Meet the team

MsC. Pham Van Thong – Deputy Director

Pham Van Thong

Current Position

Deputy Director

at CTNC Center

Expertise & Experience

Wildlife Specialist

Member, IUCN/SSC Specialist Groups (Turtles, Pangolins, Small Carnivores)

Key Areas

Nature conservation, field research, statistical analysis, Carbon credits, Wildlife.

Turtle & Pangolin Conservation Field Research Statistical Analysis Carbon Credits

Profile: Pham Van Thong

Deputy Director, Wildlife Specialist

Pham Van Thong is a renowned wildlife specialist with extensive experience and significant contributions to conservation efforts in Vietnam. Having worked with respected organizations such as the Asian Turtle Program (ATP), Turtle Sanctuary Conservation Center (TSCC), and Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW), he has cultivated in-depth expertise in statistical analysis, field research, and conservation strategies, particularly in wildlife monitoring.

Role & Responsibilities at CTNC

In his new role as Deputy Director, Pham Van Thong leverages his expertise to manage conservation programs and lead the Center’s projects. Key responsibilities include:

Conservation Program Management: Leading and providing strategic direction for CTNC’s nature conservation projects.

Environmental Project Development: Spearheading initiatives related to carbon credits, forest certification, and other environmental programs.

Delivering Measurable Impact: Focusing on habitat restoration, threat removal, and the recovery of wildlife populations.

Notable Research Experience

Pham Van Thong has led numerous pioneering projects, including searching for and studying some of Vietnam’s and the world’s most critically endangered species:

Rarest Turtle Species: Swinhoe’s Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), Vietnamese box turtles (Cuora galbinifrons, C. bourretii, C. picturata), the Big-headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum), and the Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle (Palea steindachneri).
Rare Mammal Species: Searching for the Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and conducting post-release monitoring of the Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica).
Primate Discoveries: Discovered a new population of the Southern Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae).

MEMBERSHIPS & SCIENTIFIC AFFILIATIONS

Member, IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (2021-2025).
Member, IUCN/SSC Pangolin Specialist Group (2021-2025).
Member, IUCN/SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group (2021-2025).
Advisor, ASEAN Youth Biodiversity Leader (since 2019).
Reviewer for international and national journals: Journal for Nature Conservation (Elsevier), Russian Journal of Herpetology, Herpetology Notes, Vietnam Journal of Nature Conservation.
Grant reviewer for the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP).

VIEW LIST OF SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

Gray, R. J., Nguyen, T. V., et al. (2024). Camera trapping in Southern Vietnam… European Journal of Wildlife Research, 70(3), 50.
Luiselli, L., Le Duc, O., et al. (2024). A threat analysis for the world’s most threatened turtle (Rafetus swinhoei). Journal for Nature Conservation, 126577.
Van Thong, P., Van Ngoan, H., et al. (2024). First natural history observations of the Critically Endangered Wattle-necked softshell turtle… Herpetological Journal, 34(2), 127–129.
Ihlow, F., Spitzweg, C., et al. (2023). Molecular differentiation and conservation of the Indochinese box turtles… Salamandra, 59(4).
Pham, V. T., Gaillard, D., et al. (2023). First observation of the Impressed Tortoise… Herpetology Notes, 16, 543–545.
… and other publications.