(KH) Saving rare birds in Cambodia

[Guest guest]

http://bwfov.typepad.com/birders_world_field_of_vi/2008/04/a-rebound-for-a.html

To save the world's rarest stork, turn poachers into rangers

 

Approximately 8,500 miles (13,700 km) from where I sit, people in small

villages in the Prek Toal region of Cambodia, located on the northwest shore

of Tonle Sap Lake (map

here<http://www.canbypublications.com/maps/srtonlesapmap.htm>),

are restoring the fortunes of eight species of waterbirds, all but one of

which are globally threatened.

 

(A bit of background on the region: Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake

in Southeast Asia and a UN-designated Biosphere

Reserve<http://www.mekonginfo.org/mrc_en/Contact.nsf/0/4F339FEA20A5F7C0872569210\

017C0BD/$FILE/leaflet.html>.

BirdLife International lists Prek Toal as an Important Bird

Area<http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/index.html?action=SitHTMDetails.asp & \

sid=16654 & m=0>.

And the Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife

Conservation<http://www.samveasna.org/>is a local hub for ecotourism.)

 

The bird populations are increasing because former poachers are being

employed as rangers. Species that have benefited include the world's rarest

stork, the *Greater Adjutant* (at right in the photo above), and the

*Spot-billed

Pelican* (the two birds at left). But we'll get back to the individual

species in a minute.

 

The colonies first came to the attention of conservationists in the

mid-1990s. At that time, about 70 local people were collecting eggs and

chicks from the colonies. " The eggs and chicks were sold locally in the

village for food and were sold for trade to wealthier individuals in towns, "

says Tom Clements of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Cambodia

Program<http://www.wcs.org/international/Asia/Cambodia>

..

 

In January 2001, authorities intercepted a boat in the area that contained

1,400 cormorant eggs. Two other suspicious boats got away. " This was one of

a number of serious collection incidences which prompted start of the

conservation program in February 2001, " says a new report from

WCS<http://www.birdersworld.com/brd/objects/pdf/prek_toal_report.pdf>

..

 

" The 70 collectors were interviewed and 14 were hired as rangers, " says

Clements, a co-author of the report. " Initially these rangers were employed

only to monitor the colony and discourage poaching (a sort of voluntary

enforcement); more recently they have been integrated as government staff.

The approach has been extremely effective. Collection rates have declined,

and since 2004 collection of bird eggs and chicks has basically ceased. "

 

At a time when so many conservation stories are disheartening to say the

least, the news from Prek Toal sounded almost too good to be true. Not only

is it true, but the methods that made it successful are being applied

elsewhere.

 

" WCS has adopted the same approach at other sites where bird colonies are

hunted for food or trade, " Clements says. " Under these programs, local

community members who locate and protect bird colonies are paid a fee to

monitor the birds and a bonus if they successfully fledge. The approach is

extremely effective — it provides an alternative, legal, income from

conservation as opposed to unsustainable exploitation. The cash income to

villagers is particularly important in remote areas where few other forms of

cash employment exist. "

 

Today, Cambodia's Ministry of Environment employs 28 rangers to guard the

breeding colonies. The rangers also count the birds as part of a

population-monitoring program directed by the government and WCS. The total

number of breeding pairs grew from 2,800 in 2001 to 5,100 in 2004 to 18,800

in 2007. Here's a rundown of how each species is faring. The species names

link to World Conservation Union Red List <http://www.iucnredlist.org/>pages.

 

[image: Oriental

Darter]<http://bwfov.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/0\

4/29/darters.jpg>

 

*Oriental Darter

<http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/1300/all>*(above)

Status: Near Threatened

This relative of our *Anhinga* is reportedly declining throughout Asia, but

it has rebounded from 241 pairs at Prek Toal in 2001 to more than 4,000

pairs last year. The wetland is the largest remaining breeding site in

Southeast Asia.

 

*Asian Openbill <http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/1254/all>*

Status: Least Concern

A widespread stork numbering at least 130,000 worldwide. More than 7,600

breeding pairs rank it as the most common of the monitored waterbirds at

Prek Toal. Reaches sexual maturity earlier than other storks, making it an

indicator species for the health of the entire colony.

 

*Spot-billed Pelican<http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/16491/all>

*

Status: Near Threatened

Global population of the world's rarest pelican estimated at 13,000-18,000.

Prek Toal is the only breeding site in Southeast Asia; approximately 2,600

pairs nested in 2007, up from 700 in 2001. Frequently nests in same trees as

Greater Adjutant.

 

*Milky Stork <http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/14045/all>*

Status: Vulnerable

All but a few hundred of the world's 5,500 birds occur south of Cambodia in

Indonesia. The primarily coastal species was not known to occur at Prek Toal

before 2004. Now it numbers about 10 breeding pairs.

 

*Painted Stork <http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/14047/all>*

Status: Near Threatened

Global population less than 25,000, mostly in India. Prek Toal hosts 3,100

pairs, up from about 1,000 in 2001. Species is colonizing new sites in

Cambodia and Thailand.

 

*Greater Adjutant <http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/11737/all>*

Status: Endangered

The world's rarest stork. Most of the 800-1,000 birds breed at Assam, India,

but nesting success there recently has been extremely poor. Prek Toal

population once at 30 pairs has risen to 77 pairs.

 

*Lesser Adjutant <http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/11738/all>*

Status: Vulnerable

Global population approximately 5,000 birds, primarily from India to

Indonesia. Prek Toal numbers increased six-fold to 253 pairs in 2007.

 

*Black-headed Ibis <http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/21835/all>

*

Status: Near Threatened

Scattered populations occur from Japan to India and Sri Lanka. Global

population 20,000 or less. Least known of the Prek Toal waterbirds. The

birds nest in inaccessible scrub habitats that are " almost impossible to

see, and no method which enables comprehensive counts has been developed as

yet. " Estimated at 1,000 breeding pairs. — M.M.