Delegates attending the program

The program welcomed the attendance of Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Thien - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Thap province, Head of the Steering Board for the Sarus Crane Conservation and Development Project; Mr. Truong Van Thiet - Deputy Head of Long Thanh Airport Animal Quarantine Station; Dr. Tran Triet - Director of the Southeast Asia Crane Conservation Program; MSc. Nguyen Hoai Bao – University of Science, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City; Ms. Wirongrong Changphet and Mr. Samart Kumlungrit - veterinarians from Korat Zoo (Thailand); along with representatives of provincial departments, sectors, accompanying organizations and enterprises, and local residents from the buffer zone of Tram Chim National Park.

Speaking at the program, Mr. Nguyen Van Lâm - Director of Tram Chim National Park stated that, after more than 03 years of implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sarus crane conservation cooperation between Dong Thap province and Thai organizations, the program has yielded numerous positive outcomes. To date, the province has successfully completed 02 phases of transfer, receiving a total of 12 cranes from Thailand to Tram Chim National Park in strict accordance with the mutually agreed roadmap.

In terms of capacity building and technical transfer, Tram Chim National Park has collaborated with the International Crane Foundation (ICF) and Thai partners, particularly Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo in Korat Province, to organize multiple specialized training courses for technical staff and husbandry teams on the protocols of rearing, nurturing, releasing, and monitoring cranes in the wild. International experts also consistently provide consultancy on ecological restoration and the design of enclosure facilities meeting international standards.

Concurrently, various ecological restoration solutions have been deployed to enhance the habitat for the crane species. The eco-rice cultivation model in Tram Chim Commune and Tam Nong District has been implemented across an area of over 312 hectares with the participation of 41 households, contributing to the establishment of a sustainable ecological buffer zone dedicated to conservation efforts.

Mr. Tanat Uttarasiset sharing at the program

Providing information on the first cohort of received cranes, Mr. Doan Van Nhanh - representative of Tram Chim National Park reported that the individuals are developing well, adapting successfully to environmental conditions, and showing signs of pairing, preparing to enter the reproductive stage.

Sharing at the program, Mr. Tanat Uttarasiset - representative of Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo (Thailand) noted that in 2025, the zoo transferred 06 individuals to Dong Thap and has continued to complete the handover of an additional 06 individuals this year. Moving forward, experts will execute post-release monitoring and data collection on the individuals reintroduced into the wild to evaluate survival rates, reproductive capacity, and the overall efficacy of population recovery.

Currently, the cranes remain in stable health conditions, displaying normal behavioral patterns and dietary intake

Dr. Tran Triet - Director of the Southeast Asia Crane Conservation Program shared insights into the journey of transporting the 06 cranes from Thailand to Vietnam. Accordingly, on the afternoon of June 23, flight VN604 landed safely at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, successfully transporting the 06 cranes from Thailand to Vietnam. The flock comprises 02 males and 04 females, with body weights ranging from 5.3 kg to 6.7 kg.

Dr. Tran Triet sharing the journey of bringing 06 cranes from Thailand to Tram Chim

Following the completion of quarantine and customs clearance procedures, the cranes were transported directly to Tram Chim National Park (skipping the quarantine phase at Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens that was applied in Phase 1) for monitoring, care, isolation, and acclimation steps following the conservation protocol. By 21:00 on the same day, the flock arrived at Tram Chim National Park and was released into the juvenile crane enclosures in stable health conditions. The total transit duration from Thailand to Tram Chim National Park spanned 19 hours. Currently, all individuals are exhibiting normal activities and feeding behaviors.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Phuoc Thien delivering his speech at the program

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Phuoc Thien acknowledged and highly commended the companionship of international organizations, scientists, domestic and foreign enterprises towards the Sarus Crane Conservation and Development Project. In particular, the traffic police force provided proactive support throughout the transit route from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Tram Chim National Park smoothly and on schedule, which played a critical role in safeguarding the health of the flock. According to Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Thien, the reception of this second cohort of cranes serves not only as a quantitative population reinforcement but also as a milestone affirming the correctness of the long-term conservation strategy pursued by the province

Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Thien emphasized that to ensure the successful execution of the Project on "Conservation and Development of Red-crowned Cranes at Tram Chim National Park", the combined efforts of competent authorities must be closely coupled with the joint hand of the community, international organizations, scientists, and businesses. Financial, technological, and technical assistance, as well as the commercial off-take of eco-rice products from buffer zone residents, will contribute to building a safe and sustainable habitat for the crane species.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee called upon the community to take joint action for the future of the sarus crane flock and the sustainable development of Tram Chim National Park. In this regard, residents in the buffer zone are urged to align production practices with ecological orientations and protect aquatic resources, thereby contributing to the effective implementation of the Project. Dong Thap Province commits to continuing to facilitate favorable conditions, manage, and efficiently utilize supported resources to realize the Project's objectives, restoring the ecosystem of Tram Chim National Park so that flocks of sarus cranes can once again soar freely in the skies of the Land of Pink Lotuses.

Delegates taking a photo.

The successful reception of the second cohort of cranes continues to reaffirm the cooperative efficiency between Vietnam and Thailand in efforts to restore the iconic bird species of the Tram Chim wetlands — the world’s 2,000th Ramsar site. The event holds even deeper significance as it takes place in the context of both nations heading towards the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam - Thailand diplomatic relations.

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