WILDLIFE MONITORING AT PREK TOAL RAMSAR SITE, TONLE SAP GREAT LAKE 2013 and 2014 December 2015 Sun Visal and Simon Mahood, Suggested Citation: Sun Visal and Mahood, S. (2015) Wildlife Monitoring at Prek Toal Ramsar Site, Tonle Sap Great Lake, 2013 and 2014. Wildlife Conservation Society, Cambodia Program, Phnom Penh. Sun Visal and Mahood, S. (2015) Wildlife Monitoring at Prek Toal Ramsar Site, Tonle Sap Great Lake, 2013 and 2014 . Wildlife Conservation Society, Cambodia Program, Phnom Penh. Sun Visal Mobile: (855-12) 708 836 E-mail: [email protected] Simon Mahood Mobile: (855-89) 519 936 E-mail:[email protected] Design and Print by Sot Sorphorn Khmer Design Group #168H, St. 45BT, Boeung Tompun, Meanchey, Phnom Penh (855) 012 618 771 / 086 858 575 [email protected] Facebook: Khmer Design Group www.khmerdesigngroup.co Copies Availablo from: Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cambodia Program, #21, Street 21, Tonle Bassac, PO . Box 1620 Phnom Penh Tel/Fax: 023 217 205 Email: [email protected] www.wcs.org 2015 Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank H. E. Say Samal, the Minister of Environment for his commitment to wetland conservation on the Tonle Sap Great Lake, and in particular Prek Toal Core Area. We also thank H. E. Chay Samith, Delegate of the Royal Government of Cambodia in charge of the General Department of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection (GDANCP) of the Ministry of Environment (MoE), Dr. Srey Sunleang the Director of the Department of Fresh- water Wetland Conservation (DoFWC) and Mr. Long Kheng the Director of Prek Toal Core Area. Mr. Long Kheng and all of the conservation rangers are to be credited with the management and protection of the wildlife at Prek Toal, which has led to the increase in the populations of large waterbirds documented here. During the reporting period the project was funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), USAID through a subcontract from Fintrac, Fixed Price Subcontract # 25 between Fintrac, Inc. and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) for work to be performed under: Helping Address Rural Vulnerabilities and Ecosystem STability Recovery Program (Cambodia HARVEST) (under Prime Contract #AID-442-C-11-00001), a grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, as well as an anonymous foundation. We wish to thank all of our supporters past and present for their financial support to the project. Photographs are credited to Eleanor Briggs, Sun Visal, Ashish John and Simon Mahood. Table of CONTENTS 1 Executive Summary 3 ខ䮛ឹម羶រសង䮁េប 5 Introduction 9 Success despite changing conditions 13 Impact of cancellation of the fishing lot in 2012 15 Number and locations of waterbird colonies 19 Timing of peak waterbird counts 20 Trends in timing of peak counts 21 Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius 25 Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus 27 Painted Stork Mycteria Leucocephala 29 Milky Stork Mycteria cinerea 31 Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans 35 Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis 39 Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster 43 Grey-headed Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga icthyaetus 47 Masked Finfoot Heliopais personata 48 Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia epicopus 49 Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhychus asiaticus 51 Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus 53 Hairy-nosed Otter Lutra sumatrana 53 Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata 57 Small Carnivores 59 Germain’s Silvered Langur Trachypithecus germaini 61 Long-tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis 63 Future opportunities 65 References 67 Appendix 1. Monitoring methods 73 Appendix 2. Sightings of otter species at Prek Toal in 2013 and 2014. 