C.P. Vietnam accompanies the project to bring red-crowned cranes back

Recently, at Tram Chim National Park in Tam Nong District, the People's Committee of Dong Thap Province held a ceremony to announce the "Conservation and Development Project for the Red-crowned Crane at Tram Chim National Park for the period 2022-2032."

Attending the ceremony were Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Quoc Tri, Mrs. Phan Viet Nga, Deputy Director of the Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment); Mrs. Saranya Paleewongse, Deputy Ambassador of Thailand to Vietnam, representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister of Thailand; Mr. Le Quoc Phong, Secretary of the Dong Thap Provincial Party Committee, along with leaders of provincial departments, NGOs, a delegation from Thailand, both domestic and international experts, and businesses supporting the project.

The project has been firmly committed to by the leadership of Dong Thap province, as in recent years, the number of red-headed cranes has been steadily decreasing at Tram Chim National Park. In addition, many species of animals and plants have been declining, including the energy-rich sedge (the red-headed crane's preferred food), which has been shrinking. The fish species composition has also decreased in number, affecting the food source and habitat of the red-crowned crane and other creatures.

Moreover, due to the impacts of climate change, changes in hydrological regimes, and other various factors, the Tram Chim ecosystem has also been altered. Furthermore, excessive agricultural cultivation has partly contributed to the shrinking of the red-crowned crane's natural habitat.

In response to the urgent situation, the province of Dong Thap has developed and approved the "Project for the Conservation and Development of the Red-crowned Crane at Tram Chim National Park for the period 2022-2032". It is expected that over the 10-year implementation of the project, approximately 100 cranes will be raised and released, with 50 individuals capable of surviving in the natural environment.

At the beginning of the project, the province also received support from organizations, individuals, and businesses both domestically and internationally, who shared their experiences and success stories from the crane conservation program in Buriram, Thailand. Among them, C.P. Vietnam Livestock Joint Stock Company has been one of the companies that have supported the project from the very beginning, providing both material and human resources with the hope of helping Dong Thap bring the crane population back.

As a company from Thailand, C.P. Vietnam has the advantage of language, cultural understanding, and a passion for animal protection and conservation, particularly for the red-crowned crane, an endangered species at risk of extinction. C.P. Vietnam has become a bridge between Vietnam and Thailand, facilitating easier exchanges, overcoming obstacles, and making significant contributions to developing livelihoods and creating income for people in the core and buffer zones of the Tram Chim National Park area.

At the event, Mr. Montri Suwanposri, Vice President of C.P. Vietnam, shared: “To ensure the sustainable development of the project, C.P. Vietnam has organized various activities to raise awareness and knowledge about red-crowned crane conservation for children, teenagers, and the community to work together in protecting the red-crowned crane and the environment. Along with this, there are community capacity-building projects aimed at creating jobs and income for local people, based on experiences from Thailand. The experience is that initially, people raise cranes, and later, the cranes will help raise the people. This will help the community live a fulfilling life, foster unity, and build a happy, prosperous life, where everyone works together, shares together, and lives happily together based on the philosophy of 'sufficient economy'".