Dong Thap spends nearly VND185 billion to bring sarus cranes back to Tram Chim

(Dan Tri) - For the past 2 years, the sarus cranes, a symbol of Tram Chim National Park (Dong Thap), have not returned to the park. Recently, the locality has approved nearly VND185 billion to restore the landscape to bring the cranes back.

(Dan Tri) - For the past 2 years, the sarus cranes, a symbol of Tram Chim National Park (Dong Thap), have not returned to the park. Recently, the locality has approved nearly VND185 billion to restore the landscape to bring the cranes back.
On November 8, Mr. Nguyen Phi Da - Chief of the Office of Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee - said that the province has approved the Project on Conservation and Development of Sarus Cranes at Tram Chim National Park in the 2022-2032 period with a budget of nearly VND185 billion.

Work on improving the crane feeding ground is underway (Photo: Nguyen Cuong).

The objective of the project is to recreate a suitable landscape and environment for sarus cranes to be present regularly, nest and reproduce in the conservation area, receive 60 cranes from Thailand, and raise a flock of about 40 individuals.
The project is divided into 2 phases. From 2022 to 2028, Tram Chim will receive 30 six-month-old cranes. If favorable, the cranes will reproduce after 5 years.
Phase 2, including the following years, will receive the remaining number of cranes and take good care of the flock of cranes reproducing in the conservation area.

Dong Thap has built a large cage area to raise cranes in the early stages of the project (Photo: Correspondent).

Mr. Da said that the total estimated cost of implementing the project is nearly VND185 billion. Of which, nearly VND52 billion is invested in infrastructure and equipment; VND56 billion is used to receive, raise, study reproduction and re-release the crane flock; VND25 billion is spent on renovating and restoring the ecosystem and habitat of cranes; VND17 billion is dành cho for communication, education and related activities.
Mr. Doan Van Nhanh - Deputy Director of the Center for Conservation and International Cooperation (Tram Chim National Park) - said that the last time the cranes returned to the garden was in 2021. It is expected that by the end of this year, the garden will receive the first 2 cranes under the newly approved project.

Sarus cranes used to gather in large numbers, a symbol of Tram Chim National Park (Photo: Nguyen Van Hung).

The work of improving the feeding grounds and nesting sites has been implemented. In addition to the conservation area, about 200 hectares of wild rice in the buffer zone of the national park are also being built by Dong Thap province to create the best conditions for sarus cranes to forage.
Tram Chim National Park has an area of 7,313 hectares, divided into 5 functional subdivisions. The garden is located in the deep flooded area of Dong Thap Muoi, with about 130 species of plants, more than 230 species of birds, including 32 rare species.
Tram Chim also has 130 species of fish, 23 species of benthic animals, amphibians, reptiles....