Red-crowned Cranes Return to Vietnam Tram Chim National Forest
Four red-crowned cranes were spotted at the Tram Chim National Park in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap on March 7, the forest’s management board has reported.
The birds stayed on the feeding ground in Zone A5 for about 30 minutes then flew towards Zone A4 in the park. The park has sent specialised staff to monitor around the clock at A5 feeding area and other zones where the birds used to feed.
The park has also assigned security personnel to regularly patrol around the area to prevent people from entering the place to exploit the park’s resources, affecting the habitat of red-crowned cranes.
Besides, the national park will increase secondary food source such as rice for red-crowned cranes in order to attract more cranes to the area. The unit is continuing to implement technical measures to restore the park’s ecosystem, creating favourable conditions for red-crowned cranes to find food.
The last time when red-crowned cranes returned to Tram Chim National Park was in 2021 and there were only three individuals. The red-crowned crane is a rare species, named in the World Red Book as in an endangered state and in need of protection; it is a symbol of Tram Chim National Park in particular and of Dong Thap province in general.
The People’s Committee of the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has approved a project to conserve red-crowned cranes in the Tram Chim National Park in the 2022 – 2032 period with an estimated total budget of over 184 billion VND (nearly 7.6 million USD).
The project will focus on receiving, caring, studying, and reintroducing the birds; improving and restoring their ecosystems and habitats; developing sustainable ecological agricultural production models; and investing in infrastructure and facilities.
The project will play a crucial role in preserving the population of the birds in the Mekong Delta region which is facing the risk of extinction, thus demonstrating Vietnam's commitment and responsibility when participating in international institutions.
It aims to revive the flocks at the park through a process of breeding and natural reintroduction and restore the wetland habitat for many other species, contributing to preserving biodiversity and the cultural and spiritual life of the local community.
The project will be a joint effort by the provincial People’s Committee, the Vietnam Zoos Association (VZA), the International Crane Foundation (ICF), and the Zoological Park Organization (ZPO) of Thailand, which has been successful in the work.