Commercial Farming of Leiolepis Guttata in Binh Thuan Province,Vietnam:Implications for Conservation and Management

Herpetological Conservation and Biology 10(1):216-234. Submitted: 19 January 2014; Accepted: 13 January 2015; Published: 14 June 2015. Commercial Farming of Leiolepis guttata in Binh Thuan Province,Vietnam:Implications for Conservation and Management Anne-Julie Rochette1,2,4,5, Tinh Tran1,2,5, Abigail de Martynoff2, François Malaisse3 and André Théwis1 1University of Liége, Animal Science Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech 2, Passage des Déportés B-5030 GEMBLOUX, Belgium 2University of Liége, Functional and Evolutionary Entomology Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech 2, Passage des Déportés B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium 3University of Liége, Biodiversity and Landscape Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech 2, Passage des Déportés B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium 4Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] 5Contributed equally to this work. Abstract.—Since the first Indochinese war, natural populations of Leiolepis guttata have been hunted for their meat in southeastern Vietnam as a subsistence meal; nowadays, it has become a luxury deli- cacy. Commercial farms have become established since 2004 because of wild population declines and increasing demand for meat. We interviewed farmers and restaurateurs about the breeding and trade of the species to better understand the impact on wild populations. The results highlight the recent flourishing expansion of farming with rapidly increasing product prices and number of farms, as well as the ease and profitability of this activity. Wild population declines are widely acknowledged by au- thorities and local communities. Farms are being regarded as conservation pools to offset wild stock depletion, in addition to an important source of income. We discuss the risks associated with this trade development and we emphasize the conservation implications. Demand for lizards as founders for farms and for meat are likely to increase further, but risks exist that the development of new farms would saturate the market causing prices to ultimately fall. Habitat destruction and over-collecting severely reduce wild populations, but the high densities of farmed lizards raise serious genetic and sanitary issues. We suggest that further information should be collected to assess the sustainability of this trade. Priority should be given to the assessment of natural population densities and hunting effort. Biological patterns of this species are poorly documented and sound knowledge would enable better management of farms, and if this species is recognized as endangered could lead restrictions on harvesting of wild populations. Key Words.—Agamidae; commercial farming; Giant Butterfly Lizard; southern Vietnam; wildlife trade Introduction pollution (Gibbons et al. 2000). The wild meat trade alone has now overtaken habitat loss as the Reptile populations are being reduced at un- greatest threat to wildlife in the humid tropics precedented rates throughout the world. The (Milner-Gulland and Bennett 2003; Redmond et main factors attributed to this decline are the alter- al. 2006). Because reptiles often occur at high ation, destruction, and fragmentation of habitat, densities and biomass levels, they are particu- unsustainable human use, global climate change, larly well-suited for management as a food re- diseases, and impacts from invasive species and source (Klemens and Thorbjarnarson 1995). Al- Copyright © 2015. Anne-Julie Rochette. All Rights Reserved. 216 Herpetological Conservation and Biology though many species of reptiles are consumed six southeastern provinces (Ananjeva et al. 2007; by humans, only some taxa undergo extensive Nguyen 2010; Tran et al. 2012). To date, the con- consumption and the commercialization of their servation status of this species has not been as- meat. Concern has been growing in recent years sessed. Leiolepis guttata was historically hunted about the unsustainable levels of wildlife hunt- largely for subsistence consumption by human ing, especially in tropical forests (Robinson and populations during the first (1945–1954) and sec- Bennett 2000). Wildlife hunting pressure has in- ond (1954–1975) Indochinese wars. Its flesh was creased immensely and many exploited species said to be healthy for wounded and weak people are facing local or even global extinction (Milner- (Nguyen 2010). People continued eating these Gulland and Bennett 2003). Vietnam’s natural lizards after the war (Nguyen 2010). As hunting environment, which supports one of the most became more difficult due to decreasing natu- biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, ral populations and an increasing demand, farms has deteriorated rapidly over the past decades. appeared for the first time in 2004 in the Bac