74 Appendix 3. Germain’s Silvered Langur sightings at Prek Toal in 2013 and 2014 75 Appendix 4. Long-tailed Macaque sightings at Prek Toal in 2013 and 2014 Executive SUMMARY Prek Toal Core Area is the premier freshwater wetland site on the Tonle Sap Great Lake. In recognition of the incredible biological, social and economic value of the resources that it supports, it was designated a Ramsar Site by Sub-decree in October 2015. WCS have provided financial and technical support to the Ministry of Environment to manage Prek Toal for more than one decade. This report showcases the success of that collaboration. The report documents the status and trends of large waterbirds and globally threatened mammals in Prek Toal during the 2012/13 and 2013/14. The period covered by this report was one of massive institutional change at Prek Toal. The fishing lot that overlapped completely with the core area, and had been there for many years, was cancelled in 2012. This brought a sharp increase in illegal activity within the core area, and an increase in disturbance to the waterbird colony. Extra protection measures were required, and these were developed during 2012/13 and rolled out completely during 2013/14. Platform-based waterbird monitoring provides an indicator of the impacts of the increased threat level, and the conservation response. During 2013 the number of breeding pairs of a range of waterbird species declined significantly. However, for almost all species, numbers recovered to or above their pre-2012 levels. Numbers of Lesser Adjutants increased dramatically during 2014 to al- 1 most 400 breeding pairs, although the Greater Adjutant population remained around 150 pairs. Painted and Milky Stork numbers dropped in 2013, making only a small recovery in 2014. However, although numbers of Spot-billed Pelican and Asian Openbill were very low in 2013, the following year was a record year for both species. Oriental Darters followed a similar pattern to the pelicans. A range of other bird species was recorded, including Masked Finfoot. Monitoring of primates indicated that populations are recovering, with mean group size for Silvered Langur and Long-tailed Macaque increasing annually. Particularly exciting was the upsurge in otter sightings. Camera trapping confirmed that both Hairy-nosed and Smooth-coated Otter occur throughout the core area in good numbers, as a result of protection of the bird colony and dry-season streams. 