Nguyen Phuoc Thien, vice chairman of the provincial People's Committee, has signed a plan to prevent livestock from entering the park illegally during 2027-2029, with a total budget of more than VND 2.3 billion (USD 88,900).
The park is currently home to around 350 buffalo of various sizes that are allowed to roam freely by their owners and enter the protected area illegally.
Tram Chim National Park is considered one of the ideal destinations for visitors (Photo: Tram Chim National Park).
The problem has persisted despite enforcement efforts between 2020 and 2025, when authorities handled 355 cases involving 538 buffalo and cattle and 355 individuals. The total fines amounted to approximately VND 375 million (USD 14,500).
The provincial government said illegal grazing has had significant negative impacts on the park's wetland ecosystem. Native plants, including wild rice, sedges, hoang dau an, lotus and water lilies, have been eaten or trampled by buffalo, hindering their growth and causing degradation.
The animals also damage protective embankments and cause sediment to accumulate in water-storage ponds and internal canals used for forest fire prevention and firefighting.
Some people have also taken advantage of buffalo grazing to use electric fishing equipment, set hooks and nets, lay bird traps, collect eggs and hunt wild animals.
Buffalo that roam freely for extended periods can become aggressive and difficult to control, posing risks to park staff and local residents. They have also caused traffic accidents and damaged rice fields, crops and fruit trees belonging to households near the park.
The province aims to reduce illegal livestock incursions into the park by at least 70 per cent by 2029. It also seeks to limit the risk of diseases spreading from livestock to wildlife and humans.
To achieve these goals, authorities will organise five public awareness sessions across four communes: Tram Chim, Tam Nong, An Hoa and Phu Tho. Livestock owners will be encouraged to sign pledges not to let their animals graze inside the park.
One proposed measure is to pilot designated areas where residents can harvest natural grass inside the park to feed their livestock, provided they commit not to let the animals graze there illegally. Local authorities will also help residents access preferential loans to build animal shelters, change occupations and adopt different livestock-raising practices.
During 2027-2029, enforcement teams are expected to conduct patrols and clearance operations over 30 months, at a rate of 10 months each year. Each operation will involve around 30 people and run from March to December, combining efforts to prevent livestock from entering the park with the capture of animals already inside for handling in accordance with regulations.
The province also plans to plant native trees along the slope of the 12km-long embankment No. 4 in sub-zone A1 to deter livestock from entering. In addition, it will install 10 public information boards and build a mobile steel holding pen measuring 20 by 40 metres for animals caught trespassing.
The park will also use drones and surveillance cameras to monitor hotspots where illegal livestock incursions frequently occur.
The programme's total cost of more than VND 2.3 billion (USD 88,900) will come from annual state budget allocations to Tram Chim National Park.
