Visitors to the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens can now admire 10 rare parrot species from Vietnam and abroad, many of which are strictly protected under Vietnamese law and international conventions.
Among the highlights is the red-breasted parakeet (Psittacula alexandri), native to Vietnam and listed in CITES Appendix II. Other species include macaws, African grey parrots, blue-and-yellow parrots, and rosy-headed parrots.
The zoo’s representative said parrots were once part of its bird shows, giving staff long-standing experience in caring for them. The facility also serves as a sanctuary for birds rescued from wildlife trafficking. “At one point, we received 13 African grey parrots from authorities, which our keepers continue to hand-raise to safeguard their health,” he said.
Parrots at the zoo live in separate aviaries and feed mainly on seeds and fruit. Their vibrant plumage and lively behavior have become a highlight for visitors, according to the Thanh Nien news site.
A 178-kilogram mother safely delivers baby after high-risk C-section
Doctors at Hanoi’s National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology have safely delivered a baby for a 28-year-old woman weighing 178 kilograms, calling it an exceptionally high-risk case.
The patient, from Phu Tho Province, was 37 weeks pregnant and suffered from obesity, preeclampsia, and diabetes. She had weighed 140 kilograms before pregnancy. Doctors said vaginal delivery was impossible, while a cesarean also posed severe risks.
Anesthesia was particularly challenging as thick fat layers obscured landmarks, with the distance to the spinal space exceeding standard needle length. The surgical team switched to general anesthesia, prepared for potential respiratory failure due to the patient’s poor oxygen reserves.
After nearly an hour of surgery, a healthy baby boy weighing 3.4 kilograms was delivered. The mother was then kept under close observation in intensive care, reported the Dan Tri news site.
Foreigners join the festive pulse of Vietnam’s National Day
As Vietnam prepares to mark its 80th National Day on September 2, foreign residents are embracing the festive mood alongside locals, according to the VnExpress news site.
At My Dinh National Stadium earlier this month, South Korean national Jeong Jonghyeok, 40, waited nearly three hours to attend the “Fatherland in Our Hearts” concert. Dressed in a red shirt with a yellow star, he said he felt “happy and fortunate” to chant “Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh” with tens of thousands of others.
Japanese expatriate Kaneya Manabu, 44, said this year felt different from his previous nine years in Hanoi. “From cafés and shopping centers to residential areas, everywhere was decorated with national flags. Even thousands of people lined the streets to cheer the army during rehearsals,” he said.
Cam Hang, a 27-year-old friend of Manabu, said that he has been diligently studying Vietnamese, especially songs so that he could join the “national concert.” He asked Hang to act as his guide to the Vietnam Military History Museum to learn more about the country’s past.
A Cham language class inside a mosque
A Cham language class has been held for many years inside the Masjid Jamiul Anwar, a mosque in Chanh Hung Ward, HCMC. The free-of-charge class starts at 6:30 p.m. every day (except Thursday) for three- to 10-year-old children coming over to learn the Cham language taught by thoughtful teachers.
Mohd Amin, a teacher with over 30 years teaching at this class, told thanhnien.vn that all the learning documents were compiled by the mosque’s clerics from the Quran. Ab Dohalim, vice head of the Masjid Jamiul Anwar, said the mosque’s management board has opened doctrine classes for children, both male and female, since 1960. These classes are divided into three levels for children (3-10 years old), Little Quran Kids, and Cham language learners.
Most of the students of the Cham language class are the children of the Cham community living around the mosque. They arrive at the class in traditional Cham costumes. These students go to elementary schools on weekdays and learn Cham language at the mosque’s class in the evening. They can speak both Vietnamese and Cham languages after three years of learning. To date, the Cham language class has six teachers and 60-70 students.
