Fifty endangered sarus cranes have hatched from 27 nests protected by conservationists and villagers in Cambodia’s Northern Plains, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The nests are in Kulen Promtep and Chhep wildlife sanctuaries.

‘We hired 44 local villagers to protect these nests because they can be threatened by consumption, by wild pigs or domestic dogs, egg collection by local people and flooding,’ said Mao Khean, a wildlife research project coordinator with WCS, in a press release. ‘Ultimately, 26 nests were successful and one nest was flooded by rain.

Fifty new chicks hatched and left the nests.’ Under the project, teams were hired to protect the vulnerable nests of the cranes, which are the world’s tallest flying birds. One of those hired, Sen Neil, said in the press release that he spent almost two months guarding the nest with other villagers.

‘We worked hard to guard against egg collection and predators until the two chicks were hatched, and left the nest with their parents,’ he said. According to WCS, 500 cranes live in Cambodia and can reach up to 1.65 metres tall.

Leonie Kijewski/Image courtesy Wildlife Conservation Society