Greater Adjutant - Cambodia

Leptoptilos dubius - The greater adjutant once roamed throughout Asia, but is now limited to Cambodia and India. The adjutant has a distinctive pouch hanging from its throat. This pouch is not used for storing food; it is not connected to the digestive tract. The neck pouch can be inflated and  used during courtship displays. The greater adjutant is monogamous for each breeding season, but does not pair for life. Both parents share in the task of building the nest and feeding the hatchlings.

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Jayavarman II, the founder of the Khmer Kingdom, reigned from 802 to 850. The kingdom existed for over 600 years and was the most powerful state in the region, exerting its influence throughout Southeast Asia. The Khmer Kingdom eventually succumbed to the Siamese Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Cambodia was then divided and ruled as a vassal state by its neighbors. In 1863, Cambodia fell to French colonial rule lasting for almost 100 years. Cambodia became independent in 1953.

White Stork - Thüringen

The city of Weimar served as the site for the meeting of a national assembly convened to form a new government for Germany after World War I. Although the new government to emerge was unofficially known as the “Weimar Republic,” Germany retained “Deutsches Reich” as its official name; “German Empire.”

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Ciconia ciconia - Europe serves as the primary breeding ground for the white stork; Africa and some parts of the Indian subcontinent serve as the wintering grounds. Storks do not pair for life, but a breeding couple will stay together for the duration of the season to care for the young. A clutch of four eggs is typical and they are hatched within 33 to 34 days. Stronger chicks do not show an aggressive tendency towards their weaker siblings, but parents have been known to kill small or weaker chicks when food supplies are insufficient.