Trang chủOn November 22, 2025, Mr. Tran Van Thang, Deputy Director of U Minh Thuong National Park (U Minh Thuong commune, An Giang province), reported that the park had recently discovered the presence of the Javan Heron (Leptoptilos javanicus). Images of this rare bird flying over the melaleuca forest and foraging in the waterlogged areas have been recorded.
Javan Herons forage in the wide, grassy waterlogged areas of U Minh Thuong National Park. Photo: Tuoi Tre Newspaper
According to Tuoi Tre Newspaper, the Javan Heron is a species listed in the Red Book and requires strict conservation. Its return is considered a valuable event for ecosystem conservation efforts in the park. Adult Javan Herons are impressively sized, reaching a height of approximately 1.2 meters and weighing 6-7 kg. They are easily recognizable by their bare head and neck, sometimes with a few brown feathers. Their backs, wings, and tails are black with a greenish sheen; the underwings are black, and the underside is white. The legs of the Javan stork are pale green or pale black.
Previously, Javan storks thrived in U Minh Thuong National Park. In 2002, the park recorded 7 nests (each with 2-4 chicks). Notably, by June 2003, the number of individuals had increased significantly, peaking at 114. Their ideal habitat includes mangrove forests, coastal mudflats, lakes, flooded grasslands, and rice paddies, where they hunt aquatic and amphibian species such as fish, frogs, toads, and snakes.
With their recent reappearance, U Minh Thuong National Park is intensifying its efforts to preserve and protect its diverse ecosystem. The goal is to create the best conditions for the Javanese stork to live and thrive, and to reproduce in larger numbers in the future.