Taking advantage of available resources for economic development, in early 2024, the family of Thùng Văn Viễn, Nà Ín village, Mường Chà commune started raising bamboo rats with 10 pairs of hoary bamboo rats and 5 pairs of red-cheeked bamboo rats.

According to Thùng Văn Viễn, the bamboo rat is a rodent with wild characteristics, adapting well to the cool natural environment of the highlands. Bamboo rat food is available and easy to find year-round such as tree roots, bamboo, corn, cassava...

Thanks to applying science and technology and learning experiences from other bamboo rat farms, up to now, Thùng Văn Viễn’s family’s bamboo rat herd has grown to nearly 400 heads. Each adult bamboo rat weighs an average of 1.4 - 2.2kg; traders come to buy at the place for VND 400,000 - 600,000/kg. However, since bamboo rats are wild animals, farming households must fully comply with legal regulations.

Thùng Văn Viễn said that before raising them, the family reported to and was guided by the forest ranger force on full registration procedures to be granted a farming facility code. At times of importing or exporting the herd, the family fully notifies the forest ranger officers.

Similarly, the civet farming model of Nguyễn Văn Hùng’s family, Thanh Hòa village, Thanh Nưa commune, has strictly complied with legal regulations for sustainable development right from the start. Because civets are wild animals belonging to Group IIB, farming is strictly managed by functional agencies.

It is known that since 2022, Nguyễn Văn Hùng has invested over VND 100 million to build barns at Residential Group 9, old Mường Thanh ward (now Điện Biên Phủ ward) to raise more than 20 masked palm civets and was granted a farming facility code by the Forest Protection Sub-department in October 2022. On average, the selling price of a pair of breeding masked palm civets on the market fluctuates from VND 13 - 15 million, which is already profitable.

To meet market demand, in August 2025, Nguyễn Văn Hùng switched to raising common palm civets. The farming area in Thanh Nưa commune is over 200m2 with a full waste treatment system, ensuring environmental hygiene, invested by him with nearly VND 1 billion, currently raising nearly 100 common palm civets. According to Nguyễn Văn Hùng, common palm civets offer higher economic value and market demand than masked palm civets. Each farming batch takes about 10 months to be sold. Currently, many contacts have ordered civets at prices from VND 1.6 - 1.8 million/kg.

“To ensure farming complies with legal regulations, I always comply with and fully implement regulations on origin record keeping. Periodically, forest ranger officers come to guide procedures related to farming and trading civets, so it is very convenient,” Nguyễn Văn Hùng added.

Commercial wildlife farming is a licensed activity in Vietnam. In the provincial area, according to statistics, there are 153 facilities farming endangered, precious, rare, and common forest animals operating. Of these, there are 30 facilities raising endangered, precious, and rare forest animals (mainly masked palm civets, common palm civets, monocled cobras); 123 facilities raising common forest animals (mainly hoary bamboo rats, red-cheeked bamboo rats, brush-tailed porcupines, wild boars...).

Most wild animals being raised at facilities are species with high economic value on the market, but the number of individuals in the wild is tending to decrease. If not strictly managed, it will be easy for the phenomenon of taking wild animal individuals from nature into farms for illicit profit to occur, increasing the risk of illegal hunting and trapping of wild animals.

Trần Đức Quyền, Head of the Forest Management and Development Division, Forest Protection Sub-department, said: “To control wildlife farming activities well, all farming facilities are issued tracking books and managed strictly according to legal regulations. At the same time, favorable conditions are created such as procedures for granting farming facility codes (if there is a legal origin of livestock, ensuring environmental hygiene) and export/import for farmers. In 2025 alone, the Forest Protection Sub-department organized 2 inspection rounds, inspecting 37 facilities raising endangered, precious, and rare forest animals; animals under the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) appendices; and common forest animals. Through inspection, it showed that facilities complied with and fully implemented regulations on keeping origin records and recording farming tracking books.”

Commercial wildlife farming is becoming an effective economic development direction, creating jobs and income for many households. Therefore, along with encouraging economic development, functional agencies need to continue strengthening inspection, guidance, and perfecting the legal framework for commercial wildlife farming activities. Only when managed transparently and in accordance with regulations can this activity promote sustainable efficiency, harmonizing economic benefits and biodiversity conservation.