The 10-year project which costs VND185 billion will be divided into two stages.

In the first stage from 2022-2028, Tram Chim will receive 30 sarus cranes of six months old from Thailand, which are expected to breed after five years.

During the second stage from 2029-2032, the park will continue to receive another batch of 30 cranes from Thailand. They target to increase the number of birds to 100 during this stage.

During the decade-long project, the park will upgrade and build facilities, revive the suitable living environment for the cranes, provide training for staff members and raise awareness among local people.

Tram Chim National Park, which has been recognised as the country’s fourth and the world’s 2,000th Ramsar site, covers over 7,300 hectares and is home to over 230 types of water birds including 32 endangered bird species like sarus cranes, 130 freshwater fish species and 130 higher plant breeds.

However, the number of sarus cranes returning to the park during winter has dramatically fallen in recent years. A representative from the park, Doan Van Nhanh, said that no cranes have been seen at the park since 2021 while there were thousands of them during the 1980s.