Even with its rich marine life, many of the species thriving in Vietnam’s waters are nearing extinction. Among the considered most endangered are the brownbanded bamboo sharks. The species is commonly found in the Indo-West Pacific, mostly from Japan to northern Australia. Scientifically known as Chiloscyllium punctatum, it is in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Pollution, food trading, little effort to preserve their habitat, and may other forms of abuse have caused these sea species to be continually threatened, especially to the fully-grown sharks.

There is little implementation on the laws set to protect the marine creatures. However, a few concerned sectors have made moves to save them, and hopefully flourish in terms of numbers. The Vinpearl Land Tourism Joint Stock Company is among those organizations determined to protect Vietnam’s waterlife biodiversity. They currently have 3 species of sharks grown in their aquarium.

On August 8, they released 25 brownbanded bamboo sharks into the central coastal Nha Trang Bay of Khanh Hoa province. The sharks are aged between one and three months old and are the offspring of one of the three pairs cultivated in Vinpearl aquarium. The future of marine life in Vietnam’s seas may still not look very promising, but efforts like the ones from Vinpearl are already great contributions to enrich the country’s seawater life biodiversity.