Twenty-one crested argus pheasants moved from Saigon Zoo to Bach Ma

Twenty-one crested argus pheasants have left Saigon Zoo for enclosures at Bach Ma National Park, the forest where the species used to live. Báo Nhân Dân reported on October 28, 2026, that the birds, nine males and 12 females, arrived on October 27, were checked by veterinarians, and were formally handed over the next day in Hue.

The pheasant, Rheinardia ocellata, is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN and is in Vietnam's highest protection group. Saigon Zoo said that as of October 26 it was caring for 44 of the birds, the result of years of breeding in captivity. Director Vu Thi Huong Giang said zoo populations can supply birds, records, and skills for work in the forest, not only keep a species behind a fence.

The 21 are not free in the woods. They are in purpose-built pens so staff can see whether they stay healthy and breed. Bach Ma's forest is tall, humid, and thick underneath, with food and cover the birds would need. A team of four animal staff has trained in pheasant care at Cuc Phuong and at a botanical garden. The park and the zoo describe a later release as feasible once the birds adapt. That release has not happened. The October handover is the move into the park, and the watching that follows.