Day: July 12, 2021

BirdLife International Cambodia Programme said today that 121 vultures were recorded on 20 June 2021, Cambodian Vulture Census.
“A total count of 121 birds was recorded, including 20 Red-headed vultures, 66 White-rumped vultures, and 35 Slender-billed vultures. The same vulture census was conducted on 10th June 2021 and the counted result was 82 birds, including 13 Red-headed vultures, 42 White-rumped vultures, and 27 Slender-billed vultures,” the source pointed out.
On June 20, 2021, Cambodia Vulture Working Group (CVWG) conducted a national vulture census at four vulture restaurants including Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary of Stung Treng, Chheb Wildlife Sanctuary of Preah Vihear, Sambo Wildlife Sanctuary of Kratie, and Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary of Mondulkiri.

Cambodia vulture censuses are undertaken on March 10, June 10, June 20, September 20, and December 20 each year.
CVWG conducts the national vulture censuses to monitor the population trend and improve conservation actions.
CVWG is comprised of members of Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, BirdLife, WWF, ACCB, WCS, NatureLife, Rising Phoenix, CBGA, SVC, and CBC.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Bird conservationist has affirmed that Asian Openbills remain present in Boeung Prek Lapouv Protected Landscape in Takeo province.
“Our field team concluded there is a good sign for the coming breeding season (2021-2022), the bird will not leave and the number of nests will increase,” said BirdLife International Cambodia Programme in its recent news report.
During the 2020 nesting season, the population of Asian Openbill foraged in Boeung Prek Lapouv protected landscape increased to thousand birds and at least 2,186 nests were found on the 270 flooded trees. The nesting of Asian Openbill is the new record during the last 15 years.
With support from BirdLife, regular nests monitoring and protection were conducted by the site-based rangers and field monitoring team, the latest hatching nests were recorded in April 2021.
Among the 2,186 nests, 85 percent were successfully hatched while about 15 percent failed because of flood, storm, and illegal egg collections. The successfully hatched nest equaled to about 5,580 chicks, 10 percent died of sickness and other factors, and about 40 percent flown out from the nests and roosted to other areas due to lack of water sources and food.
Nowadays, about 50 percent of chicks – some 2,790 birds – stay in nests as they hatched late and are unable to fly far away from their parents. “We notice that the parents collected small tree branches for repairing the nests and some of them start to build the new nests on higher branches,” the same source said.
The Boeung Prek Lapouv Wetland Conservation and Management Project is implemented in collaboration between the Ministry of Environment, Takeo Provincial Department of Environment, BirdLife International Cambodia Programme, NatureLife Cambodia, and WWT.
Boeng Prek Lapov Protected Landscape, one of the largest remnants of seasonally inundated grasslands in the Lower Mekong Region, is over 8,300 hectares in size. It is one of 40 globally important bird areas identified as key sites for conservation and one of three sarus crane (Grus antigone) conservation areas.
Besides Asian Openbill, some other birds including the Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Cormorant, Grey Heron, Purple Heron and Little Egret have also nested in this area.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation H.E. Prak Sokhonn will participate in the Special ASEAN-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which will be held virtually on July 14, 2021, at the invitation of his Lao counterpart.
According to a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation AKP received this afternoon, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and H.E. Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States are expected to discuss practical approaches to strengthen ASEAN-U.S. dialogue relations and cooperation, including in addressing the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic. They may also exchange views on various regional and international issues of common interest.
This virtual meeting reflects the political will and commitment to further enhance ASEAN-U.S. Strategic Partnership for long-term cooperation for peace, stability and socio-economic development.
The Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic is the current Country Coordinator for the ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue Relations.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Voyage India, whose rice product bears the image and name of the famous Angkor Wat Temple, the symbol of Cambodia, agreed to stop using the temple for their branding.
The removal of the name and image of Angkor Wat from the rice package was made at the protest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFA-IC) and Royal Embassy of Cambodia in India.
MFA-IC explained that the act of Voyage India whose headquarters is in Maharashtra State of India is against the Laws concerning Marks, Trade Names and Acts of Unfair Competition as well as violates the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.
In February 2021, it added, the MFA-IC and the Ministry of Commerce spotted the Voyage India’s rice packages dubbed Angkor Wat Thai Hom Mali Jasmine Rice being on sale online using Angkor Wat’s image without authorisation from the Cambodian authorities.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

H.E. Chin Malin, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice and Vice President of Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) has explained legal aspects related to the death of Dr. Kem Ley.

The explanation was posted yesterday on his official Facebook page, underlining that the state has the obligation to investigate and seek legal justice, but not basing on emotional and political ground as demanded by politically motivated groups, on the death of Dr. Kem Ley.

For such a criminal case, he continued, if any concerned sides cannot accept the court’s decision, they can use their legal rights to appeal with a strong legal base, argument and testimony.

He urged the complaining groups to abide by their right and not to make baseless political statements to accuse, criticise, demean and doubt the authorities.

The demanded establishment of an independent commission with participating foreign experts to investigate the cases is contrary to the constitution and laws of Cambodia, he said.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press