Century-old bird sanctuary in Vietnam’s Ca Mau shows alarming signs of decay

A 'green lung' with a unique ecosystem

Located about 4 kilometers from the center of Bac Lieu City and close to tourist attractions such as Nha Mat Tourist Area and Quan Am Phat Dai, Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary holds a strategic position linking the province’s eco-tourism, coastal tourism, and spiritual tourism routes.

Covering more than 125 hectares, with forest canopy coverage exceeding 96 percent, the reserve is considered a 'green lung' that helps regulate the climate and maintain ecological balance for surrounding urban areas.

Home to many rare bird species

The ecosystem there consists of a typical mangrove forest found in the Mekong Delta, formed through natural sedimentation along the East Vietnam Sea coast.

Survey results show the vegetation is highly diverse, with 184 recorded species, mainly mixed mangrove forest such as date palm, mangrove apple, and other coastal tree species, along with many shrubs and climbing plants.

According to the Bac Lieu Special-Use and Protection Forest Management Board, the sanctuary is home to 101 bird species, including 10 rare species listed in Vietnam’s Red Data Book and the IUCN Red List, such as the Indian painted stork, black-headed ibis, little cormorant, glossy ibis, Asian paradise flycatcher, ruddy kingfisher, and other stork species.

The ecosystem also includes eight amphibian species, 21 reptile species, 96 fish species, and 16 mammal species.

In 1986, the site was recognized as a nature reserve, and in 2014 it was officially designated as a species and habitat conservation area.

A roughly $4 million project left unfinished

In 2010, Viet Dragon Investment and Tourism Company began construction of an eco-tourism project worth about VND100 billion (around US$4 million) across more than 130 hectares.

The project included 12 planned facilities, aimed at combining tourism development with the conservation of the sanctuary’s natural habitat.

After the initial phase of implementation, the project stalled and failed to meet expectations. Investment in tourism infrastructure was halted, leaving Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary primarily focused on nature conservation and scientific research.

For years, the area has fallen into neglect.

Most visitors only take a brief look around before leaving because of the complete lack of recreational, dining, and other tourist services.

Many exhibition buildings have severely deteriorated, restrooms are left unattended, and animal specimens lie abandoned.

Decorative items have been piled up, while rest shelters and landscape structures have collapsed and fallen into disrepair.

Le Chi Linh, deputy director of the Bac Lieu Special-Use and Protection Forest Management Board, which manages the Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary forest, said the agency has signed a contract allowing Le Viet Company to lease the forest environment at the sanctuary to develop eco-tourism and resort services in the coming period.

The company plans to invest VND30 billion (about $1.2 million) in building food areas, folk game spaces, souvenir exhibitions, and sightseeing facilities. The project is expected to be implemented and put into operation in 2026.

The investment is meant to help revive Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary and contribute to the local economy as well as cultural and social development.