Vietnam pheasant returns after 20-year absence in rare reintroduction bid

Hanoi: The Vietnam pheasant will return to central Vietnam after more than 20 years, in one of the few global efforts to reintroduce a species likely extinct in the wild.

An international alliance of conservation groups, zoos, and Vietnamese partners is leading the project. The bird has not been reliably seen in its native forests for decades. Males are known for dark blue metallic plumage and bright red facial skin.

Habitat loss, hunting, and wartime forest damage drove its decline. The species survived through birds taken to Europe in the early 20th century, which became the base of a managed breeding program.

In mid-May, 20 pheasants selected for genetics and health will fly from Berlin to Vietnam in custom crates, accompanied by experts. They will first enter acclimatization, not release. The goal is to form breeding pairs and raise new generations locally before any wild release.

Protected forest areas in the pheasant’s historic range are being prepared. Teams are working to secure habitat, monitor wildlife, and reduce threats like illegal hunting.