Trang chủAt noon on March 11, 2025, a flock of four red-crowned cranes landed and foraged in the rice fields within the buffer zone of the Phu My Species and Habitat Conservation Area (Giang Thanh district, Kien Giang province).
Four cranes perched in the rice field foraging. Photo: Hong Tuan
This year, the red-crowned cranes returned to the conservation area about a month earlier than usual. Besides Phu My in Kien Giang, another location where red-crowned cranes often fly to forage is Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap.
Mr. Lam Hong Tuan, Deputy Director of the Phu My Species and Habitat Conservation Area Management Board, said: The flock of cranes has been flying to the area surrounding the conservation area for about half a month now. At noon today, they landed in the rice fields to forage. The area is about 300 meters from residential houses. Red-crowned cranes are distinguished by their featherless red heads and necks, gray stripes on their wings, and gray tails. Adult cranes are 1.5-1.8 m tall, with a wingspan of 2.2-2.5 m, and weigh 8-10 kg. Three-year-old cranes will mate for reproduction and spend a year raising their young before laying the next clutch.
The Phu My Species-Habitat Conservation Area was established by Decision 454/QD-UBND of the People’s Committee of Kien Giang Province on March 1, 2016. It covers a total area of over 2700 hectares; the core zone is over 940 hectares; and the buffer zone is 1760 hectares. Located in Phu My commune, Giang Thanh district, Kien Giang province, 7 km southwest of the Cambodian border, the area is mostly inhabited by the Khmer ethnic minority, primarily engaged in agriculture, aquaculture, and small-scale handicrafts such as weaving sedge grass.
It boasts a flora and fauna of over 472 species, including; The area is home to 134 species of phytoplankton, 69 species of zooplankton, 7 species of benthic animals, 39 species of spiders, 65 species of aquatic insects; 23 species of fish; 23 species of amphibians and reptiles, and over 132 species of birds. It is located about 3 km from Anlung Pring, a famous red-crowned crane sanctuary in Cambodia. The red-crowned crane is a rare and endangered species listed in the Red Book. According to the International Crane Foundation, there are 15,000-20,000 individuals worldwide, with 8,000-10,000 of them distributed in India, Nepal, and Pakistan.