A group of critically endangered Sarus cranes at the Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary, where a biodiversity monitoring team is conducting a census of the species. NatureLife Cambodia
Twenty-two Sarus Cranes were spotted in the Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary in 2024, the most of any area in the region. This success follows the establishment of the Cambodian Sarus Cranes Conservation Task Force in 2023.
The increase – from 16 in 2023 to 22 – monitored by the biodiversity team at the Lumphat sanctuary was celebrated as exciting year-end news by NatureLife Cambodia on December 31, 2024.
The organisation reported that of the 22 individuals, eight were juveniles. The birds were seen nesting at seven different locations within the sanctuary. The organisation noted that this count exceeds any previous records from the sanctuary.
“This remarkable milestone is a testament to the success of ongoing biodiversity conservation efforts, a perfect way to bid farewell to 2024 and step into 2025 with hope and commitment,” it stated.
By the end of 2024, 180 cranes had been recorded across Cambodia, indicating a rebound after a drop to 156 in 2022.
Bou Vorsak, executive director of NatureLife Cambodia noted that the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and major conservation organisations like WWF, have collaborated to protect the species. They created a Cambodian crane Conservation team in 2023, marking a concerted effort to address the crane population's decline.
The task force, led by the environment ministry, developed a five-year conservation plan, with a national and regional guide.
The Sarus crane (Antigone antigone) is a short-distance migratory bird that can be found in Cambodia and Vietnam. During its breeding season, from June to November, it nests in the Lumphat sanctuary in Ratanakkiri and Mondulkiri provinces, as well as the Chheb-Preah Roka Wildlife Sanctuary and Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear province, favouring grasslands, wetlands and remote forests, explained Vorsak.
Post-breeding, the birds migrate to the Mekong floodplains for six months, including the Boeung Prek Lpov Protected Landscape in Takeo and the Anlong Pring Protected Landscape in Kampot. Some birds travel to the Tonle Sap floodplains, such as Ang Trapeang Thmor in Banteay Meanchey.
During the next breeding season, the birds return to their sanctuary sites, with some migrating to Vietnam.
The species is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Without conservation efforts, the species faces extinction, particularly in Southeast Asia, including the Mekong region, where fewer than 50 nests were recorded last year due to habitat loss and other threats.
The 22 Sarus cranes, including their young, were observed flying, calling, foraging and enjoying the Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary.
The sanctuary has become a favoured site for them, one of the few places where the Mekong Basin population breed, raise young, and even stay over winter.
USAID Morodok Baitang – in collaboration with NatureLife Cambodia, the environment ministry and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund – have implemented various Sarus crane conservation efforts, including nest monitoring, forest patrols, wildlife-friendly agriculture and more.
Sarus Crane conservation is one of many activities boosted by the implementation of the Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary REDD+ Project, which aims to benefit biodiversity, local culture and livelihoods, as well as the atmosphere through the preservation of the standing forests.
