With a total area of over 31.6 ha, the Stork Island is located in the middle of An Duong Lake in Chi Lang Nam commune, Thanh Mien district, Hai Duong province. (Photo: VNA)Hai Duong (VNA) – Thanh Mien district in the Red RiverDelta province of Hai Duong is working on plans to protect the Chi Lang NamStork Island, given the falling number of storks and herons.
With a total area of over 31.6 ha, the StorkIsland is located in the middle of An Duong Lake in Chi Lang Nam commune.
The island, which is home to about 170 floraand fauna species, was recognised as a national relic site in 2014.
From the ninth lunar month to the fourth lunarmonth of next year, thousands of storks, herons and other bird species to theisland to search for food. It is estimated that around 16,000 storks and 6,000herons are making their nests on the island.
The Stork Island has been designated as aneco-tourism destination. The best time to visit the site is between Septemberand April. At present, it already welcomes thousands of visitors a year.
However, over the past years, the number of storks on the island declined sharplydue to illegal hunting and trapping.
Nguyen Dang Giam, deputy head of the management board of the relic site, saidhis agency has coordinated with the People’s Committee of Chi Lang commune toestablish a 56-member working group which is divided into three teams in chargeof preventing, detecting and handling the hunting and trapping.
The efforts to protect the island have received the warm welcome of localpeople, he said.
The management board has also coordinated with domestic and foreign scientiststo study characteristics of storks and herons to adjust their habitat, he said,adding that the island has been upgraded with more plants.
Thanks to such efforts, more stocks have recently flocked to the island, thusattracting crowds of visitors, Giam said./.
VNA
