HCMC – The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has written to the prime minister to import two red-headed cranes from Laos to Tram Chim National Park.

Huynh Minh Tuan, vice chairman of the Dong Thap People’s Committee, has sought approval from the prime minister to import the two red-headed cranes from Laos. The province urged Tram Chim National Park to draw up a scheme to preserve the endangered species on the premises of the park from 2022 to 2023. Last April 16, a flock of three red-headed cranes was discovered in the park, showing signs of environmental remediation for the breeding and growing program. On September 5, the director of the Lao Wildlife Conservation Association issued a document on the red-headed crane subscription for a repopulation program in Tram Chim National Park. Accordingly, the two cranes will be sent to the Tram Chim National Park located in Dong Thap for preservation and development. Duong Van Ni, an expert on biodiversity in Mekong Delta, said that Tram Chim National Park used to be home to a population of roughly 2,000 red-headed cranes between 1989 and 1990. However, no red-headed cranes have been found in the park in recent years. The expert attributed their absence primarily to the enforcement of forest protection in 2012, in which too much water was reserved throughout the year against forest fires. Consequently, the key element of food ended up devastated, leading to their relocation. He also added that the cranes could be lured back by helping the ecosystem recover and not captivating, which costs more money.