dong Nai Province where 105 mammal species and 351 bird species occur. Sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) inhabit the park with population estimates of 50 to 100 individuals. Asian elephants number approximately 16 individuals in Cat Tien based on 2020 survey data, down from an estimated 30 in 2005.
The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus) survives in approximately 250 individuals across fragmented forest patches in northern Vietnam. Khau Ca Species and Habitat Conservation Area in Ha Giang Province protects the largest subpopulation with approximately 110 individuals recorded in 2017 surveys. Du Gia Nature Reserve in Tuyen Quang Province contains an estimated 40 individuals. The species inhabits limestone karst forests between 200 and 1,200 meters elevation. Body length ranges from 51 to 62 centimeters with tails extending 66 to 92 centimeters. Frankfurt Zoological Society maintains field research stations monitoring population dynamics since 2002.
Red-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus) occupy forests in central Vietnam with population estimates ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 individuals. Son Tra Nature Reserve in Da Nang protects approximately 300 individuals within 42 square kilometers of coastal forest. The species consumes primarily leaves from at least 82 documented plant species. Group sizes average 4 to 15 individuals with recorded groups reaching 50 members. Body mass ranges from 8 to 11 kilograms. Son Tra Nature Reserve established patrol teams in 2017 following documentation of hunting incidents that killed at least four individuals that year.
The Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi) was scientifically described in 2000 from specimens collected in the Annamite Range. The species occurs between 500 and 1,400 meters elevation in dense evergreen forests. Camera trap records from Pu Mat National Park between 2008 and 2016 documented presence at 12 locations. The rabbit has a body length of approximately 390 millimeters and weighs roughly 1.7 kilograms. Stripe patterns show five distinct dark brown or black stripes on a yellow-brown dorsal surface. Surveys in 2019 confirmed presence in Bach Ma National Park on 14 occasions across 80 camera trap locations.
Delacour's langur (Trachypithecus delacouri) inhabits limestone karst formations in northern Vietnam with a total population of approximately 250 individuals as of 2020. Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Binh Province protects the largest subpopulation with 56 individuals recorded in 2019. The species shows distinctive white and cream coloration on the face and chest. Groups typically contain one adult male, multiple adult females, and juveniles, averaging 8 to 10 individuals. The reserve spans 30 square kilometers of wetland and limestone outcrop habitat. Births peak between March and May based on observation data collected from 2008 through 2019.
Vietnamese populations of Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus) declined to approximately 200 individuals across fragmented habitats as of 2021 assessments. Yok Don National Park in Dak Lak Province contains an estimated 20 individuals within 1,155 square kilometers of deciduous dipterocarp forest and bamboo. Cuc Phuong National Park operates the Endangered Primate Rescue Center since 1993 and added a bear rescue facility in 2008, housing 38 bears in 2023 confiscated from illegal bile farming operations. The facility occupies 4 hectares within the park boundaries. Vietnamese law prohibited bear bile farming in 2005 but enforcement documentation shows 372 bears remained in farms as of 2022.
The Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti) has no confirmed sightings in Vietnam since 1997 camera trap images from Nghe An Province. Comprehensive surveys conducted across potential habitat areas between 2010 and 2016 found no evidence of breeding populations. Yok Don National Park and adjacent protected areas once supported tiger populations, but surveys in 2015 using camera traps at 428 locations over 1,200 monitoring days recorded no tiger presence. Conservation organizations classify the subspecies as functionally extinct in Vietnam while maintaining protection measures in case dispersing individuals enter from neighboring countries.
The Edward's pheasant (Lophura edwardsi) exists only in captive breeding programs, declared extinct in the wild with the last confirmed sighting in 2000 in Quang Tri Province. The species inhabited lowland evergreen forests in north-central Vietnam below 600 meters elevation. Captive populations in European and North American zoos total approximately 1,000 birds descended from specimens collected before 1975. Vietnamese conservation authorities partnered with the World Pheasant Association starting in 2011 to assess potential reintroduction sites in Bach Ma National Park, though no releases have occurred as of 2023.
