Dong Tam Snake Farm - a green tourism destination in Dong Thap province.

The Center for Cultivation, Research, and Processing of Medicinal Herbs - Logistics and Technical Department of Military Region 9 (Dong Tam Snake Farm) is not only a reputable research and emergency treatment facility for snakebites in the Mekong Delta region, but also a unique ecotourism destination in Dong Thap province, contributing to biodiversity conservation, developing medicinal products, and attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.

PRESERVATION AND RESEARCH OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

The Center for Cultivation, Research and Processing of Medicinal Plants - Logistics and Technical Department of Military Region 9, also known as the "Dong Tam Snake Farm," was established on October 27, 1977, in Tan Thuan B hamlet, Kim Son commune, Dong Thap province, covering approximately 12 hectares.

Dong Tam Snake Farm - A unique ecotourism destination in Dong Thap province.

The center's mission is to conduct scientific research, treat snakebites, cultivate and preserve medicinal plants, produce traditional medicine, and serve as a unique and exemplary ecotourism destination in Dong Thap province.

During a visit to the Snake Farm, tourists can learn more about biodiversity conservation and the preservation of rare animal species. Guided tours will take visitors to see several species of snakes and wild animals, including those listed in the Red Book of Vietnam and the world. Visitors will also receive guidance on caring for and conserving rare animals, and tour the medicinal herb garden and the first snake museum in Vietnam.

In particular, visitors will be able to watch technicians perform the process of extracting snake venom used as raw material for drug production, and tour the drug production line, with modern equipment certified by the Ministry of Health to meet GMP-WHO standards. In addition, the Snake Farm also has a camping area with food, a recreational fishing area, and organizes traditional games…

Foreign tourists visit and experience the Dong Tam Snake Farm.

Dong Tam Snake Farm is located 9 km from My Tho ward, on the north bank of the Tien River, in a convenient location in terms of transportation: near the Trung Luong - Ho Chi Minh City expressway and the Trung Luong - Can Tho City expressway.

Founded on the initiative of Dr. Tran Van Duoc (Uncle Tu Duoc - the first director of Dong Tam Snake Farm), who possessed profound knowledge of snakes and a passion for this dangerous work.

The purpose of the farm is to preserve the gene pool of rare snake species listed in the Red Book as endangered. When it was first established, it was just a breeding team, later becoming the Dong Tam Snake Farm, Pharmaceutical Enterprise 408.

In 1998, Dong Tam Snake Farm was renamed the Center for Cultivation, Research and Processing of Medicinal Herbs.

The Emergency Department for Snakebite Treatment at Dong Tam Snake Farm has a team of professional doctors and nurses with many years of experience and modern facilities; treating more than 1,200 cases annually for both military and civilian personnel in the Mekong Delta provinces and neighboring Laos and Cambodia...

The center currently conserves over 1,000 individual snakes of various species and exploits the genetic resources of two rare and endangered species of cobra, the common cobra and the king cobra, which are listed in the Vietnamese Red Book.

From the venom of various snake species, the Center combines and formulates many types of medicines such as: antiserum for treating snakebites, Cobratofor topical cream to reduce pain and inflammation symptoms such as knee joint pain, bone and joint pain due to osteoarthritis, muscle aches, sprains from sports...

The center has a GMP-certified production facility with modern production lines for manufacturing pharmaceuticals, alcoholic beverages, and cosmetics.

Standardized products made from pythons and snakes are supplied to the market to meet the needs of disease prevention and health improvement, including products such as: Cobratofor to reduce pain and inflammation symptoms, python extract, snake extract, green snake powder, python fat cream, snake wine, etc.

TYPICAL TOURIST DESTINATIONS OF THE MEKONG DELTA

Dong Tam Snake Farm is also a miniature zoo, an attractive ecological research and tourism destination, attracting thousands of domestic and international visitors. Here, visitors can learn about the physiological and ecological life of various snake species and other animals such as tigers, bears, deer, crocodiles, etc.

Foreign tourists have an interesting experience with snakes.

Visitors can immerse themselves in the fresh air, listen to birds singing and monkeys howling, walk under rows of trees that are 40 years old or older, and admire the beautiful flowers and ornamental plants...

Every year, the Snake Farm welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors for sightseeing, research, and learning. This is especially true for scientists, researchers, and students from universities across the country.

Visitors to this area should definitely not miss the Snake Museum, which was recognized by the Guinness World Records Vietnam Center as the first snake museum in Vietnam on August 14, 2005. It displays specimens of venomous and non-venomous snake species found in Vietnam.

In particular, visitors will have the opportunity to admire the specimen of a giant king cobra, over 4 meters long and weighing 27 kg, which has been kept at the Center for about 17 years...

During a visit to the Snake Farm, tourists will be guided by knowledgeable and dedicated tour guides who will provide detailed explanations about the physiological and ecological life of the animals and snakes raised there, answer questions and discuss inquiries, and advise on health-beneficial products suitable for different groups, all produced by the Snake Farm itself.

With its outstanding achievements, Dong Tam Snake Farm has received numerous commendations from the Military Region, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of Health. On December 20, 1989, the Center was awarded the title of "Heroic Labor Unit".

Colonel, Doctor Tran Van Duoc, the first Director of the Center, was also awarded this prestigious title.

Furthermore, Dr. Tư Dược and Colonel, pharmacist Nguyễn Danh Sinh were awarded the title of "People's Physician". In addition, the Center has received numerous visits and working sessions from leaders of the Party, State, Army, and other countries.

Over the past year, the Center has been awarded numerous titles by the People's Committee of Dong Thap province and the Mekong Delta Tourism Association, including: Unique tourist destination, safe tourist destination, green tourist destination, biodiversity conservation facility, re-recognized as a typical tourist destination of the Mekong Delta, and certified by the People's Committee of Dong Thap province as a 4-star OCOP tourist destination.

In addition, the unit also has 6 food and cosmetic products, including: python fat, turmeric and python fat cream, snake wine, banana wine, honey, and python fat cream, that have achieved OCOP 3-star rating.

Lieutenant Colonel Mai Thai Hien, Deputy Head of the Tourism Guidance Department, said that Dong Tam Snake Farm is a leading facility in Vietnam for researching and conserving more than 40 species of snakes and over 80 species of rare animals; producing traditional medicine that meets GMP standards; attracting nearly 200,000 visitors annually through ecotourism and environmental conservation education activities; and achieving OCOP 4-star certification in 2022.

In the coming period, the Snake Farm will focus on enhancing biodiversity conservation through expanding the breeding area, ensuring the welfare and conservation of rare snake and animal species, especially venomous snakes; and managing and developing scientific research projects to effectively and sustainably exploit medicinal resources from snakes.

Simultaneously, integrate tourism with educational experiential tours, combining healthcare with visits to medicinal herb gardens; closely link with neighboring ecotourism routes to create a chain of inter-regional tours; standardize the quality of current 4-star OCOP products; invest in technology, improve packaging, and aim to achieve 5-star OCOP standards in the next 2-3 years by improving quality, diversifying products, and integrating digital technology.

This will contribute to the economic development of the Mekong Delta region, achieving a harmonious balance between economic growth and environmental protection.

LY OANH

Source: https://baodongthap.vn/trai-ran-dong-tam-diem-du-lich-xanh-cua-que-huong-dong-thap-a234106.html