Cambodia: Paying local people to protect crane nests

The WCS Office in Cambodia, at Preah Vihear has implemented a scheme of direct incentives for waterbird conservation as part of the overall conservation program of WCS Cambodia. Preah Vihear is globally important for its populations of at least six globally threatened large waterbirds: two ibis species (Pseudibis gigantea and Pseudibis davisoni), rare Greater Adjutant storks (Leptoptilos dubius), in addition to colonies of Lesser Adjutants (Leptoptilos javanicus), Black-necked (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) and Woolly-necked Storks (Ciconia episcopus) and Sarus Cranes (Grus antigone). All these large waterbirds are threatened by human disturbance and collection of nesting sites. Sarus Cranes, for example, are known to fetch a high market price (more than the equivalent of US $100 per bird in Thailand). The collection is mostly done by local communities, who sell the chicks on to cross-border traders.