VietNamNet Bridge – Thirty red-headed cranes have returned to the Tram Chim National Park in the southern province of Dong Thap to “settle down” there, thanks to efforts to conserve the biodiversity.

Thousands of birds flying in the blue sky over the green forests and rivers is the scene millions of travelers have witnessed when visiting the land of Dong Thap. The natural conditions there remain nearly primitive, with no human intervention.

These are a part of the outcome of the biodiversity conservation project co-implemented by Coca-Cola and WWF (World Wildlife Fund) over the last several years.

The water levels in the different areas of the national park have been adjusted in a reasonable way so as to preserve the biodiversity in environments with different conditions.

Special attention has been paid to develop co nang (Eleocharis atropurpurea), the main food source of red-headed cranes. The cranes are currently on the brink of extinction, and are listed in the Red Book of Endangered Species by its publisher, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Scientists have warned that the density of red-handed cranes has decreasing significantly due to the narrowed habitat and diminished food supply.

Local newspapers some days ago quoted a report of International Crane Foundation (ICF) as saying that most of the members of the red-headed crane flock have left Vietnam for Cambodia. Only 44 now make their permanent home in Vietnam..

The organization, which conducts regular surveys on red-headed crane communities in the world, has warned about the gradual decline in the number of cranes in Vietnam over the last five years.

Dr Tran Triet, the coordinator of the project, who keeps watch over the crane population, noted that the number of cranes dropped dramatically in this year’s survey, to its 14-year deepest low.

The efforts of the project’s implementers have helped increase the number of red-headed cranes. Scientists have noted that 30 cranes retuned to Tram Chim in the months from January to March.

Nam Hong, who has spent 20 years of his life in Tram Chim Park, said he feels overjoyed when hearing the sounds of the cranes again.

The project has been welcomed by the local residents, because it not only helps conserve the biodiversity, but also improve their living standards.

The poor people living in the areas next to the Tram Chim National Park have been allowed to use the natural resources in a reasonable way for eco-tourism development.

The Dong Thap provincial People’s Committee has opened 900 hectares of land for natural resources exploitation. People are allowed to enter the area for such activities as fishing and picking vegetables.

Huynh Van Giup, a farmer in Tram Chim Town, said his family was very poor in the past because they had no land to farm. But now the tough times are over. Today Giup can fish in the national park, which brings him an average daily income of VND120,000, enough to feed his family.

Kim Mai