WWF to Fund Tiger Protection in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia

   HANOI (Dec. 17) XINHUA - The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) 
has  pledged one million U.S. dollars to help Vietnam, Laos 
and Cambodia  protect their wild tigers and other rare 
animals, Vietnam's English  daily "Vietnam News" reported 
Wednesday.
   Measures to be taken include the building of cross-
border preservation  areas, monitoring of tigers, training 
of law-enforcement officers as  well as the investigation 
of illegal tiger trade.
   Now, Vietnam has only some 150 tigers within its 
territory because of  over-exploitation of natural forests 
and tiger-hunting. The number  reached thousands in the 
1960s.
   The Vietnamese government has recently issued decrees 
strictly banning  the hunting of 36 rare animals species 
including elephant, rhinocero,  panther, five-colored 
monkey, spotted deer as well as tiger, the report  said.