Trang Nguyen is working to end illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam and internationally. At a young age, she witnessed the harvesting of bile from a live bear to be used in traditional Asian medicine. She felt horrified, but was also inspired to help animals like this bear. Trang devotes her time to researching and monitoring the markets for illegal wildlife products, taking her across continents and contexts. She also aims to tackle the problem at the source, by education and raising awareness in Vietnam.
Background
Trang Nguyen grew up in Vietnam, where the demand for wildlife and their body parts is high. From an early age, she dreamt of becoming a wildlife conservationist. And although this was against traditions for a young Vietnamese girl, she went to the UK to study conservation. While learning about wildlife, and the threats it faces, Trang focused her attention on illegal wildlife trade. During the rhino poaching crisis in Africa where Vietnam was recognised as one of the main consumers, traders and transit countries. Trang felt the need to change this.
When she was just 23 years old, she founded her Conservation NGO WildAct to fight illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam, and internationally. Trang has also worked for a number of international conservation organisations, such as Flora & Fauna International, Wildlife Conservation Society and TRAFFIC – monitoring the illegal wildlife trade. In 2018, Trang finished her PhD in Biodiversity Management at the University of Kent, UK. Her research focused on the impact of wild animal part use in Traditional Asian Medicine on African wildlife.
Vision and Approach
Trang Nguyen believes that conservation is most effective when rooted in compassion, inclusion, and collaboration. With a deep commitment to protecting Vietnam’s biodiversity, she founded WildAct to create a platform where local people—especially women and ethnic minority communities—can take the lead in protecting the environment they call home.
Over the years, Trang’s vision has evolved from fighting illegal wildlife trade to tackling the broader and deeper causes of biodiversity loss. Under her leadership, WildAct has become a pioneering organisation that integrates science, community empowerment, and education to drive real and lasting change.
Trang and her team focus on evidence-based conservation, capacity building, and gender equity. They work closely with national parks, local governments, and communities to monitor biodiversity, strengthen conservation law enforcement, and build leadership skills among early-career Vietnamese conservationists. At the heart of Trang’s approach is the belief that sustainable conservation can only be achieved when those most affected by environmental decline—local people—are empowered to be part of the solution.
Through WildAct, Trang continues to inspire a new generation of conservation leaders and champions a future where people and wildlife not only coexist, but thrive together.
Impact of the Future For Nature Award
With financial support from Future For Nature Foundation, Trang created the master course ‘Combating Illegal Wildlife Trade’, and provided 150 scholarships and 150 research grants to students who participated in the course;
Through the Future For Nature Family, Trang met and formed a collaboration with previous winner Ofir Drori. This resulted in an arrest of 4 Cameroon smugglers with 300 kg of elephant ivory and 2.5 tons of pangolin scales in early 2019. The collaboration also resulted in Trang being featured in episode 8 – BBC Planet III, while conducting undercover work with Ofir’s team in Ivory Coast.
Trang became the first Vietnamese woman to win the Future For Nature Award. The international media attention she received encouraged young people in Vietnam, especially women, to follow wildlife conservation as a career.
Trang signed a contract with the largest publisher in Vietnam to create a series of picture books based on her personal experience in wildlife conservation. The book series has been sold to Pan Macmillan Publisher in the UK and Penguin Random House in the US. The first book ‘Saving Sorya, Chang and the sun bear’ was published in 2021. The second book in the series, ‘Saving H’Non: Chang and the Elephant’ was published in 2023.
Moving Forward
WildAct continues to lead the way in strengthening Vietnam’s conservation workforce and empowering the next generation of environmental leaders. While the organisation originally focused on combating illegal wildlife trade, today, it is advancing a broader mission: protecting Vietnam’s biodiversity through community engagement, capacity building, and gender-inclusive conservation strategies.
Trang and her team have successfully implemented innovative field programs that are 274% more effective in detecting wildlife traps than traditional methods, allowing rangers and community patrol teams to intervene faster and save more wildlife. Notably, 68% of all WildAct’s program beneficiaries are women, reflecting the organisation’s strong commitment to equity and inclusion. Through a combination of mentorship, hands-on training, and policy engagement, 33% of participants in WildAct’s education & training programme have secured full-time employment in the conservation sector, showing the long-term value of investing in local talent.
Alongside her fieldwork, Trang has brought the wonders of nature and conservation to children across the world. In 2021, she published her first illustrated children’s book, , ‘Saving Sorya, Chang and the sun bear’, which has been translated into multiple languages and was nominated for the prestigious Eisner Award. Its 2023 sequel, ‘Saving H’Non: Chang and the Elephant’, continues this storytelling journey—educating and inspiring young readers through the true stories of Vietnam’s wildlife, enriched with stunning illustrations and real science.
"Despite being very young, Trang has already made an extraordinary contribution in the fight against illegal wildlife trade. She has a very broad international understanding of wildlife trade issues. This makes her uniquely placed to play a leadership role in her home country."
Mr. Simon Stuart, International Selection Committee
