Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - 30% of spot-billed pelicans in Cambodia

30% of spot-billed pelicans in Cambodia

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
A flock of spot-billed pelicans found in Cambodia. ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY

30% of spot-billed pelicans in Cambodia

Cambodia has about 3,000 spot-billed pelicans, which account for around 30 per cent of the global population, Ministry of Environment spokesperson Neth Pheaktra said on October 29.

The species, also known by its scientific name Pelecanus philippensis, is labelled in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “Near Threatened”.

Pheaktra said that while the spot-billed pelican is still seen in Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, it is found to breed only in India, Sri Lanka and the Prek Toal area of northwestern Cambodia, the last such location in Southeast Asia.

Prek Toal is Cambodia’s largest bird sanctuary, located within the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve at the northwest corner of the Tonle Sap lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.

The spokesman said that major threats to the species are loss of breeding and staging habitats, wildlife trade, overhunting, egg collection from nesting colonies, and other forms of human disturbance.

“Spot-billed pelicans are under strict protection by environment officials and the Wildlife Conservation Society [WCS] in natural protected areas, especially at their breeding grounds in the Prek Toal Ramsar Site,” Pheaktra said.

The birds are closely observed and their numbers monitored, he said, adding that the global population is estimated at 8,700-12,000.

Found predominantly in lowland areas near water bodies, the pelicans prefer habitats such as ponds, swamps, lakes, lagoons, river and sea banks, he added.

He said the grey-coloured pelicans are on average 127-140cm long when fully-grown, and sport big long beaks with pouches that develop their identifying black spots as they mature, which are significantly more pronounced during the breeding season in November-May.

Females typically lay three or four eggs per clutch, he said, adding that parents fly with their chicks to different wetlands in Cambodia and neighbouring countries, only to return to the Tonle Sap Lake area during the breeding season.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom