Cambodia's Giant Ibis Conservation Efforts Yield Promising Nesting Success

Conservationists protecting nests in Cambodia's Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary have discovered 17 Giant Ibis nests over the past decade, enabling 18 chicks to hatch successfully, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced Wednesday afternoon. The Giant Ibis (Thaumatibis gigantea), Cambodia’s national bird, is one of the world's most endangered avian species. Inhabiting open deciduous forests and wetlands, the bird relies on a diet primarily composed of insects, eels, snakes, crabs, frogs, and snails. Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary serves as a vital habitat for the species. Protective operations in the area are managed under WCS’ Nest Protection Programme, with funding provided by the Keo Seima REDD+ project. "Over 10 years of implementing the Nest Protection Programme in Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, we achieved encouraging results, successfully recording 17 Giant Ibis nests and fledging 18 chicks," the WCS stated. The organisation added that three new nests were recently discovered, signaling positive progress for the sanctuary’s population. Despite these gains, conservation teams face persistent challenges that threaten the species with extinction. Primary hazards include habitat loss and degradation, nest site disturbance, poisoning, illegal hunting, and the misuse of agricultural chemicals, which disrupts local ecosystems. As apex foragers, Giant Ibises play a vital role in maintaining the balance and health of wetland and forest ecosystems by controlling populations of insects and small animals. They also serve as a key bioindicator of environmental health in their natural habitats. Conservation experts emphasise that protecting the species is of paramount importance and urge the public to prevent illegal land clearing, end wildlife trafficking and poisoning, and decline the consumption or keeping of wild animals. By K. Rithy Reak