September 8, 2025
PHNOM PENH – Results from “vulture restaurants” nationwide recorded a total of 143 vultures in 2024, the highest number since 2019. However, poisoning remains a major threat to their survival.
Supplementary feeding stations or “vulture restaurants”, where safe poison-free cattle carcasses were provided to the birds, were key to the survey.
The data showed that Cambodia’s vulture population remains stable, while many species have already gone extinct in neighbouring countries, according to a press release from the Cambodia Vulture Working Group (CVWG), issued to mark International Vulture Awareness Day, held annually on the first Saturday of September to raise awareness of vultures’ ecological importance and the threats they face.
CVWG, a coalition of government agencies and conservation organisations, released its 2024 Annual Report to highlight some significant conservations successes, but also major ongoing concerns for the country’s globally important vulture populations.
Khvay Atitya, spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, noted that vultures are an important part of the Kingdom’s natural heritage. As apex scavengers, they are considered a keystone species, as well as an indicator species of ecosystem health.
“The fact that populations are not declining further is encouraging, but with such small numbers, we must continue conservation actions to ensure their long-term survival,” he said.
Vultures are scavengers that sustain ecosystems and safeguard human health. By feeding on animal carcasses, they prevent the spread of dangerous pathogens such as anthrax and rabies. Their highly acidic stomachs destroy harmful microbes, while their feeding reduces carcass accumulation, foul odours and disease transmission.
Evidence from India demonstrates that vulture population declines were followed by increases in feral dog numbers and human disease outbreaks were observed. As “nature’s cleanup crew,” vultures play a critical role in maintaining environmental hygiene and biodiversity stability.
For over 20 years, Cambodia has been home to the largest remaining populations of critically endangered vultures in Southeast Asia, including the white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis), slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) and red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus).
As wild populations of these species declined to zero in neighbouring countries, Cambodia remains a last stronghold in this part of their former range.
The 2024 Annual Report presents the year’s results from nationwide monitoring and conservation programs coordinated by CVWG members: the General Directorate of Natural Protected Areas, the Ministry of Environment, the Forestry Administration, the Department of Animal Health and Protections, Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity, NatureLife Cambodia, Rising Phoenix, Wildlife Conservation Society, World Wide Fund for Nature, Sam Veasna Conservation Tours, the Cambodia Bird Guide Association, and the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation.
Highlighted in the report were the many conservation actions undertaken by the CVWG partners.
Perhaps the most important were the “vulture restaurants”.
This supplied additional food for the vultures to thrive, while also providing an excellent platform to accurately monitor the population trends.
These feeding site play a vital role in sustaining populations, with over the highest-ever annual total of 126 carcasses provided in 2024, with 52 at Siem Pang Wildlife in Stung Treng Province, 47 at Chheb Wildlife Sanctuary and the remaining 27 at three other sites (Sambo Wildlife Sanctuary, Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary and Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary).
The national population census recorded a total of 143 individual vultures, the join-highest result recorded since 2019. At total of 19 vulture nests were located, monitored and protected during 2024, fledging a total of 16 chicks.
However, the report also highlighted some of the challenges that the birds continue to face. Incidents of wild and domestic animal poisoning continued to persist close to key populations in 2024. As obligate and cooperative scavengers, vultures are highly vulnerable to poisoning incidents. Transboundary conservation is now also necessary, with significant numbers of White-rumped Vultures now known to breed just over the Cambodia border in Champasak province, Laos.
Despite dedicated conservation efforts, Cambodia’s vultures remain on the brink of extinction. Their survival depends on urgent and coordinated action. The report emphasised the need for strengthened law enforcement to tackle wildlife poisoning, enhanced collaboration with local communities and sustained long-term funding to maintain conservation interventions.
The Cambodia Vulture Working Group remains committed to ensuring these species have a future. With continued support, there is hope that Cambodia can safeguard the last viable populations of these magnificent birds in the region.