The Viet Nam Association of River Basin and Coast Protection plans to publish a photo book of Da Nang’s the Son Tra Nature Reserve to raise funds for protecting its biodiversity.

In bloom: Flowers in the Son Tra forest  — VNS Photo Bui Van Tuan

Vice Chairman of the Association Ho Duy Diem, remarked that the book would feature a total of 120 photos from 100 Vietnamese and foreign photographers.

Beauty: A corner of the Son Tra peninsula. — VNS Photo Le Phuoc Chin

He said that the Association had called for voluntary contributions.  All money from the book sales will go to the fund.

Primates: Red-shanked langurs, endangered primates, seen at the Son Tra reserve. — VNS Photo Bui Van Tuan

Last month, freelance photographer Le Phuoc Chin and writer Bui Cong Dung, both from Da Nang, displayed photos at an exhibition, near HCM city, of red-shanked langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus), an endangered primates living in the Son Tra reserve.

Last week, a photo of the langur portrait was bought by a local resident at an auction to raise money for the fund.

Ancient: A gnarled old tree in the Son Tra reserve. — VNS Photo Bui Van Tuan

The 4,400ha Son Tra reserve, 10km from Da Nang centre, is unique.  Its biodiversity ranges from primary forests to oceans with more than 1,000 plants and 370 animal species.

The langurs in the reserve were declared endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2013, but the species has recently been classed Critically Endangered (CR) – nearly extinct.

Autumn: The forest in Son Tra can be colourful. — VNS Photo Bui Van Tuan

More than 25,000 school students and over 3,000 other local residents have been introduced to the importance of biodiversity in the reserve on field trips between 2013 and 2017.

(Source: VNS/ DA NANG Today)