In this photo released by U.S. based Wildlife Conservation Society, a Bengal Florican is seen in Kampong Thom province, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the capital Phnom Penh, Saturday, May 13, 2006. Cambodia has ordered that the grassland habitat of the rare Bengal Florican be protected, giving a boost to efforts to save the endangered bird, a conservationist said Friday, Oct. 6, 2006. The order, issued by the governor of Kampong Thom province in August, prevents expansion of cultivation land for commercial dry-season rice farming into four separate Bengal Florican's habitats totaling 30,860 hectares (76,265 acres), said Hong Cham Nan, a wildlife protection officer at Cambodia's Agriculture Ministry. (AP Photo/Wildlfe Conservation Society, HO)October 6, 2006
The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - Cambodia has ordered that some of the grassland habitat of the rare Bengal Florican be protected, giving a boost to efforts to save the endangered bird, an official said Friday.
The order protects 30,860 hectares (76,265 acres) of grassland areas near Cambodia's Tonle Sap lake in Kampong Thom province, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the capital Phnom Penh, said Hong Cham Nan, a wildlife protection officer at Cambodia's Agriculture Ministry.
The World Conservation Union — IUCN — has classified Bengal Floricans as "endangered" and put the long-necked birds that are mostly brown and black with white wings on its red list of threatened species.
They are found only in India, Nepal, Vietnam and Cambodia, according to BirdLife International, a Britain-based conservation group. It said Cambodia is suspected to have the largest surviving population — about 1,000 to 2,000 birds.
Hong Cham Nan said a recent survey has found that the species could become extinct, largely because its habitats are lost to expansion of land for dry-season rice.
"We are concerned that, if agriculture land is allowed to widen into their habitats, they could disappear in the future," he said.
The order issued by Nam Tum, Kampong Thom's provincial governor, was a temporary measure but was prompted by "urgency" to prevent the bird's habitats from shrinking further, he said.
The order protects 30,860 hectares (76,265 acres) of grassland areas near Cambodia's Tonle Sap lake in Kampong Thom province, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the capital Phnom Penh, said Hong Cham Nan, a wildlife protection officer at Cambodia's Agriculture Ministry.
The World Conservation Union — IUCN — has classified Bengal Floricans as "endangered" and put the long-necked birds that are mostly brown and black with white wings on its red list of threatened species.
They are found only in India, Nepal, Vietnam and Cambodia, according to BirdLife International, a Britain-based conservation group. It said Cambodia is suspected to have the largest surviving population — about 1,000 to 2,000 birds.
Hong Cham Nan said a recent survey has found that the species could become extinct, largely because its habitats are lost to expansion of land for dry-season rice.
"We are concerned that, if agriculture land is allowed to widen into their habitats, they could disappear in the future," he said.
The order issued by Nam Tum, Kampong Thom's provincial governor, was a temporary measure but was prompted by "urgency" to prevent the bird's habitats from shrinking further, he said.
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