Twenty-one percent of its reptiles and amphib- Binh District, southeastern Vietnam. Commer- ians species are endangered, mainly because of cial farming of this lizard became progressively habitat loss and overexploitation (World Bank more popular, and the number of farms of L. gut- 2002). In Africa, meat from wild animals is con- tata has increased notably (Bac Binh People’s sidered as an important source of protein, but Committee, unpubl. report). Its meat is no longer across much of Southeast Asia it is widely de- consumed for subsistence but is now sold as a manded as a specialty food or as additives to luxury product. In this paper we document the drinks and medicine (Nguyen 2003; Brooks et commercial farming of this lizard in the Bac Binh al. 2010). Facing wild population decline, cap- District. We present the geographical framework tive breeding activities have arisen throughout of the study, husbandry practices of farming, eco- Vietnam since 2000, encouraged by national ac- nomic patterns, and trade dynamics. Based on tion plans and supported by provincial directives our results and the socio-economical context, we as poverty alleviation schemes to improve local discuss threats and conservation implications of livelihoods (Thomson 2008). The ways in which this trade on wild populations. Considering that natural resources are used by human populations information about this species and its exploita- are extremely relevant in defining successful con- tion is scarce, we hope that the data presented servation strategies (Alves et al. 2008). Sound here are useful in addressing issues relevant to biological knowledge is also essential to model long-term ecologically sustainable use of these sustainable use of resources. Southeast Asian bio- lizards. diversity has been poorly documented over the last several decades in comparison with other Materials and Methods tropical regions (Sodhi et al. 2004), especially with respect to amphibians and reptiles. Conse- Study site.—We focused our study in the Binh quently, the population status of most species Thuan coastal province, in southern central remains unknown (Sung et al. 2011). We docu- Vietnam, between 107◦ 24’ – 108◦50’E and ment the commercial farming of the Giant But- 10◦33’ – 11◦33’N. With a surface area of 7,813 terfly Lizard, Leiolepis guttata, in southern cen- km2, it comprises one city, one township, and tral Vietnam. This species is mainly herbivorous eight districts, and is inhabited by 1,176,913 and is one of the eight known species of butter- people (in 2010; Nguyen, unpubl. report). The fly lizards (Leiolepidinae, Agamidae) originating Bac Binh District, covers a large area of 1,825 from Southeast Asia. The range of this indige- km2 and is itself divided into 17 communes. nous lizard covers the coastal sandy dunes of It houses an increasing population of 117,645 217 Rochette et al.—-Commercial Lizard Farming in Viet Nam inhabitants (in 2010), with an average population in four cities and villages from Binh Thuan density of 64 people per km2, which is the Province chosen according to accessibility. The lowest of all districts in the province. It is a questionnaires included closed- and open-ended predominantly agricultural district, and sandy questions. Collected data were related to prices, soils and coastal sand dunes cover about 18% trade, and recipes. of the natural area of the province (Pham et al., unpubl. report). The area is characterized Analysis.—Frequencies of replies are ex- by a combination of tropical monsoon and dry pressed as percentages. As some questions em- and windy weather. It is the driest and hottest barrassed people or did not apply to some inter- region of Vietnam. There are distinct dry and viewees, the number of respondents varies be- wet periods; the dry period lasting five months tween questions. Frequencies are therefore also and beginning approximately in November. The presented as fractions of the total number of monthly mean temperature oscillates between respondents. When numerical responses were 20◦C and 33◦C. The annual average precipitation required, if a range was given, we calculated is 1,024 mm (at Phan Thiêt), while annual statistics from its midpoint. We used a Pearson’s rainfall occasionally drops as low as 550 mm at correlation to observe the change of different some locations (Hountondji and Ozer 2011). parameters over time: frequency of farm start- up dates, price trends, and hunting results. We Data collection.—We collected information converted all prices to US Dollars at the cur- on lizard farming activity, consumption, and rency exchange rate for the corresponding year commercialization from February to June (OANDA. 2012. Historical currency exchange 2010 by interviewing farmers and restaurant rates. Available from http://www.oanda.com [ac- owners. We focused on the Bac Binh District cessed 21 March 2012]), and adjusted

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