Greater adjutants return to Cambodian Wildlife Sanctuary after ten years

A biodiversity monitoring team from NatureLife Cambodia recorded ten greater adjutants returning to the Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary in Cambodia on October 27.

This return marks the first time the globally threatened birds have been seen in the sanctuary in nearly a decade. The sanctuary operates a REDD+ project to protect biodiversity. The greater adjutant is a large bird species found in several countries, but it only breeds in India and Cambodia.

These birds face threats from hunting, habitat loss, and the collection of eggs and chicks. Rangers from the Ministry of Environment and partner organisations work to protect the species, especially at the Prek Toal Ramsar site, which is a wetland area of international importance. The sanctuary also supports a vulture restaurant that recently recorded five red-headed vultures. These birds are among the most critically endangered in the world.

Because the national census shows only 21 red-headed vultures remain in Cambodia, these five birds represent a large portion of the country's total population.