Title
Waterbirds
Author(s)
Sophanna, Ly; Sovannara, Uk; Visal, Sun; Virak, Son; Chamnan, Hong; Bunthoeun, Seng; Porchhay, Taing; Bao, Pham Ngoc; Sunleang, Srey
Published
2022
Abstract
In the floodplain, dense gallery forests, shrublands, large grasslands, exposed mud areas, and seasonally isolated ponds are favorable feeding and breeding grounds for bird species in Tonle Sap Lake. They are home to a number of globally threatened and near-threatened species. Prek Toal, one of the Ramsar sites, hosts around 135 bird species, of which five are globally threatened and another five are near-threatened. Currently, Prek Toal is the last breeding site in mainland Southeast Asia for the near-threatened spot-billed pelican and endangered milky stork, highlighting the importance of this Ramsar site. The northern Tonle Sap-protected landscape is a favorable site for the critically endangered Bengal Florican, owing to its vast grassland. Since 2004, there has been a marked increase in the total number of breeding pairs of many important waterbird species, namely, greater adjutant, lesser adjutant, spot-billed pelican, milky stork, painted stork, oriental darter, and Asian openbill. However, their habitats in TSL are under severe threats as the result of flooded forest fires, intensification and expansion of agriculture activities, hydrological alteration, and other negative impacts of human development.
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PUB35643