Rare Asian woolly-necked storks are spotted in a national park in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Photo: Supplied
Pham Tuan Linh, director of the park, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper on Wednesday that the species is rare and faces a high risk of extinction.
Woolly-necked storks had previously been observed in Yok Don National Park, but only in small numbers.
The latest sighting, involving nine birds, represents the largest flock recorded at the park, he said.
A flock of nine rare Asian woolly-necked storks spotted foraging in a grassland area inside Yok Don National Park in Dak Lak Province. Photo: Supplied
Following the sighting, the park ordered its rangers and other forces to closely monitor the area and prevent unauthorized entry, hunting and other illegal activities.
Vu Duc Gioi, deputy director of the park’s center for environmental education and services, said the flock arrived in the park on Tuesday morning in search of food.
The birds gathered on a grassland near Dak Rang Stream.
Their main food is fish, Gioi said, explaining why the species is commonly found around wetlands, ponds, lakes and streams.
The species had also been spotted in the area about three months ago, but in groups of a few birds.
This time, the flock comprised nine fully grown individuals.
The sighting is considered an encouraging sign for conservation efforts at Yok Don National Park, suggesting that wildlife and bird species are appearing more frequently and in greater numbers in the protected area.
The Asian woolly-necked stork classified in Group IB in Vietnam, which strictly prohibits exploitation and commercial use. Photo: Supplied
The Asian woolly-necked stork (Ciconia episcopus) belongs to the stork family Ciconiidae.
It is distinguished by its shaggy white neck, which contrasts with its glossy black body and wings.
Its head is black, while its bill is black with a dark red tip.
The species has a wingspan of 75 to 91 centimeters, making it slightly smaller than some other stork species.
In Vietnam, the Asian woolly-necked stork is classified in Group IB, which comprises critically threatened forest animals given priority protection and strictly prohibited from exploitation or commercial use.
With a relatively limited distribution, the woolly-necked stork is occasionally found in flooded grasslands and wetlands in the Central Highlands, southern and south-central regions of Vietnam.
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