Legend has it that the tiger, also known as the “king of the jungle”, is also known as Mr. "Thirty" because every time someone hunted a tiger, it was customary for the king to give a reward of thirty francs because then there would be one less wicked beast.
At the beginning of the Year of the Tiger, we were at the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center (Tien Duoc Commune, Soc Son District, Hanoi) which is under the jurisdiction of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to find documents about Mr. "Thirty". Established in 1996, the center's mission is to receive, care for and manage wild animals related to illegal cases. Luong Xuan Hong, director of the center said that the center is responsible for receiving animals confiscated from cases related to illegal hunting, transporting and captive breeding of wild animals, including rare and precious species listed in the Red Book.
“After the authorities have finished their work, it is our turn to check and bring it back to the care center until there is a new notice from the authorities”, said Luong Xuan Hong
There are many wild animals here, including 36 Indochinese tigers. For the staff at this center, each tiger in particular and the animal in general is a special "customer", Hong said.
Tigers at the Center are carefully cared for by the staff. They are fed 5 pounds of meat, bones or chicken each meal. Their weight is about 100kg for female tigers and up to 300kg for male tigers. The staff cleans the cage for the tigers daily to ensure good hygiene. The tigers are allowed to exercise and sunbathe according to the schedule at the outdoor enclosure.
The center has a British employee named Henry, who has worked here for 7 years specializing in researching and designing cages to suit the behavior of tigers as well as other animals.
Rescue, conservation, breeding and reproduction of wild animals are becoming more and more urgent. Facing that situation, the organization and operation of the Center is necessary, in order to better serve the wildlife rescue of Hanoi in particular and of Vietnam in general.
Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center (Tien Duoc commune, Soc Son district, Hanoi) is under the jurisdiction of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
36 tigers are cared for by the Center's staff.
Despite being kept in captivity, the tigers here have not lost their inherent wild instinct.
The tigers in the center have stable health.
When entering the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center, the tiger takes about 2-3 months to get used to the new environment.
Staff at the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center prepare food for tigers.
Tigers exercise in the outdoor enclosure at the center.
Tigers are introduced to semi-wild conditions at the outdoor enclosure at the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center.
Luong Xuan Hong (blue vest), director of the center discusses with Henry, who is British, about the design of the tiger cage.