The Sarus Crane Film
The Sarus Crane Film
A Fauna in Focus & BirdLife International Collaboratioin
Sarus crane in Cambodia are in a rapid decline. The world’s tallest flying bird today has a diminishing population of just a few hundred individuals remaining in Cambodia. They spend the dry season nesting in the Dry Dipterocarp Forests of Cambodia’s Northern Plains. However after the chicks have fledged, Sarus crane migrate to special feeding sites around the country around Tonle Sap Lake and in the Lower Mekong Delta. In this 3-part series produced by Fauna in Focus and BirdLife International, we explore Mekong Ecosystem Services, Sarus Crane Ecology, and Threats & Conservation in the lower Mekong Basin. Today, this film is used by both Fauna in Focus and BirdLife International for their environmental education programs.
This film is sponsored by Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund and BirdLife International – Tokyo. Watch or share our film online here for free, or help us make more film shorts like this by becoming our Patreon here. If you would like to use our film, please visit our Media Licensing Page.
Explore Scene-By-Scene
PART 1 - MEKONG ECOSYSTEMS
This is the mighty Mekong River. In this first scene we explore the the Mekong River Basin ecosystems of Cambodia’s south east, and learn about the important services provided to local people and wildlife.
PART 2 - SARUS CRANE ECOLOGY
Meet the incredible Sarus Crane! These beautiful birds are some of Cambodia’s most exquisite inhabitants, and the Mekong floodplains of Cambodia are the most important feeding grounds for these vulnerable birds.
PART 3 - THREATS & CONSERVATION
In this final scene we explore the threats facing Cambodia’s Sarus Cranes, as well as the conservation actions being taken by the local community, BirdLife International and the Ministry of Environment.
Go BTS (Behind The Scenes)
Fauna in Focus teamed up with BirdLife International for this 3-part film short. Our small team went out with their local community patrols and conservation staff to explore the unique habitats at Boeung Prey Lapouv and Anglong Pring, two Important Bird Areas (IBA) set aside by the Royal Cambodian Government. Over the course of three different filming expeditions we captured the landscapes, native wildlife and community interactions in this unique region. We timed our final trip to capture the arrival of the large Sarus Crane flocks at Anglung Pring.
In 2018 over 120 cranes arrived at their feeding site. We spent 2 days creeping through the reeds trying to get the best shots and natural behaviors without disturbing the birds. You can read more about this trip on our blog here.