Imperial pheasants (Lophura imperialis) have no confirmed records since 1990 and may represent hybrid individuals rather than a distinct species based on genetic analysis published in 2012. Historical records place the species in forests of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces at elevations between 300 and 900 meters. Museum specimens total fewer than ten individuals worldwide. Surveys in Pu Mat National Park between 2014 and 2019 specifically targeted this species using camera traps and acoustic monitoring but documented no evidence.
The white-shouldered ibis (Pseudibis davisoni) declined to fewer than 50 individuals in Vietnam concentrated in wetland areas of Dong Nai Province. Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province historically supported breeding populations but surveys in 2018 recorded no individuals. Cat Tien National Park maintains the most significant remaining population with 12 individuals counted in 2021. The species requires shallow wetlands and flooded grasslands that undergo seasonal inundation. Nest sites occur in dipterocarp trees at heights of 8 to 15 meters. Regional population across Southeast Asia totals fewer than 800 individuals.
Giant ibis (Thaumatibis gigantea) records in Vietnam ceased after 1993 with the species now restricted to Cambodia. The ibis previously occurred in deciduous dipterocarp forests in southeastern provinces. Body mass reaches 4.2 kilograms with a total length of 102 to 106 centimeters. Conservation assessments classify the species as critically endangered with a global population estimated at 200 to 300 individuals. Vietnamese protected area management continues habitat protection in Yok Don and Cat Tien national parks should dispersing birds cross from Cambodian populations.
The critically endangered grey-crowned crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus vietnamensis) occupies small mountain streams in Quang Ninh Province. Population surveys in 2013 estimated 950 individuals across six stream systems. The subspecies inhabits shallow, slow-flowing streams at elevations between 300 and 1,400 meters within broadleaf evergreen forest. Adults reach 40 centimeters total length with tails comprising approximately 60 percent of body length. Females give birth to live young, typically producing 2 to 8 offspring. Ha Long-Cat Ba Archipelago Biosphere Reserve established specific protection zones for known populations in 2017.
Vietnamese pond turtles (Mauremys annamensis) exist only in captive assurance colonies, functionally extinct in the wild with no confirmed sightings since the 1930s. The species was rediscovered through specimens in Chinese food markets in 2006, leading to genetic confirmation of wild-origin individuals. Captive breeding programs in European facilities maintain approximately 80 individuals. The turtle historically occurred in lowland wetlands and slow-moving streams in northern and central Vietnam. Shell length reaches 22 centimeters. Reintroduction feasibility studies began in 2019 examining water quality and habitat conditions in protected wetlands within Xuan Thuy National Park.
Swinhoe's softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) represents the world's most endangered turtle species with four known individuals as of 2023. Dong Mo Lake in Son Tay District, Hanoi, contains one confirmed individual. Xuan Khanh Lake in Dong Mo Commune contains one individual confirmed through environmental DNA sampling in 2020. Two individuals reside at Suzhou Zoo in China, where a male successfully fertilized eggs from a female in 2019, though no hatchlings survived. The species reaches shell lengths exceeding 100 centimeters and weights of 130 kilograms. Vietnamese authorities implemented 24-hour guard rotations at Dong Mo Lake starting in 2018.
Crocodile populations in Vietnam consist of reintroduced saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in Cat Tien National Park and U Minh Thuong National Park. Fourteen individuals were released in Cat Tien between 2000 and 2003, with surveys in 2020 confirming seven individuals remained. U Minh Thuong in Ca Mau Province received six individuals in 2013. Wild populations became extinct in southern Vietnam during the 1980s due to hunting. Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) have no confirmed wild populations in Vietnam, existing only in commercial farming operations that held approximately 1,800 individuals in 2022.
Con Dao National Park protects critical nesting beaches for green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata). The park encompasses 143 square kilometers of terrestrial habitat and 140 square kilometers of marine protected area across 16 islands. Monitoring data from 2010 to 2021 recorded an average of 35 green turtle nests annually on Con Dao beaches, with peak nesting between May and October. Hawksbill turtle nests averaged 8 annually during the same period. Bay Canh Island within the park contains the highest density nesting sites. Rangers conduct nightly beach patrols during nesting season and operate a sea turtle hospital that treated 64 individuals in 2022.
