Giant Ibises

Giant Ibises are big, striking birds, unique in being the largest member of their family, and have unique beaks that are long, narrow, and curve downwards. These birds stand over three feet tall, have bald heads or faces, and weigh nearly ten pounds. Unfortunately, this species is endangered by human activities such as habitat destruction and hunting.

Giant Ibises have populated in Cambodia and have been sighted in Vietnam and Southern Laos. These majestic birds that once populated vast areas of mainland southeast Asia are now only spotted in the countries mentioned above. Their population decline is due to human activities and hunting and could be possibly be connected to the decline of large grazing animals such as wild water buffalo- since these birds rely on the pools dug by buffalos as their feeding sites. As of now, there are only around 300 giant ibises left in the world.

Several organizations have taken the mission of protecting the critical endangered giant ibises to their own hands. These organizations include:

- People Resources and Conservation Foundation Cambodia: This organization works with local villages to lead community conservation work such as habitat research, nest protection, and environmental awareness campaign.

- Asian Species Action Partnership: This organization aims of focusing on urgent conservation attention that is needed for freshwater and land vertebrae species that are at the risk of extinction. Their four strategic interventions are to increase funding, promote species, strengthen capacity, and catalyze conservation.

General Information About Giant Ibises:

Giant Ibises are generally found in the lowlands, swamps, marshes, open wooded plains, and wide rivers. Their diet consists of invertebrates, small amphibians and reptiles, and seeds. They live in either pair, small groups, or alone and nest away from villages in forests near grassland pools. Their lifespan in the wild ranges from 8 to 15 years, while they can survive up to 25 years when captive. Giant Ibises are very appreciated because of their abilities to eliminate pest insects from gardens and fields.

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