by Nguyen The Thinh

Truong Cam is one of six brothers in a family of Bach Thach Village of Thua Thien Province. Because the village lies next to Bach Ma National Park, the natural way for young men to make a living is to go into the jungle hunting for anything that can be sold, even if it means killing rare animals or plants.

Cam used to be known as one of the most zealous hunters of his region. Then, with some direction, he turned into a staunch protector of nature.

In the eyes of Huynh Van Keo, director of the national park, there were many other ways for Cam to be useful to society. Keo asked to meet Cam and proposed that he work for the national park instead of hunting in it and destroying the country’s preserved forest. After much thought, the young boy accepted the offer, much influenced by radio announcements calling for the urgent protection of forests and the environment.

In 1988, a team of researchers including three foreigners came to the park to investigate the existence of a rare species declared to be living in the national park: the crested argus, which has since become the park’s emblem. After many days spent trying to trap the bird without success, the researchers began to doubt the authenticity of Vietnamese Government reports that the crested argus had been spotted in Bach Ma.

They therefore called on Cam to accompany them in their search for living proof. To their surprise, he presented a crested argus to them the very next day, having used just a small string to capture it.

A year later, Cam was asked to set up a bird sanctuary in the park. To the astonishment of all, he attracted hundreds of rare birds to his garden and even managed to breed the crested argus. He found that many professional researchers had exaggerated the reproduction capabilities of the rare bird. With these initial achievements, Cam turned into a lover of nature and left to study at Hue Agricultural and Forestry College, marking a turning point in his life.

Call of the wild: Truong Cam now protects the animals he once hunted. — VNS File Photo

Today, Cam has returned to his job in the national park and sometimes helps university students in their field work. Many would mistake him for a professional researcher. He enjoys telling visitors of the variety of species in Bach Ma. But his main occupation takes place at the Forestry Check Point No.3, on the highest peak of the region – Hai Vong Dai, which is 1,444m above sea level. His daily routine is comprised of 20 to 40km walks to check the safety of the forests and many a time turning into a tour guide. Cam even knows of the rare herbs found in the forest that can be used for medical treatment. Yet his most significant talent lies in his voice. On a journey in France, he startled crowds, and a young Japanese women in particular, by imitating the cry of the black kite bird and calling it to him.