Vietnam is just a formality away from building a new highway that will cut through the nation’s oldest national park. Environmentalists say the controversial Ho Chi Minh Highway, which would link Hanoi in the north with Ho Chi Minh City in the south, poses a serious threat to rare and endangered species in Cuc Phuong National Park. The park is home to Delacour’s Langur, a highly endangered primate, as well as eagles, tigers, elephants, and lots of rare plants. The highway construction has been approved by a national committee and is only awaiting the rubber stamp of Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, officials say.
