The Effectiveness of Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) Conservation in Cambodia

Abstract

Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) is a critically endangered bustard (type of bird) inhabiting alluvial grasslands in India, Nepal and Cambodia. Bengal Florican conservation areas (BFCAs) cover 31,159 ha (312 km2) in Kampong Thom and Siem Reap provinces. Local communities need to get involved in the management of grasslands and understand the reasons for the decline of Bengal florican. Conservation activities within BFCAs include field patrols to prevent hunting and land encroachment, environmental education and raising awareness, and provision of agricultural development support for lands outside the BFCAs. This study aims to estimate the population trends of Bengal florican (H. bengalensis) in the last ten years (2010-2019), to determine threats to Bengal florican in BFCAs, and to understand the perceptions of the locals regarding Bengal florican conservation in the northern Tonle Sap Protected Landscape, Cambodia. In the BFCAs of Stoung-Chikraeng and Baray-Chong Doung districts, data was collected in terms of seventy-one factors for use in a line transect method, and key informant interviews were conducted with ninety-seven respondents. This study found the population of Bengal florican in Stoung-Chikraeng has been stabilizing in the last three years (2017-2019). In Baray-Chong Doung the population of Bengal florican is still declining in the BFCAs. The threat factors to the population of Bengal florican in the conservation areas have been found to be: hunting 30.7%, chemicals 16.4%, habitat loss 15.6%, rice planting in the dry season 13.1%, power transmission lines 10.7%, and low education (public awareness) 5.7%. The observation of human disturbance using a line transect method found 25 line transects with strong cattle foraging (48.1%) in Stoung-Chikraeng, 30 line transects with cattle foraging (28.9%) in Baray and 16 line transects with cattle foraging (32.0%) in Chong Doung BFCAs. 80.4% of the respondents understand the purpose of the Bengal florican conservation (to promote ecotourism activities, ecological balance, community income, to protect the natural resources, create jobs for local people) and 78.4% of community members understand the management conservation of Bengal florican in BFCAs (Wild patrolled, Sustainable Rice Platform, Nest protection program, Ecotourism service). We concluded that Stoung-Chikraeng is an important area for Bengal florican conservation due to the food supply and a high survival rate of Bengal florican. The area was also found to be amenable to linking conservation participation to improved livelihoods of the local community through ecotourism (bird watching). To improve the conservation of Bengal florican in Baray-Chong Doung, we propose increasing education and public awareness.