Tran Thi Tuyet Dung
- Project name: Gathering the evidence needed to conserve the Yellow-spotted Spadefoot toad (Leptobrachium xanthospilum)
- Project site: Kon Ka Kinh National Park, Vietnam
- EDGE species: Yellow-spotted Spadefood Toad, Leptobrachium xanthospilum
- Active: 2025 - ongoing
Biography
Tran Thi Tuyet Dung (Dzung) is a Project Assistant at the Asian Turtle Program of Indo-Myanmar Conservation, where she supports field surveys, amphibian research, and public awareness activities across Vietnam. A passionate early-career herpetologist, she holds a degree in Biology from the University of Science in Ho Chi Minh City and has contributed to several biodiversity surveys across the Central Highlands and beyond.
Dzung is particularly interested in amphibians and reptiles, with a growing focus on threatened endemic species. Through the EDGE Fellowship, she seeks to deepen her skills in ecological research, project leadership, and community engagement. She hopes to build strong conservation partnerships with local communities and authorities, and inspire other young Vietnamese conservationists—especially women—to lead efforts to protect the country’s unique biodiversity.
EDGE Project
Dzung’s EDGE Fellowship will shine a spotlight on one of Vietnam’s most overlooked amphibians: the Yellow-spotted Spadefoot toad (Leptobrachium xanthospilum), an EDGE species found only in the country’s Central Highlands. Despite being classified as Endangered, this species remains virtually unknown, with no current data on its tadpoles, reproductive biology, or population status. Through a series of field surveys, interviews, and community-based education activities, Dung aims to fill these gaps and catalyse conservation action. Her project will generate the first detailed description of the species’ tadpole, their calls, and breeding ecology, while also exploring the extent of tadpole harvesting as a local food source.
Dzung’s vision is the long-term conservation of L. xanthospilum by strengthening ecological knowledge, raising awareness among communities and authorities, and promoting its inclusion in Vietnam’s national conservation priorities.
