Cambodia Reports Decade of Success in Giant Ibis Conservation

In Cambodia's Keo Seima National Wildlife Sanctuary, conservation teams from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have discovered and protected 17 nests of the Giant Ibis and successfully hatched 18 chicks over the past decade. This was confirmed by WCS on the afternoon of August 5, 2026. The Giant Ibis (Thaumatibis gigantea) is the national bird of the Kingdom of Cambodia and one of the rarest bird species globally. It inhabits open forests, wetland areas within forests, and other marshy environments. Its primary diet consists of insects, eels, snakes, crabs, frogs, and snails. The Keo Seima National Wildlife Sanctuary is a crucial habitat among others in Cambodia, receiving dedicated protection through WCS's nest protection program, financially supported by the REDD+ Keo Seima project. Over the 10-year period of the nest protection program in Keo Seima National Wildlife Sanctuary, satisfactory results have been achieved, with 17 Giant Ibis nests discovered and 18 chicks successfully hatched and fledged. Furthermore, WCS recently identified three additional nests, indicating encouraging outcomes for Giant Ibis conservation in the sanctuary. However, behind these successes lie challenges that the team continues to face, including habitat loss and degradation, disturbance to nesting sites, the use of poison baits, illegal hunting, and improper use of agricultural chemicals that impact the ecosystem within their habitat. These factors have placed the Giant Ibis in a critically endangered status. The Giant Ibis plays a vital role in maintaining the balance and health of wetland and forest ecosystems by helping to control populations of insects and other small animals. It also serves as a key indicator of healthy natural habitats. Therefore, the conservation of this bird species in Cambodia holds immeasurable value. Everyone is urged to participate in preventing forest encroachment, all forms of wildlife trafficking, the use of poison for wildlife, and to refuse the consumption of wild animal meat or keeping wild animals as pets. Source: AKP Khmer