CAMBODIA'S NEW-FOUND PRIDE — CONSERVATION SUCCESS OF RARE GREATER ADJUTANT STORK

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- Cambodia can now pride itself as one of the few countries in the world that has been successful in the conservation of the Greater Adjutant Stork, one of the world’s rarest bird species.

The Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB) last week released two chicks into the wild -a major achievement that could stem the bird's decline in the Kingdom. 

"Releasing these two chicks to the wild is a huge milestone for the global conservation of this species. 

"This is the first time that captive-bred Greater Adjutants have ever been released to the wild, and we are hoping that this can pave the way for future releases of this iconic species," ACCB's Curator of Ex-Situ Conservation Amber Flewitt told Bernama.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN), only 1,360 to 1,510 mature Greater Adjutants remain on the planet. 

Once widespread across South and Southeast Asia, the species is now largely confined to just two countries — India and Cambodia. Cambodia is home to an estimated 200–250 mature individuals, while Northeast India hosts nearly 1,250.

The Fact Animal website describes the Greater Adjutant as having a “grotesque elegance” due to its striking features. 

Donning grey wings, it moves with its lanky legs and stands out with its bald head and long beak. 

These bulky birds can stand up to about 1.5 metres and weigh nearly five kilogrammes. 

The IUCN classifies these storks as "near-threatened", and their future survival would depend on successful conservation efforts, like in Cambodia.

"(The) release of just two animals has boosted the population in Cambodia by one per cent.  Our team is closely monitoring the released birds via their GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking devices, and this will allow us to get a better insight into the long-term success of this project," said Flewitt.

Raising the chicks in captivity posed significant challenges for the conservation team at ACCB in Siem Reap.

"Breeding this species in captivity presented us with many challenges.  This is not something that has been successfully done anywhere before, meaning there were no guidelines or information to follow. 

"As the chicks' parents were raised by humans in the illegal wildlife trade, they likely missed out on certain behavioural cues that they would usually learn from their parents, which ultimately go on to help them rear their own chicks later in life, " she said.

The parents had several unsuccessful clutches before this pair, which successfully hatched in late 2024.

Flewitt said it is important to uphold other conservation measures, such as habitat protection and population monitoring, to safeguard their survival. 

The parent birds had several failed clutches before successfully hatching this pair in late 2024.

Flewitt emphasised that continued conservation measures — including habitat protection and population monitoring — remain critical to the species’ long-term survival.

"This species has historically been heavily persecuted due to negative perceptions and misunderstandings. 

"Therefore, effective community outreach is also vital to protect this magnificent species.  If the natural habitats of this species are preserved and the populations don't succumb to hunting pressures, then our released birds could go on to add significantly to this population over their lifetime," said Flewitt.

--  BERNAMA