Cool Science

Rare Chicks Discovered

For the first time, a nest of giant ibis chicks has been spotted in Cambodia's Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary. Cambodia's national bird is Critically Endangered so this is a significant find.

After two pairs of adult giant ibis were located in August, WCS and the Ministry of Environment set out to find any nests that might exist. That led them to this one housing two little ones.

"They are healthy and living in a safe place," said Sot Vandoeun, WCS’s Wildlife Research and Monitoring Team Leader in Keo Seima. "We are proud of the finding because we can prove (Keo Seima) is also a breeding area for giant ibis in Cambodia."

For 50 years, the giant ibis went unrecorded. WCS rediscovered it in 1993. Today, though, this large bird native to Southeast Asia remains on the brink. Most of the remaining population, estimated at 194 mature individuals, is found in Cambodia.