How Dong Thap spends 185 billion VND to preserve 100 red-crowned cranes

The locality used 56 billion VND to transfer cranes, raise flocks and breed them, and the rest to renovate and restore the ecosystem, and build a sustainable agricultural model for the birds to develop.

Dong Thap province has just approved a project to preserve cranes with a total investment of 185 billion VND, to be implemented in 10 years, half of the funding from the budget and the rest from socialized capital.

According to the plan, the province will soon receive the first pair of Thai cranes out of a total of 60 to be transferred. From the parent flock, about 40 more cranes will be born. When releasing 100 cranes into the wild, the project aims for a survival rate of 50%.

Red-crowned cranes migrated to Tram Chim garden in the past. Photo: Nguyen Van Hung — Red-crowned cranes migrated to Tram Chim garden in the past. Photo: *Nguyen Van Hung*

Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Thien, Vice Chairman of Dong Thap, said that the project not only recreates the crane flock in the wild but also restores the natural ecological environment at Tram Chim. This helps attract natural cranes and many other species to settle here, true to the saying "good land attracts birds".

"The crane is not only a rare bird but also a symbol of Tram Chim National Park, a tourist highlight, so Dong Thap is determined to restore it," said Mr. Thien.

The province also builds agricultural models combined with tourism, improving sustainable livelihoods for local people. This also helps local people to be aware and work with the community to preserve cranes, wildlife and the ecological environment.

"185 billion VND does not stop at the flock of 50 cranes but also many long-term economic, social and cultural benefits when the natural ecosystem recovers," Mr. Thien shared.

Experts implementing the project believe that 10 years is the minimum time to reestablish a flock of 10-20 cranes, reproducing in the wild. Previously, Thailand and the US took about 30 years to achieve the above goal. When Dong Thap cooperates with the group of experts from Thailand and the US along with the crane associations, the time will be shortened significantly but cannot be less than the above time.

Dr. Tran Triet, International Crane Society (USA), said that the key to the success of restoring the crane flock in Tram Chim is proper ecosystem management. Accordingly, not only the cranes' living space in the core zone of the national park needs to be restored, the environment in the buffer zone also needs to be improved.

"Experience from Thailand shows that cranes use rice fields as breeding grounds," he said. Another equally important factor, according to Dr. Triet, is sustainability. The crane recovery program will need at least 10 years, and possibly even longer, to have a large enough number of cranes to ensure the survival and health of the entire flock.

Tram Chim National Park where the crane conservation project is being implemented. Photo: Ngoc Tai — Tram Chim National Park - where the crane conservation project is being implemented. Photo: *Ngoc Tai*

The Sarus Crane is distinguished by its red, bare head and neck, grey wing stripes and tail. Adults are 1.5-1.8 m tall, have a 2.2-2.5 m wingspan and weigh 8-10 kg. Three-year-old cranes pair up to breed and spend a year raising their young before reproducing.

According to the International Crane Association, there are an estimated 15,000-20,000 red-crowned cranes in the world, of which 8,000-10,000 are distributed in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. In the Indochina countries (mainly Vietnam and Cambodia), since 2014, about 850 red-crowned cranes were recorded, but by 2014 there were 234, and now there are about 160.

In Thailand, the red-crowned crane was previously extinct in the wild. However, since 2011, the country has launched a reintroduction program. By 2020, about 100 cranes were living and capable of breeding in the wild.

Ngoc Tai

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