by germainebull » 22 Nov 2025, 13:25
Conservationists in Cambodia have done something very fresh for the first time, releasing two captive-bred Greater Adjutant Stork chicks into the wild. The nine-month-old male and female were fitted with GPS trackers to track their movements before they were released. They have been released into the Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary, which is managed by Rising Phoenix and the Ministry of Environment.
Jack Willis from the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity said the spot is perfect because there are still wild storks there and the hope is that these new ones will join the colony. The Greater Adjutant Stork is a large bird with black wings and long necks that was once endangered but is now “Near Threatened” after conservation efforts saved its population.
There are currently about 1,500 adult storks in the world, of which 200 to 250 are in Cambodia, with many in India. Willis said their future is still fragile and one major event could destroy it completely. Captive breeding is the only way to prevent extinction. The ACCB has three pairs of rescued storks, but only one pair has produced chicks.
These rescues often lack the parenting skills of the wild, making raising young difficult. The Centre does not expect these newcomers to join the colony immediately because migratory behaviour is learned from the adults. Willis said a survival of three to four months would be a success and would help to write protocols for saving species such as the Greater and Lesser Adjutants.
Source: Reuters
Conservationists in Cambodia have done something very fresh for the first time, releasing two captive-bred Greater Adjutant Stork chicks into the wild. The nine-month-old male and female were fitted with GPS trackers to track their movements before they were released. They have been released into the Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary, which is managed by Rising Phoenix and the Ministry of Environment.
Jack Willis from the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity said the spot is perfect because there are still wild storks there and the hope is that these new ones will join the colony. The Greater Adjutant Stork is a large bird with black wings and long necks that was once endangered but is now “Near Threatened” after conservation efforts saved its population.
There are currently about 1,500 adult storks in the world, of which 200 to 250 are in Cambodia, with many in India. Willis said their future is still fragile and one major event could destroy it completely. Captive breeding is the only way to prevent extinction. The ACCB has three pairs of rescued storks, but only one pair has produced chicks.
These rescues often lack the parenting skills of the wild, making raising young difficult. The Centre does not expect these newcomers to join the colony immediately because migratory behaviour is learned from the adults. Willis said a survival of three to four months would be a success and would help to write protocols for saving species such as the Greater and Lesser Adjutants.
Source: Reuters
