Khmer Times —
The Mekong population of the rare River Tern has doubled in the past five years, raising hope for the species’ conservation, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said yesterday.
According to the WWF statement, its research team has so far encountered 68 River Terns during their initial bird surveys which were conducted earlier this month, along the Mekong landscape between the provinces of Kratie and Stung Treng as well as the Laos border.
The statement said the researchers observed River Terns using rapids as their permanent spot for catching fish, while other birds roamed sandbanks for mating, as the breeding season has begun.
“The River Tern is a medium-sized bird with a forked tail, a black cap and a white belly and is more visible during its breeding season, starting from January until May,” said WWF Biodiversity Research and Monitoring manager Eam Sam Un, adding that the current count is slightly higher than it was in the past year when only 64 individuals were recorded.