(TNKTSG Online) – “On the morning of March 18, we counted 90 red-head cranes at Tram Chim National Park, 27 more than the previous month and 23 more than last March”- Nguyen Van Hung, director of the park, answered Sai Gon Economic Times via phone.
Red-head cranes at Tram Chim National Park, Photo: Huynh Kim
Birds eat eleocharis plantaginea - its main food at A1, A4 and A5 protected areas of Tram Chim National Park. Mr. Hung and his colleagues counted cranes by using specialized means from the park’s management board.
According to Mr. Hung, there are two reasons for the increasing number of birds returning to the park. Firstly, it could be the result of the Hydrology Management Project sponsored by the WWF and Can Tho University, which helps monitor water suitably so that ecosystem has been improved, and grass, birds, fish, etc… start to grow again. (In the past, to prevent forest fire, water level was kept high, which has destroyed ecosystem gradually).
Secondly, Dong Thap province have assigned over 100 soldiers to protect Tram Chim National Park, which has reduced fish hunting, forest burning and killed mimosa pigra effectively.
Tram Chim National Park in Tam Nong district (Dong Thap) occupies nearly 7,000 hectares and is the representative of the Mekong Delta’s wetland ecosystem. Since 1985, red-head cranes- an environmental ambassador- have spotted here annually in dry seasons.
(TB KTSG, 18/3/2011)