2 ខ䮛ឹម羶រសង䮁េប តំបន់ស䮓ូលពេេក䞶ល់ គឺᾶតំបន់ដីសើមទឹក羶បសំ޶ន់បំផុតនេបឹងទន䮛េ羶ប ដេល掶នζរទទួល 羶䮂េល់䎶ᾶធន䮶នដេល掶នតំលេ ផ䮓េកជីវចមេុះ សង䮂ម និងសេដ䮋កិច䮅 ដេលមិន讶ចζត់ថ䮛េាន ហើយតំបន់ស䮓ូលពក䞶ល់នេះត្រ េូវានកំណត់䟅ᾶតំបន់រ៉ម羶រេ ដលᾶតំបន់ដីសើម掶ន羶រៈេ សំ޶ន់ᾶអន䮏រᾶតិ ⯄យអនុកេឹតេយζលពីខេតុ澶 ឆ䮓េំ២០១៥។ អង䮂ζរស掶គមអភិរកេសសត䮜ពេេ (WCS) ានផ䮏ល់នូវζរគោំទេផ䮓េកហិរញ䮉វត䮐ុ និងបចេ䮅កទេស ដល់កេសួងបរិ羶䮐េន ដើមេបីគេប់គេង តំបន់ពេេក䞶ល់នេះ អស់រយៈពេលᾶងមួយទសេសវតេសមកហើយ ហើយរាយζរណ៍នេះាន បង䮠េញពី徶ពῄគជ័យ នេកិច䮅សហបេតិបត䮏ិζរណ៍ដេលានធ䮜ើឡើង侶ពេលកន䮛ងមក។ រាយ ζរណ៌នេះផងដេរᾶឯក羶រស䮏ីពី羶䮐េន徶ព និងបមេេបមេួលចំនួន នេបេភេទសត䮜羶䮛េបទឹកធំៗ និង 羶䮐េន徶ពថនិកសត䮜ដេលᾶបេភេទទទួលរងζរគំរមកំហេងលើពិភព濄ក កំពុង掶នវត䮏掶នក䮓ុង តំបន់ស䮓ូលពេេក䞶ល់ក䮓ុងកំឡុងឆ䮓េំ ២០១២-១៣ និង២០១៣-១៤។ ក䮓ុងកំឡុងពេលនរេ ាយζរណ៍នេះᾶពេលដល掶នζរផ䮛េ ស់ប䮏ូរយ៉េ ងេ ޶ង䮛េំ ៅក䮓ុងតំបន់ព្រែកល់។ ឡូត�នេ羶ទដេលតេួតគ䮓េ䞶ំងសេុង ᾶមួយតំបន់ស䮓ូល ហើយដេល掶នៅទី俄ះអស់រយៈពេល ᾶចេើនឆ䮓េំកន䮛ងមកហើយ俄ះ តេូវានលប់ោលζលពីឆ䮓េំ២០១២។ 䞶ំងនេះហើយ侶ំោយ 掶នζរកើនឡើងយ៉ងេ ޶䮛េំងនូវសកម្មភ徶ពខុសច厶ប់ក䮓ុងតំបន់ស䮓ូលេ និង掶នζរកើនឡើងនូវζររំ޶ន ដល់ប侶䮑េយពងកូនសត䮜羶䮛េបទឹក។ ហេតុដូចនេះហើយាំាច់តេូវ掶នវិ䮶នζរបន䮐េមដើមេបីζរ家រ ោយានបេសើរ ហើយវិ䮶នζរ䞶ំង俄ះតេូវានរៀបចំឡើងៅឆ䮓េំ ២០១២/១៣ និងានអនុវត䮏 䞶ំងសេុងៅឆ䮓េំ ២០១៣/១៤។ ζរអង䮀េតាម⮶នសត䮜羶䮛េបទឹកៅាមប侶䮑េយពងកូនᾶសូច䮅侶ករ បង䮠េញពីផលប៉ះ家ល់⯄យ羶 ζរកើនឡើងនូវζរគំរមកំហេង និងាំាច់តេូវធ䮜ើζរទប់羶䮀េត់ ជោបន�ោន់ាមរយៈζរអភិរកេស។ ៅក䮓ុងឆ䮓េំ២០១៣ ចំនួនសត䮜羶䮛េបទឹកសំ޶ន់ៗគេប់បេភេទ䞶ំងអស់ ានថយចុះគួរោយកត់ ស掶䮂េល់។ ប៉ុន䮏េ䟄ះᾶយ៉េង㮶ក៏⯄យស�ើរតេគេប់បេភេទ䞶ំងអស់ ចំនួនរបស់玶掶នζរកើន ឡើងវិញ ដេលបេភេទមួយចំនួន掶នចំនួនស្មភើរ និងមួយចំនួនទៀត掶នចំនួនលើសនឹងចំនួនសត䮜 ζលពីឆ䮓េំ២០១២។ ចំនួនសត䮜បេភេទតេដក់តូច 掶នζរកើនឡើង޶䮛េំងៅឆ䮓េំ២០១៤ ដេល掶នចំនួន ជិតដល់ ៤០០គូ រឺឯបេភេទតេដក់ធំៅតេ掶នចំនួន ១៥០គូដដេល។ ចំនួនសត䮜បេភេទរ侶លពណ៍ 3 និងរ侶លស 掶នζរថយចុះៅរដូវបន䮏ពូជឆ䮓េំ២០១៣ ហើយានកើនឡើងវិញតិចតួចៅឆ䮓េំ២០១៤។ 䟄ះᾶយ៉េង㮶ក៏⯄យ បេភេទទុងបេផេះ និងចេង��លខេយង 掶នចំនួនតិចៅឆ䮓េំ២០១៣ ហើយៅឆ䮓េំ ប侶䮑េប់ចំនួននេបេភេទ䞶ំងពីនេះ ានកើនឡើងវិញគួោយកត់ស掶䮂េល់។ ចំណេកឯបមេេបមេួលចំនួន សត䮜បេភេទស䮘េញ 掶នលក䮁ណៈបេាក់បេហេលនឹងបេភេទទុងបេផេះដេរ។ បេភេទសត䮜羶䮛េបទឹក សំ޶ន់ៗមួយចំនួនទៀត ដល掶នវតេ ្តនៅក䮓ុងតំបន់ តវេូ ានធ䮜ើករកត់តផងដ្រ ររួម䞶ំងបេ ភេទសត䮜េ ពពូលទឹក។ ζរអង䮀េតាម⮶នពពួកអំបូរ家ននរ ានបង䮠េញោយឃើញ䎶 ពួក玶掶នចំនួនចេើនឡើងវិញ ដេល ទំហំកេុមបេភេទ羶䮜េពេេម និង羶䮜េζ䮏េម 掶នζរកើនឡើងᾶរងរល់ឆ䮓េំ។ ពិសេសᾶងនេះទៀត俄ះគឺ ζរកត់តេេនូវវត䮏掶នពពួកថន�កសត䮜បេភេទភេៅក䮓ុងតំបន់ ⯄យានធ䮜ើζរបញ䮇េក់ាមរយៈζរ⮶ក់ 掶៉េសុីនថតស䮜័យបេវត䮏 ដេលានរកឃើញ掶នវត䮏掶នភេពីរបេភេទគឺ ភេ毄មចេមុះ និងភេខ䮛ួនរ濄ង ដេល掶នវត䮏掶នទូ䞶ំងតំបន់ស䮓ូល និង掶នចំនួនចេើន ដេលᾶលទ䮒ផលានមកពីζζរ家រប侶䮑េយ ពងកូនសត䮜羶䮛េប និងζរζរ家រពេេកសំ޶ន់ៗៅក䮓ុងតំបន់ស䮓ូលៅរដូវបេេំង។ 4 IntroductionIntroduction The Tonle Sap Great Lake in central Cambodia is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. It is one of the most productive freshwater ecosystems in the world and is extremely important for Cambodian people as a source of food and income. Its unique cultural, social and environmental values were recognized by its designation as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1997. Prek Toal, the most important of three core areas, is the last significant breeding stronghold in mainland South-east Asia for many globally threatened and near-threatened large waterbird species. The Prek Toal bird colonies are the only remaining breeding sites in mainland South-east Asia for two Globally Threatened species, Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis and Milky Stork Mycteria cinerea. They are also the largest remaining breeding site in the region for six more globally threatened or near-threatened species, namely the Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilus javanicus, Greater Adjutant Leptoptilus dubius, Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala and Grey-headed Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus. For these reasons Prek Toal Core Area was designated as a Ramsar Site in 2015. 5 6 The conservation significance of these activities and to monitor the success of colonies led the Prek Toal Core Area to be ongoing conservation and protection selected for the creation of a comprehensive strategies.