The management board of Con Dao National Park (Ba Ria – Vung Tau) has recently received the title of Heritage Tree and a certificate recognizing Hon Trung as the bird sanctuary with the highest breeding density in Vietnam.
On November 29, Mr. Nguyen Khac Pho, Director of the Con Dao National Park management board (Con Dao district, Ba Ria – Vung Tau province), announced that the Vietnam Record Organization has awarded the certificate recognizing Hon Trung as the bird sanctuary with the highest breeding density in Vietnam to the management board of Con Dao National Park.
According to Mr. Pho, Hon Trung is a small but significant island within the Con Dao National Park, covering nearly 2 hectares, and is desolate with only grass and rocks. However, it has become a habitat and breeding ground for many rare bird species such as: Black-backed Tern, Great Crested Tern, White-bellied Tern, White-tailed Tern, and Grey-headed Tern… The average density of surveyed eggs is 4.88 eggs/m2.
Hon Trung is the bird sanctuary with the highest breeding density in Vietnam. (Photo: Con Dao National Park).
A 237-year-old Black Star Tree has been recognized as a heritage tree. (Photo: Con Dao National Park).
Additionally, the Vietnam Nature and Environment Protection Association awarded certificates recognizing 24 Heritage Trees to the management board of Con Dao National Park. Among these are 1 Casuarina tree at Hon Bay Canh (237 years old, circumference 7m, height 17m); 1 Casuarina tree at Ong Dung Beach (155 years old, circumference 4.6m, height 14m); 1 Black Star Tree at Dai Beach (237 years old, circumference 7.9m, height 25m); and a cluster of 21 Sea Almond trees at Hon Cau (119 years old, largest circumference 274m). Thus, to date, the entire Con Dao district (Ba Ria – Vung Tau) has 105 Heritage Trees, including: Casuarina, Lagerstroemia, Thit, Nhoai, and Red Frog trees…
“This is a testament to the efforts of the management board of Con Dao National Park in preserving and promoting the value of natural heritage, enhancing awareness of sustainable environmental protection,” said the Director of the Con Dao National Park management board.
Con Dao National Park is home to 1,077 plant species, belonging to 640 genera of 160 higher vascular plant families across 6 plant divisions; and 155 animal species from 64 families and 26 orders, including 25 mammal species, 85 bird species, 32 reptile species, and 13 amphibian species.
The vegetation of Con Dao National Park is characteristic and representative of the island tropical rainforest ecosystem, manifested through evergreen broadleaf forests, semi-deciduous broadleaf forests, bamboo forests, and coastal mangrove forests.
Along with preserving the natural forest ecosystems on the island, scientific research and conservation of some plant species have also received continuous attention over the past decades. Research and application projects include: planting mangroves on sandy foundations, dead corals on several islands; reforesting after the Linda storm in 1997; studying the ecological characteristics and propagation of the Red Frog tree (an endangered and rare plant species) first discovered in Con Dao National Park… and many other conservation and research projects.
In addition to conservation and scientific research, Con Dao National Park also focuses on preserving and promoting the value of woody trees, most of which are ancient and have significant cultural, educational, historical, social, and ecological values.
Tank Crab – the largest land crab species in Vietnam only found in Con Dao