Nui Chua National Park in Ninh Thuan Province established Vietnam's first marine protected area in 2003, encompassing 295 square kilometers of coastal and marine habitat. Coral reef surveys in 2019 documented 312 scleractinian coral species across 42 genera. Reef coverage averages 35 percent across surveyed sites. Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) appear seasonally between March and July, with 23 individual sightings recorded in 2022. The park restricts fishing activities within 3.5 kilometers of designated coral protection zones. Water temperatures range from 24 to 30 degrees Celsius, measured continuously at three monitoring stations since 2015.
Cu Lao Cham Marine Park near Hoi An protects 165 square kilometers surrounding eight islands. The park contains 135 coral species with coverage averaging 42 percent based on 2021 survey transects. Giant clams (Tridacna) occur at densities of 2 to 5 individuals per 100 square meters in protected zones compared to 0.2 individuals per 100 square meters in adjacent unprotected areas according to comparative surveys in 2018. The park implemented no-take zones covering 23 square kilometers in 2005. Visitor numbers reached 450,000 in 2019, with access limited to 1,200 visitors daily since 2020.
Hon Mun Marine Protected Area in Nha Trang Bay covers 16 square kilometers, established in 2001. Reef fish biomass measurements in 2020 averaged 1,850 kilograms per hectare within no-take zones and 650 kilograms per hectare in buffer zones. The area contains 350 documented reef fish species. Moorish idols (Zanclus cornutus) occur at densities of 12 individuals per 100 square meters. Black coral (Antipathes) colonies grow at depths of 15 to 30 meters. Park regulations prohibit anchoring within coral zones, requiring use of 18 designated mooring buoys installed in 2015.
The Mekong Delta wetlands support populations of spot-billed pelicans (Pelecanus philippensis) and painted storks (Mycteria leucocephala). Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province contains 75 square kilometers of wetland habitat with water levels managed through 27 sluice gates. Waterbird surveys in January 2022 counted 145 pelicans and 2,340 painted storks using the wetlands. The park floods to depths of 1 to 1.5 meters between September and November, creating foraging habitat for wading birds. Lotus fields within the park cover approximately 800 hectares, harvested on rotation to maintain varied water depths.
Xuan Thuy National Park in Nam Dinh Province protects 120 square kilometers of coastal mudflats and mangrove forest on the Red River Delta. The park serves as a critical stopover for migratory shorebirds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Peak counts in April 2021 recorded 68,000 shorebirds representing 42 species. Spoon-billed sandpipers (Calidris pygmaea) numbered 14 individuals during spring migration counts in 2022. Bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica) reached 12,500 individuals in autumn 2021. The park maintains 3,200 hectares of mudflat habitat by restricting aquaculture expansion through zoning regulations implemented in 2013.
Ba Be National Park in Bac Kan Province encompasses 234 square kilometers surrounding Vietnam's largest natural lake. The lake covers 6.5 square kilometers with a maximum depth of 30 meters. Fish surveys between 2015 and 2019 identified 87 species, including 15 endemic to northern Vietnam. The white-bellied rat (Niviventer huang) described from specimens collected in the park in 2009 remains known only from elevations between 600 and 1,200 meters in karst forest habitat within the park boundaries. Camera trap surveys in 2020 recorded this species at 8 locations across 100 trap nights.
Hoang Lien National Park in Lao Cai Province protects 299 square kilometers including Fansipan, Vietnam's highest peak at 3,147 meters. The park contains distinct vegetation zones including montane evergreen forest above 2,000 meters and bamboo forest between 2,500 and 2,800 meters. The endangered Tonkin snub-nosed monkey occurs in limestone areas at the park's periphery with approximately 20 individuals recorded in 2018. Bird surveys documented 342 species, including Collared laughingthrush (Trochalopteron yersini) endemic to the Annamite Range. The Vietnamese cutia (Cutia legalleni) occurs at densities of 2.4 individuals per square kilometer in primary forest based on point count surveys in 2019.