Only 11 sarus cranes, the tallest species of flying birds on earth, have been spotted this year at Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap province – which used to be the top destination of the bird in the Mekong Delta region.

Sarus crane - Illustrative image

In the 1980s, more than 1,000 sarus cranes migrated to live at the park – the fourth Ramsar site of Vietnam and the 2,000th Ramsar site of Wetlands of International Importance in the world. 

Experts attributed the decrease in the number of Sarus cranes at the park to forest fires which harmed the bird’s living environment, locals hunting them and poor management of water levels leading to a lack of food for the birds.

They recommended the provincial People’s Committee study water management to recover the ecosystem and take the initiative in preventing fires.

Tram Chim National Park spans more than 7,300 hectares in Tam Nong district. It is home to 250 species of water birds, 100 species of freshwater fish and 190 species of plants.

The park has become a destination for both domestic and foreign tourists. In 2017, it welcomed more than 134,000 visitors, a year-on-year surge of 28.87 percent.-VNA