DONG THAP – Tram Chim National Park has completed preparations for receiving six more red-crowned cranes from Thailand in the second transfer under Dong Thap Province’s red-crowned crane conservation program.

Speaking at a monthly press briefing held in Dong Thap Province on May 26, Nguyen Van Lam, director of Tram Chim National Park, said all procedures related to the second intake had been completed. However, the exact arrival date will depend on flight arrangements. Under the second phase, the park will receive six juvenile red-crowned cranes, each about six months old, including two males and four females weighing between 5.3 and 6.7 kilograms. Lam said quarantine facilities had been disinfected and upgraded in line with recommendations from international experts to prepare for the new arrivals. The crane conservation infrastructure at Tram Chim has also been largely completed, including pairing enclosures, juvenile care areas, semi-wild habitats, breeding facilities, incubation research areas, wastewater treatment systems, surveillance cameras and supporting technical infrastructure. On April 19 last year, during the first transfer, the park received six six-month-old red-crowned cranes from Korat Zoo under Thailand’s national parks system and the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand (ZPOT). After more than a year of care under a strict technical protocol, five of the birds remain healthy and have adapted well to climatic and environmental conditions at Tram Chim. As of the latest weighing conducted on November 29, 2025, they had reached between 5.4 and 7.2 kilograms. The birds have since matured and, since early 2026, have been paired and separated into breeding enclosures, consisting of two pairs and one unpaired female. According to the park’s report, one crane died during the initial quarantine stage due to a congenital immune deficiency. The specimen was preserved for research and public education purposes in accordance with regulations. Under the long-term plan, cranes from both the first and second transfers will be moved into pairing areas once they reach around one year of age to allow natural mate selection. The first group is already undergoing this stage. Breeding and the laying of the first eggs at Tram Chim are expected to begin during 2027–2028. The restoration of red-crowned cranes at Tram Chim National Park is part of a broader conservation program with total funding of around VND185 billion. Over the program’s 10-year implementation period, Dong Thap aims to raise and release around 100 red-crowned cranes into the wild, including 50 capable of reproducing naturally. Covering 7,313 hectares, Tram Chim National Park is one of the last remaining wetland ecosystems of the historic Dong Thap Muoi region. The park supports rich biodiversity, with around 130 plant species, 130 freshwater aquatic species and 231 bird species, including the endangered red-crowned crane, which is under international conservation protection. In 2012, Tram Chim National Park was recognized as Vietnam’s fourth Ramsar site and the world’s 2,000th wetland of international importance.