According to Ha Van Bac, head of the Forest Protection Board of Cam Lo District and Dong Ha City, the stork flock has appeared on the field in Cam Lo Town over the past month, but their presence has been most prominent over the past three days.
The flock of Asian Openbill storks forages during the day in abandoned rice fields around Cam Lo Town and the border with Cam Thanh Commune and roosts at night in nearby melaleuca forests.
The rare stork flock found on the Quang Tri field (Photo by Duc Tai)
“We have asked Cam Lo District authorities to enhance public awareness, urging locals not to hunt, trap, or disturb the birds and to join efforts in protecting this rare species,” Bac added.
Earlier, authorities had reported a flock of over 100 Asian Openbill storks in rice fields across Huong Tra Town and the districts of Phong Dien and Quang Dien in Hue.
The Asian Openbill, also known as the snail stork, is a rare species in the stork family and is listed as a protected species in Vietnam’s Red Data Book.
The Asian Openbill usually lives in mangrove forests and tends to stay in one area, however, habitat loss and dwindling food sources have forced it to migrate elsewhere.
