The Vulture Restaurant

When we were setting up this Cambodia trip through the Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation, and saw the price breakdown for different items, Jim emailed us something to the effect of "and we get a cow, too! What's that about?"

A critically-endangered Red-headed Vulture joins his White-rumped kin at a feeding station. (Photos by Narca)

The populations of several species of Old World vultures have been in freefall in recent years, to the point that they are critically in danger of extinction. The primary cause has been a veterinary drug, diclofenac, which is given to sick livestock and which kills the vultures that feed on the carcasses of toxic animals. Vultures are wide-ranging, so although the drug is not used in Cambodia, the Cambodian populations have nonetheless declined dramatically.

A stopgap measure now in use is to provide a few feeding stations with safe carcasses for the endangered vultures. If we can nurse the populations beyond this major challenge, while removing the toxic drugs from the environment, it is possible that the vulture populations can once again thrive. In addition to helping vultures, these feeding stations also provision endangered Greater Adjutants (a stork), endangered Dholes (Indian Wild Dog), and Leopards.

Feedings at the Chhep Vulture Restaurant in Preah Vihear Protected Forest are timed to coincide with the visits of birders, although the vultures are fed monthly whether or not tourists are present. Feedings also occur at other sites, with the overall timing staggered to even out the food supply. Local villagers benefit from the sale of aging or ailing animals, and the vultures perform their natural function. The idea may sound a bit gruesome, but I found the scene was much less macabre than similar scenes of chaotic predation in Africa.

Here is what happened:

We arrive at our campsite, which is exactly like that provided at Prey Veng. Local villagers cook for us and outfit the camp. In return, the village receives fees from our stay; fees from ecotourism fund much-needed projects like the drilling of wells for clean water.

The next morning we rise before dawn and make our way past the pond where yesterday a Stork-billed Kingfisher perched. A beautiful big snake, thickly banded in black and pale yellow, slithers past us. Beyond the pond lies grassland with scattered trees, the foraging turf for Savannah Nightjars.

About a kilometer from camp, we enter two blinds raised on scaffolding. Rich takes the higher one, which has openings better suited to his big camera lens.

Alan and our guide Nara descend from the blind at the Vulture Restaurant.

Dawn breaks, and the trees beyond us are festooned in vultures. Below them lies the dead cow. Looking at the gaunt beast, I decide that it is probably a mercy to feed it to these vultures. Soon the vultures descend to the ground next to the cow, but don't feed. They seem wary.

White-rumped Vultures contemplate breakfast.

The few big Red-headed Vultures are magnificent beasts, dominating the smaller and more numerous White-rumped Vultures. The Red-heads hold themselves regally and brook no interference from lesser mortals. Eventually the vultures settle down. Predictably, a Red-head is the first to begin to feed.

A Red-headed Vulture in full splendor

But before the bulk of the vultures can start feeding, a lactating village dog arrives, and the vultures withdraw to watch. Then a herd of Water Buffalo moves in, sniffing the cow, licking nearby bones, and routing the dog who should by this time be well-fed. Very soon, our local guides arrive with a packed breakfast omelette, and they shoo away the buffalo, threatening them with a small stick.

Water Buffalo investigate the feeding station, as the vultures wait.

Vultures are a patient lot. Now, finally, they feed. The flock quickly morphs into a roiling mass of wings and snapping beaks. A half hour later, birds begin to withdraw, their crops very full.

White-rumped Vultures have... white rumps

We amble back to camp, to a very welcome bush shower, before heading on to Okoki.

A Red-headed Vulture flies off with full crop.

Tmatboey's Treasured Ibis

Tmatboey is a small village set in deciduous dipterocarp forest in the center of Cambodia's Northern Plains. It has the distinction of being home to two highly endangered ibis, the Giant and the White-shouldered. Both birds have suffered precipitous population declines in the past half-century, and both are finding refuge and breeding success in Tmatboey.

The primary threat to Giant Ibis is disturbance of critical wetlands and conversion of their habitat to agriculture. Giant Ibis were once associated with wild ungulates, and today they depend upon grazing by domestic livestock such as Water Buffalo to maintain their short-sward grassland habitat and muddy edges to waterholes.

Water Buffalo enjoy a good wallow in the mud.

(Photos by Narca)

We hike in before dawn to a vantage point for seeing from a distance a known roost of Giant Ibis. Soon after daybreak, the ibis in view begins to preen and call, then flies off to forage. Later in the morning we encounter a couple more, as they forage at the edge of a wetland. This photo is of a distant individual, but at least conveys an impression of the huge, shy, red-eyed bird.

Giant Ibis, through a telescope

Dusk at Tmatboey, with a new moon tangled in the tree branches.

Dusk is a good time to see White-shouldered Ibis, as they move to roost trees. White-shouldereds were once widespread from Malaysia to China, but now occur only as a relict population of perhaps as few as 20 individuals in Borneo and the small population in Cambodia. It is good to see them prospering at Tmatboey.

White-shouldered Ibis. Low light conditions make photography difficult!

A program to protect the ibis nests rewards the local farmers who discover the nests, employs rangers from the village, and employs two staff from Wildlife Conservation Society to monitor the nests and to confirm successful fledging. 70% of the program's funds go directly to the villagers. In a region where family incomes average $350 a year, the money from conservation is a substantial help.

White-shouldered Ibis fly to their evening roost.

Conservation in Cambodia

What fine examples we found of ecotourism bringing needed revenues to small, impoverished villages!

The organizer and catalyst for ecotourism in Cambodia is the Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation, working in conjunction with its international partner, Wildlife Conservation Society. WCS founded SVC in 2006 for the express purpose of providing "an alternative sustainable livelihood from ecotourism for the local communities at the sites that WCS prioritizes for conservation."

It's happening, and it's working.

The SVC logo on our car door (Photos by Narca)

The logo comes from a Sarus Crane motif carved into temple stone at Angkor Wat.

I first learned about the SVC through a long-time friend, Howie Nielsen, who has been training local birding guides in Cambodia for this project. Judging by the quality of the guides we met, the effort is going very well.

Funds generated by SVC projects have enabled villages to dig wells for access to clean water, build schools, maintain roads and bridges, and build health clinics. In return, the villagers have become the guardians of some of the most critically endangered birds anywhere.

The populations of endangered birds within the project sites are rising. In the case of White-shouldered Ibis at Tmatboey, a graph on the SVC website shows the ibis population growing from roughly 2 to more than 30 during a 9-year period.

Besides ecotourism, the villagers have few alternatives for making an income. They farm rice. They raise Water Buffalo and other livestock.

Water Buffalo at Prey Veng, our first campsite and a region important for the continuing existence of critically endangered Giant Ibis, Greater Adjutant, and White-winged Duck

And they harvest resin from several species of trees to use to waterproof boats and other objects.

Jim at a tree where resin is collected

As Nara said to us many times, "They have nothing." He should know. He grew up as the son of poor farmers, and through his own initiative, talent and intelligence––with help from SVC––is crafting a different life for himself. In a place like Cambodia, even a small investment in ecotourism can bring new hope and opportunity.

Conditions for travelers are more basic than in many countries, but they are manageable, and I do plan to fashion a tour through Naturalist Journeys, which we'll be offering in January or February of 2014.