The giant ibis is Cambodia’s national bird but it is not always respected. Rather it is the victim of deforestation, illegal hunting, and human encroachment. There are only about 200 adult ibises left in Cambodia and so researchers were pleased recently when they discovered nineteen ibis nests in two wildlife sanctuaries in the north near the Thailand border. There is a program to hire community members to guard the nests until the eggs are hatched, protecting them from predators and poachers.