Name: Cambodia helps save endangered storks with captive-bred chicks
Uploaded: 2025-11-20T16:48:31.539Z
Duration: 2 min 44 s
Description: Once on the brink of extinction, Greater Adjutant Storks are getting a new lease on life in Cambodia. Conservationists have bred two chicks in captivity and released them into the wild—a milestone that could shape the species’ future.

Once on the brink of extinction, Greater Adjutant Storks are getting a new lease on life in Cambodia. Conservationists have bred two chicks in captivity and released them into the wild—a milestone that could shape the species’ future.

Siem Reap Province

Conservationists in Cambodia have released two captive-bred Greater Adjutant stork chicks into the Simpang Wildlife Sanctuary, marking the first successful effort to breed and release this species in captivity. The nine-month-old birds, fitted with GPS trackers, were released in an area that still hosts a wild population, with hopes they will eventually integrate with the colony.

The Anchor Center for Conservation of Biodiversity estimates that only about 1,500 mature individuals remain globally, with up to 250 in Cambodia. The project is seen as a milestone for local and global conservation, as breeding these storks in captivity has proven challenging and the species remains at risk due to its small and isolated population.

Cambodia helps save endangered storks with captive-bred chicks

Once listed as endangered, Greater Ajutan storks might just be on the rebound. Known for their long necks and black wings, the big birds are now classified only as near-threatened, thanks to decades of conservation efforts. A team in Cambodia has recently released two captive-bred chicks, marking what is believed to be the first successful effort to breed a species in captivity, and released them into the wild. The nine-month-old storks, a male and a female, were fitted with GPS trackers before being released into the Simpang Wildlife Sanctuary, which is overseen by the country's Rising Phoenix Conservation Group. The protected area still hosts a population of wild Greater Ajutans. Jack Willis is a curator for the Anchor Center for Conservation of Biodiversity. So, this place is perfect because there are still wild Greater Ajutans in the area, so we're hoping by releasing them here that they could perhaps join a colony. Also, this area is very well protected by Rising Phoenix and the Ministry of Environment. The center does not expect the newly released storks to join the wild population immediately, as birds normally migrate in late October. However, migration behavior is usually learned from the adult members of a colony. The ACCB estimates that 1,500 mature individuals remain in the wild globally, with up to 250 found in Cambodia and most of the rest in northeast India. The release of the chicks was a milestone for the organization. It currently has three pairs of Greater Ajutan storks at a center in Siem Reap all rescued from the illegal wildlife crane. But only one pair has successfully produced chicks, with past experience showing that rescued storks lack parenting skills learned in the wild, hindering their ability to raise young. Willis said breeding efforts have been notoriously difficult. With only a small number of storks left in Cambodia, the species remains at risk. The population in Cambodia is so small and so isolated in such small areas, it could take one big event and we could lose an awful lot in Cambodia. So having an assurance colony is beneficial to Cambodia. This bird is very unique, it has a very unique aesthetics, they're very large, they're a favorite for a lot of bird watchers, so they bring in a lot of tourism. Although meticulous efforts have been made to acclimatize the birds to their new surroundings, Willis said it would be considered a success if they survived their first three to four months in the wild. The importance of this project is that this would be a first for Cambodia and potentially a first globally as well, for ACCB to develop a full pipeline from breeding all the way to release and post-release monitoring.

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