PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s efforts to conserve its critically endangered vultures have helped protect the species, but accidental poisoning remains a threat to their survival.
As the world marked International Vulture Awareness Day last Saturday (Sept 5), Cambodian conservationists celebrated a rise in the vulture population to 163, the highest count since monitoring began in 2016.
"For more than 15 years, stakeholders in Cambodia developed a 10-year action plan to address all the key issues to protect the vulture population.
"We have been providing supplemental food for the vultures to address food shortages, we monitor poisoning, protect their nests and appoint guardians (local farmers),” NatureLife Cambodia Chief Executive Officer Bou Vorsak told Bernama.
Cambodia remains one of the last bastions for vultures in Southeast Asia, where the three critically endangered species - the White-rumped Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture and Red-headed Vulture - survive in the tropical forests of northern and eastern Cambodia.
Conservationists worldwide are working to halt the decline of these critically endangered species, which face threats from rapid urbanisation, habitat loss, food shortages and poisoning.
"Our major challenge is poisoning, but no vulture deaths from poisoning were recorded over the last three years. Poisoning occurs when vultures accidentally eat poisoned carcasses.
"The vulture population shows we still maintain a good forest landscape in the northeastern plains. Vultures need large areas of suitable habitat, and Cambodia still has good habitat for them,” said Vorsak
According to experts, the poisoning of wild and domestic animals and the use of pesticides and herbicides continue to threaten vultures near key habitats in Cambodia.
Cambodia Vulture Working Group Vice-Chairman Alistair Mould said the stable vulture population demonstrates that sustained, targeted conservation action is effective in protecting the birds.
"However, these species remain critically endangered, and maintaining this progress will require continued collaboration between the government, conservation partners and local communities to address the threats they continue to face.”
Wildlife sanctuaries in Lomphat, Siem Pang, Chhaeb-Preah Roka, Sambo and Srepok have provided refuge for rare vultures in Cambodia. - Bernama
