「馬來西亞易危禿鸛研究調查」於七月底完成。禿鸛是大型涉禽，體長接近一米，主要分布在南亞及東南亞地區，一般在田野、沼澤和沿海濕地棲息，惟其棲息地近年因城市發展而遭受破壞和污染，禿鸛數量急速下降。馬來西亞自然協會（協會）在2019年的水鳥調查，發現雪蘭莪州中海岸（NCSC）極有可能是全國最大禿鸛群落的棲息地。NCSC被國際鳥盟列為受威脅的重點鳥區，香港觀鳥會亞洲自然保育基金支持協會在當地進行禿鸛生態調查，了解其分布、種群狀況、數量趨勢等，以確認該海岸對禿鸛的重要性。

研究工作分為三部分，分別為實地調查、密度分析及種群數量趨勢分析。研究小組在整個海岸範圍持續三個月實地調查，共錄得353次禿鸛觀察記錄；根據距離抽樣分析，研究人員每公頃會遇見約5隻個體，因而估算約有97隻禿鸛在NCSC棲息。另外，協會分析調查數據後，繪製NCSC的禿鸛密度分布熱圖，並引用2002年至2019年間「亞洲水鳥普查」的數據，研究禿鸛在馬來半島的數量趨勢。然而，亞洲水鳥普查的數據不足以反映實況，為補足研究數據，協會建議在NCSC持續進行有系統的調查，並擴大調查範圍，以提供較全面的監察數據，分析禿鸛於馬來半島的數量趨勢，從而制定該物種的保育策略。

本會很高興能支持馬來西亞自然協會在NCSC的禿鸛分布及數量趨勢生態研究，為禿鸛保育奠下基石。若各位希望支持及了解更多「香港觀鳥會亞洲自然保育基金」的工作，歡迎瀏覽https://www.hkbws.org.hk/cms/acf。

One of the funded projects in 2021/22 "Addressing Critical Knowledge Gaps of the Globally Threatened Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) in Peninsular Malaysia to strengthen its conservation" was completed in late July 2022. Lesser Adjutant is a large water bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a globally threatened species with distribution limited to South and South-East Asia, often found in shallow marshes, fields and swamps. Sadly, it is undergoing rapid population decline globally owing to habitat degradation and habitat loss. North-Central Selangor Coast (NCSC), an "IBA (Important Bird Area) in danger" classified by BirdLife International, has been revealed as a potential site for supporting the largest remaining population of Lesser Adjutant in Malaysia during the waterbird survey in 2019. To confirm if NCSC is crucial for the Lesser Adjutant population in Malaysia, HKBWS Asia Conservation Fund sponsored the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) to conduct a study to fill in knowledge gaps about the ecology, spatial distribution, population trend and status of Lesser Adjutant in NCSC.

The study consisted of three major components: species survey, abundance and density analysis, and population trend analysis. The MNS surveying team conducted a three-month survey, covering the entire area of NCSC and made a total of 353 observations of Lesser Adjutant. It is estimated that there are 97 individuals in NCSC, and the encounter rate is approximately five individuals per hectare based on distance sampling analysis. MNS then created a heat map to visualise the density distribution of Lesser Adjutant in NCSC. The team also studied the population trend of Lesser Adjutant by quoting data collected during the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) from 2002 to 2019. Although the AWC dataset was not sufficiently robust to represent the population trend of Lesser Adjutant, it reflected the importance of improving survey coverage in NCSC and the need for consistent monitoring of Lesser Adjutant in the future.

HKBWS is glad to support the Lesser Adjutant research and conservation in Peninsular Malaysia. If you wish to learn more about HKBWS Asia Conservation Fund and support us, please visit https://www.hkbws.org.hk/cms/acf.

研究人員前往NCSC南部Klang Island調查
Boat survey on Klang Island

在Klang Island棲息的禿鸛
Roosting Lesser Adjutant on Klang Island

禿鸛與其他水鳥在漁民設置的漁網附近覓食
Lesser Adjutant and other waterbirds foraging close to fishing net

禿鸛密度分布熱圖
Heat map indicating the distribution and density of Lesser Adjutant