Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis blandini)

One of Southern Asia’s rarest grassland birds, now disappearing rapidly from its last remaining habitats.

Context

A breeding group maintained in specially designed and strictly protected aviaries at the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB), near Siem Reap, Cambodia. The center is primarily funded by European zoological institutions and operates in collaboration with the Cambodian government.

 

Field notes

Located near Kbal Spean temple on the outskirts of the Angkor Wat complex, ACCB is dedicated to the rescue and conservation breeding of Cambodia’s threatened wildlife. The center is supported mainly by European zoos (Allwetterzoo Münster in particular) and works closely with Cambodian conservation authorities. Educational visits are organized almost daily to raise awareness among both local communities and international visitors.

Under human care, Bengal floricans remain extremely nervous and highly sensitive to disturbance, reflecting their naturally cautious behavior in the wild. For this reason, the birds are generally kept away from public view except under special circumstances.

The breeding program has nevertheless achieved several successes, with young floricans successfully hatched and fledged at ACCB since the early 2020s.

Combined with habitat protection and educational initiatives, this conservation breeding effort now represents the last realistic hope for the survival of the Cambodian subspecies.

 

Key facts

The Bengal florican is one of the rarest bustards in the world and survives in highly fragmented grassland habitats across Cambodia and parts of the Indian subcontinent. The subspecies blandini is now effectively endemic to Cambodia following its extinction in southern Vietnam.

During the breeding season, males perform remarkable vertical jumping displays above tall grass while producing characteristic wing sounds to attract females.

Unlike many tropical Asian birds associated with forests, the Bengal florican depends on open seasonally flooded grasslands, among the most threatened ecosystems in Southeast Asia due to agricultural expansion and land conversion.

 

Conservation

The species is currently listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is considered one of the rarest bustard on Earth. Both subspecies are in a critical situation in the wild.

The Cambodian subspecies remained poorly known until a major population was discovered around the Tonle Sap floodplains. Unfortunately, rapid conversion of these grasslands into rice fields, combined with hunting pressure, has caused population declines exceeding 50% within only ten years.

If this trend continues, the Cambodian Bengal florican could disappear from the wild within the next decade. ACCB and the Cambodian government therefore play a crucial role in the species’ conservation.

Additional initiatives led by organizations such as the Sam Veasna Center promote guided birding tours focused on Bengal floricans while generating financial support for local communities and encouraging more sustainable agricultural practices.

 

More photos from this observation

 

Other species with zoo conservation programs can be found by browsing
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