Recognizing Con Dao National Park as Vietnam's 6th Ramsar Site

Con Dao National Park was chosen as a Ramsar Site because it has important international values, a very rich flora and fauna, and especially, there are globally threatened animal species, and vegetation and corals that are very typical of Vietnam.

Lotus lake in Con Dao National Park.

Vietnam was the first country in Southeast Asia to join the Ramsar Convention in 1989. Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance, which are typical places that preserve wetland ecosystems for the world.

Con Dao National Park is recognized as the 2,203rd Ramsar Site in the world, the 6th in Vietnam after Cat Tien Ramsar Site (Hai Phong), Giao Thuy Ramsar Site (Nam Dinh), Bau Sau Ramsar Site (Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai), Ba Be Lake Ramsar Site (Bac Kan), Tram Chim Ramsar Site (Dong Thap).

The unique feature of Con Dao National Park is that it is the first marine Ramsar site in Vietnam. The recognition of Con Dao National Park as a Ramsar site contributes to enhancing the position and efforts of Vietnam in implementing the Ramsar Convention, demonstrating the commitment of the Vietnamese Government in the conservation and wise use of wetlands and in accordance with the Biodiversity Action Plan of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.

There are currently more than 2,000 Ramsar sites in the world, these wetlands are typical models of wetland ecosystems, wetland ecosystems play a very important role not only in nature conservation but also very important to human life because they provide many ecosystem services for humans. Con Dao National Park was chosen as a Ramsar site because it has important values ​​at the international level, very rich flora and fauna and especially there are globally threatened animals, vegetation and corals that are very typical of Vietnam.

Con Dao National Park is located in Con Dao district with an area of ​​nearly 20,000 hectares, of which the forest conservation area is nearly 6,000 hectares, the marine conservation area is nearly 14,000 hectares. In addition, the National Park also has a sea buffer zone surrounding the subdivisions of 20,500 hectares. The National Park has typical ecosystems of a tropical sea and is the habitat of many endemic flora and fauna species of Vietnam, Southeast Asia and the world.

In the recent Ramsar recognition, Con Dao National Park satisfied 5 criteria according to the Ramsar Convention, including a standard model of uniqueness, rarity and representation of a type of natural wetland in the southeast sea of ​​Vietnam and the region; being the distribution site of critically endangered species and threatened ecological communities; playing a supporting role for flora and fauna species that are significant in maintaining important biodiversity in Vietnam and the region; supporting flora and fauna species in the decisive stage of their life cycle, being a shelter for these species when they encounter dangerous conditions; being an important food source for aquatic animals, being a breeding ground, nurturing and migration route through which these animals can reproduce and thrive in the southeast sea of ​​Vietnam and the region.

According to chinhphu.vn