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Vulture conservation in Cambodia reports another good year
While the main breeding population of white-backed and slender-billed vultures used to be in South Asia (India, Nepal and Pakistan), South-east Asia also supports smaller but surviving populations of these species. Crucially in Cambodia, where most vultures in South-east Asia remain, diclofenac is not used as a veterinary drug and vultures have not undergone the same catastrophic declines. The situation for vultures in Cambodia is not completely rosy, as lack of food (many wild ungulates have been hunted out and livestock are not placed out to be disposed of by scavengers), direct persecution, disturbance of nesting sites and poisoning remain threats to vulture populations. However, a five year programme of work to protect vulture nesting sites and provide alternative food supplies has shown some promising results with increases in numbers of vulture recorded over this period. The project's recent report (see this link to download the file) details this progress and the report's summary is presented below:
CAMBODIAN VULTURE CONSERVATION PROJECT
ANNUAL ACTIVITIES REPORT
JULY 2008 TO JUNE 2009
PECH BUNNAT &HUGO RAINEY
English Summary
The Cambodia Vulture Conservation Project, a partnership of Cambodian government agencies and
NGOs, has been implementing measures to improve the status of vultures in Cambodia since 2004.
Cambodia supports one of the few stable or increasing populations of three species of vulture. Its most
noteworthy achievement this year was the authorisation by the Cambodian Department of Animal
Health of a ban on the veterinary use of the drug diclofenac. Awareness-raising at key sites of the
threat that this drug poses to vultures was carried out across their range in Cambodia. Vulture
restaurants were run regularly at seven sites across northern and eastern Cambodia to provide a
regular food supply and aid monitoring. The annual census at these restaurants in June 2009 found a
total of 266 birds, the second highest total counted in the country. Vultures feeding at naturally
available carcasses were also monitored and a number of poisoned birds were found as a result.
Incidental poisoning of vultures after eating poisoned livestock and domestic animals is now probably
the greatest source of mortality of vultures in Cambodia. Breeding success was high at almost all
vulture colonies in the latest breeding season as a result of nest protection efforts. However, total
number of located vulture nests was low. Two tagged vultures were resighted during the year and two
rehabilitated vultures were tagged and released. Two students researching vultures were supported
this year which will support long term vulture conservation efforts.
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