Ang Trapeang Thmor (ATT) Sarus Crane reserve is a 12,650-hectare protected area created in 2000 by Royal Decree. It is managed by Forestry Administration (FA), with technical support of provided by WCS. ATT is the single most important non-breeding season feeding area, with up to 400 cranes.
WCS was requested by the Government to initiate a conservation project at ATT in response to the accelerating threats from conversion to rice fields. Law enforcement teams comprising staff drawn from local communities and the FA were created, and now conduct regular patrols in the reserve.
The teams are familiar with the birds' patterns of movement, time and location of aggregations and use of different habitats, and use this knowledge to monitor birds at strategic locations, such as roosts. Zonation of a core area has also started. Within the core area no agricultural activity will be permitted, including grazing of livestock, but fishing is allowed.