Located in Tam Nong district of the Mekong Delta province of Dong
Thap , Tram Chim National Park boasts a rich biodiversity that
turned it into the world’s 2000 th Ramsar site in 2012.
Established in 1985, the 7,313-hectare Tram Chim became a national
park in 1998 and then the fourth Ramsar site in Vietnam .
The park’s plentiful green vegetation is inhabited by more than 130
species of higher plants featuring six main types of floristic
societies.
Water life in the park is also bustling seeing the
presence of over 150 species of freshwater fish, with some listed in
Vietnam’s Red Book like clown feather-back fish, common archerfish and
giant barbs, nearly 180 algae species, 26 epifauna species, 350 species
of plankton and 34 species of amphibian.
Tram Chim
is home to 198 bird species, including 16 rare ones such as red-headed
cranes, black-faced spoonbills, black eagles, great-billed herons and
spotted-billed pelicans. It was recognised as an important bird
sanctuary in Vietnam .
The number of fauna and
aquatic species in Tram Chim National Park surpass those in
other wetland reserves in the region, like Tra Su cajeput forest reserve
in An Giang province and U Minh Ha National Park in Ca Mau province.
The
diversity is largely attributable to the physical feature of the park
which lies in the low-lying area of Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) and
benefits vastly from the flood cycle generated by the Mekong River .
In particular, a well-operating water drainage
system has also helped direct a great amount of aquatic species on the
Mekong River to reside in the park annually and add to its
biodiversity.
Providing a perfect habitat for hundreds of flora
and fauna species, the Tram Chim National Park also offers an
ideal destination for ecotourism in Dong Thap Muoi.
Forming part
of the part, the 3,000 hectare forest of cajeput, aged up to 18 years
old, is often adorned with tens of thousand of white storks during the
flood season. It provides a dozen-hectare ground for various kinds of
birds to play and build cosy nests all year round.
Tours by water taxis to the park are now available for tourists, who are
assured to be stunned by a spectacular view of a “green oasis”
decorated by flowers and enlivened by bird singing and dances during the
flood season.
In the dry season, canoes bring tourists to travel
along small canals from which they can spot 1.5-metre-tall cranes,
herons with wings of over one metre and long-necked darters seeking
food.
A road system has been invested by local
authorities to enable tourists to explore the site without harming its
ecosystem.
To preserve the park, protective
measures have been carried out. A 53-kilometre dyke was built to prevent
the park from being flooded entirely during the rainy season and
regulate its water level during the dry season.
A number of
projects jointly developed by local authorities and state and
international agencies have been launched to reduce local residents’
dependence on the park and raise their awareness of protecting its
environment.
Local residents have been encouraged to get
involved in managing natural resources offered by the park and utilising
them in a sustainable manner. These activities have helped Tram
Chim National Park live up to its fame as the world’s Ramsar site and
contributed to the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta.-VNA