Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) - No oneguards and protects Bach Ma National Park more zealously than the director ofits service and environmental education centre who once hunted animals and cutdown trees in the forest to earn a living. Today, Truong Cam, the only personwho can "talk" with more than 100 kinds of birds, spreads his love ofthe forest to younger generations.

Truong Cam, a Vietnamese forest ranger, canmimic 110 kinds of bird calls. He translated one as meaning: “Today, I’m nothappy and I warn you that if you enter my territory, I’ll attack you!”

Cam, now the director of the park’s Service andEnvironmental Education Centre, has worked for 28 years in the Bach Ma NationalPark in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

“The birds come out to seek food from 5am to8am. After that, they take a rest and are difficult to call and have a chatwith,” Cam said. 

In the 1980s, local residents living in a bufferzone that surrounds Bach Ma National Park had no earnings, except for moneythey collected from animal and wood poaching, all of which harmed naturalresources in the area.

“At that time, we lived from forest exploitationbecause we were poor and had no other incomes,” Cam said.

Like his neighbours, Cam has been close to theforest for years. He once earned an illegal living from it living to supporthis family, but it was also where he discovered his love for the area’s floraand fauna.

After graduating from high school, Cam begantrapping and cutting wood, just as his neighbours were doing. But his lifechanged dramatically when the hamlet authorities arrested him for trapping twopheasants and selling them in Hue.

Cam had no idea why he had been arrested untilthe rangers read to him the national law regulating forest protection.

Although the arrest was a stroke of misfortune,it later opened doors for him.

In 1988, the first delegation of the WorldWildlife Fund (WWF) visited Hue to learn about pheasants. At that time, HuynhVan Keo, the present director of the national forest, was head of Bach MaProhibited Forest Protection Department, but he had no experts on his staff.

Keo thought about Cama nd visited him. Camsurprised the visitor with his deep knowledge about pheasants. After the meeting,Keo asked Cam to work as a forest ranger.

Cam looks back fondly at that moment, saying itwas a way “to have a thief catch a thief”, as only illegal loggers knew everycorner of the Bach Ma forest.

“I still remember the day when Mr Keo met me ina rice field. He asked me if I would like to care for the protected forest. Iasked him one question: ’Do you have enough rice for me to eat because I’mstrong and eat a lot. He said ‘yes’ and I agreed to be a protector of theforest’,” Cam said.

On his first day at his new job, Cam was askedto feed and study birds and other animals that had been caught by poachers whohad taken part in illegal deforestation. After that, he was sent into theforest to destroy animal traps and arrest illegal loggers and hunters.

Bird talk


Cam travelled month by month to every corner ofthe Bach Ma forest, saving hundreds of animals by removing traps set by illegalhunters.

He spent time learning about birds, carefullylistening and practising their voices. Day after day, his mimicry improved andbirds began replying to him.

“Each bird has its own language. Their words andsounds are similarly expressive to ours in that they can show jealousy, angerand carelessness,” he said.

Cam can "talk" with more than 110kinds of birds out of a total of around 320 living in Bach Ma National Park.

The 49-year-old-man is viewed as a “living,walking bird dictionary”.

“When I hear the flap of a wing or see a bird onland, I know exactly what kind of bird it is because I’ve lived near them for along time,” he said.

When the Bach Ma National Park opened fortourists 10 years ago, Cam was chosen to be a guide for the special tour“Calling Birds and Enjoying the Sunrise”.

“I’m so busy now, because tourism groups like tobe guided by me. Busy but happy!” he said.

“Today, nobody is cutting down trees in Bach Mabecause local residents have been trained and paid to care for it,” he said.“Our mission is to introduce natural beauty to visitors.”

Cam is also in charge of four Forest Ranger Clubsfor children at primary schools located in poor areas where people mightconsider returning to illegal logging and hunting.

“With our practical lessons, we teach childrenthat the forest is one of the most important places in the world. If we lose theforests, we will have no more animals, no more birds, and no more flora, butonly more natural disasters,” he said.

In 1999, residents began to learn about theconsequences of deforestation after the results of serious flooding.

“Before that, we had been educated about theforest’s importance, but local residents didn’t really recognise it. After theflood, however, they helped us a lot in forest protection. Now, I want to sharemy love and knowledge of the forest with the younger generation,” Cam said.

Keo, director of the Bach Ma National Park, hasset up a Forest Ranger club for children, which buys uniforms for all members,organises field trips in the forest, and teaches them how to protect theforest.

“Such clubs are very useful. Children learn quicklyand deeply understand their role. Now they return home and educate theirfamilies and communities about forest protection, even environmentalprotection,” Keo said. “We’ve also received strong support from localauthorities and school management boards.”

Along with Keo, Cam takes part in environmentalprotection activities, saying that he is very happy to “transfer my love of theforest to tourists and local children”. “I hope it will be protected forever,”he added.

Cam, however, is still looking for morebird-calling experts. Forest rangers, experts, and Cam’s two sons have alltried bird-calling, but no one can do it as well as he can.

“I think my talent for mimicry is a gift,” hesaid. “I’ll use the gift to protect the forest and spread my love of the forestto everyone.”-VNA