Populations of three Vulture species, White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) and the Red-headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) have suffered large decreases across their range. In Cambodia, these populations are threatened by a lack of food. Elsewhere, poisoning through consumption of carcasses that have previously been treated with the veterinary drug Diclofenac has led to large population declines.
The Cambodia Vulture Project was launched in 2004 to provide monthly supplementary food at seven vulture 'restaurant sites' across Cambodia, and to monitor vulture populations at these sites. The project also aims to ban the veterinary use of Diclofenac in Cambodia and to develop ecotourism at one of the restaurant sites, in order to make the project more financially sustainable.
The project has proved extremely successful so far, with total vulture numbers now up to 286 individuals in 2008 from 162 in 2004: both White-rumped and Slender-billed Vultures are increasing and Red-headed Vultures are stable.