IBRRI visited Ang Trapeang Thmor Protected Landscape

On 28th February 2020, participants of the 3rd annual meeting of Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative (IBRRI) including Doug Watkins, Chief Executive of EAAFP visited Ang Trapeang Thmor Protected Landscape (ATT).

Sarus Cranes in Ang Trapeang Thmor Protected Landscape © Ministry of Environment Cambodia

Covering over 12,650 hectares, ATT is an internationally significant wetland located in Poy Char Commune of Phnom Srok District, Banteay Meanchey Province. It is about 55 kilometers northeast of Banteay Meanchey provincial town and 85 kilometers northwest of the famous ancient Angkor in Siem Reap. Its geographical characteristics are covered by natural flooded grasslands, deciduous forests, inundated forests and rice fields and contain a big artificial reservoir which is of particular conservation significance due to the internationally and regionally important concentrations of water birds within and surrounding the wetlands.

ATT is one of the Sarus Crane reserves in Cambodia and supporting the diversity of waterbirds including short migratory specie of Sarus Crane, Greater Adjutant, Lesser Adjutant, Milky Stork, Spot-billed Pelican and Anatidae spp. such as African Comb Duck, Cotton Pygmy-goose, Garganey, and Indian Spot-billed Duck. Cambodia is currently evaluating the international importance of the site for migratory waterbirds, with the ambition of nominating it as an East Asian-Australasian Flyway Network Site.

The field trip was organized by the Department of Freshwater Wetlands Conservation of General Directorate of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection, Ministry of Environment Cambodia, who hosted the 3rd annual meeting of IBRRI and IUCN (IBRRI Secretariat). During the field trip, everyone did enjoy the bird watching, especially watching the tallest Crane species, Sarus Crane.