Photos courtesy of EPA and AFP
The Giant Ibis is rare type of bird that is now on the endangered list. Scientists recently announced a discovery that has led new hope in their efforts to maintain the species.
Read the following story from the Bangkok Post to learn about scientific efforts to save this beautiful bird.
Jubilant conservationists recently expressed hope for the survival of the critically-endangered Giant Ibis after a nest of the bird species was discovered in a previously unknown habitat in northeastern Cambodia.
DWINDLING NUMBERS
Habitat loss and poaching have pushed the Giant Ibis to the edge of extinction, with only about 345 of the birds — distinctive for their bald heads and long beaks — left anywhere in the world. About 90 percent of the remaining birds are in Cambodia.
GREAT DISCOVERY
A farmer in Cambodia’s Stung Treng province discovered a new Giant Ibis nesting site a few kilometres inland in the bio-diverse Mekong Flooded Forest area in July this year, according to officials from the World Wildlife Fund.
An inspection team from the WWF later saw an adult bird sitting on the nest with two eggs.
“The discovery of the Giant Ibis nest on the Mekong is extremely significant because it provides hope for the survival of the species,” Sok Ko, a Forestry Administration official and Bird Nest Project officer with the WWF, said.
SIGNIFICANT FIND
The Giant Ibis was listed on the Red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1994 as critically endangered, with its habitat now limited to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
“For the Giant Ibis to survive, it is essential to secure breeding groups in more places,” WWF research adviser Gerry Ryan said. “This one nest can help to secure the future of the species.”
Exercises
Read the story. Then, decide whether the following statements are true or false.
1. The Giant Ibis is a rare reptile species. …………………………..
2. Sok Ko is a Forestry Administration official. …………………………..
3. The Giant Ibis is listed as critically endangered. …………………………..
4. WWF stands for the World Wildlife Farming. …………………………..
Vocabulary
- endangered (adj): at risk of becoming extinct
jubilant (adj): feeling or showing great happiness because of a success
conservationist (n): a person who takes an active part in the protection of the environment
dwindle (v): to gradually become less or smaller
poach (v): to illegally hunt birds, animals or fish without permission
beak (n): the hard pointed or curved outer part of a bird’s mouth
