Vinh Long joins hands to protect a rare night heron sanctuary

Everyone knows about the bird sanctuary of Le Van Chia (commonly known as Hai Chia) in Gia Kiet Village, Tra Con Commune, Vinh Long Province. In his eighties, with graying hair, Hai Chia still spends each day watching the birds overhead with unwavering devotion and deep affection.

Giving up profits for the love of wild nature

The story began in mid-2006 when a flock of several dozen night herons unexpectedly arrived and settled in the family’s nearly 2ha longan orchard. At first, Hai Chia thought the birds were merely stopping briefly before moving on. However, sensing the tranquillity of the place and the kindness of its owner, more and more birds began to arrive. Over time, the orchard, once the family's main source of income, gradually became a shared house where herons, egrets and other waterbirds could thrive and reproduce.

To preserve a safe haven for the birds, Hai Chia accepted a significant sacrifice. The nesting birds broke young longan shoots, causing branches to wither and sharply reducing crop yields, which placed his family under considerable financial pressure. However, beyond ordinary livelihood concerns, his love for wildlife and sense of responsibility towards nature inspired him to abandon the economic benefits of the orchard and dedicate himself fully to conserving the wild bird population.

Over the past 20 years, the sanctuary has expanded to more than 2.6ha, of which around 1.8ha serves as the main habitat for the birds. According to surveys by relevant authorities, it is now home to 33 species belonging to 20 families and 12 orders, with a population of approximately 2,000 birds. Among them are five species that regularly nest and breed, including night herons, little egrets, pond herons, little cormorants and brown-throated sunbirds.

Notably, the sanctuary has also attracted several species of high conservation value that are listed as rare and precious wildlife, including the black ibis and especially the Asian openbill stork, a beneficial natural predator that helps farmers control golden apple snails. The number of openbill storks has increased significantly this year, reaching around 1,000 individuals.

An elderly farmer’s concern over bird poachers

Every day, the sanctuary echoes with the sounds of flapping wings and the calls of thousands of wild birds, creating a remarkable natural landscape. However, maintaining this peaceful environment has cost Hai Chia countless hours of hard work and many moments of heartbreak.

Recently, as the bird population has continued to grow, the sanctuary has increasingly become a target for illegal hunters. Because of the orchard’s large area and its proximity to residential communities, poachers often take advantage of darkness or moments when the family is not watching to enter the property with homemade guns and nets, shooting birds, capturing chicks and destroying nests.

“Not long ago, while patrolling near the fence, I broke down in tears when I found a rare Asian openbill stork weighing nearly 2kg that had been shot dead and left lying cold by the fence. I could not bring myself to throw it away, so I dried and preserved the bird as painful evidence to raise awareness and condemn the cruel destruction of nature by irresponsible hunters,” Hai Chia shared.

At nearly 80 years old, with declining health and reduced mobility, guarding the sanctuary alone day and night against increasingly sophisticated and reckless poachers has become an overwhelming burden. Seeing injured night herons with broken wings lying dead in corners of the orchard fills him with sadness and helplessness. The sanctuary he spent decades building for the birds now faces the threat of destruction through human greed.

Long-term conservation plans

Faced with this troubling situation, Hai Chia’s concerns have received serious attention and understanding from authorities of Vinh Long Province. Recognising the sanctuary’s environmental significance, biodiversity value and educational importance, the Vinh Long Provincial People's Committee has issued directives to protect this shared habitat.

On May 21, 2026, the Vinh Long Provincial People's Committee issued Official Letter No. 6623/UBND-KTN urging strict implementation of wildlife protection measures, with particular emphasis on safeguarding Hai Chia’s bird sanctuary.

Subsequently, on May 25, 2026, a working delegation led by Chau Van Hoa, Vice Chairman of the Vinh Long Provincial People's Committee, conducted an on-site inspection of the sanctuary. To help ease Hai Chia’s burden and establish stronger protection measures, provincial leaders assigned specific responsibilities to relevant agencies.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment has chaired and collaborate to review and rebuild conservation plans, upgrading and expanding the sanctuary from its current 1.8ha to between 4ha and 5ha to accommodate the growing waterbird population. The department will also carry out environmental monitoring and install warning signs outlining strict penalties for violations.

Provincial police and local authorities have increased patrols and established checkpoints along waterways and roads surrounding the sanctuary. A public hotline has also been introduced to receive reports from residents, enabling the prompt detection and strict handling of individuals involved in the illegal hunting, trapping, trading and transportation of wildlife.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the People's Committee of Tra Con Commune, has been assigned to assess the area's potential for developing rural tourism model linked to biodiversity conservation. Investments in transport infrastructure, including access roads leading to Hai Chia’s house, together with mobilised social resources, are expected not only to strengthen sanctuary protection but also to create sustainable livelihoods for local residents and transform the area into an environmentally friendly educational destination.

The timely support of Vinh Long Province’s authorities has provided not only encouragement and reassurance for Hai Chia to continue his conservation efforts but also demonstrated the locality’s strong commitment to preserving the natural environment.

It is hoped that, with the collective efforts of the community and the strict enforcement of the law, the sound of illegal gunfire will disappear entirely, allowing Hai Chia’s bird sanctuary in Tra Con to remain a peaceful refuge where birds can continue to return and live freely.

It is hoped that, with the collective efforts of the community and the strict enforcement of the law, the sound of illegal gunfire will disappear entirely, allowing Hai Chia’s bird sanctuary in Tra Con to remain a peaceful refuge where birds can continue to return and live freely.