Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus)
Mangroves are ecosystems that provide many benefits, ranging from environmental, social and economic services (Wang et al. 2018). As a productive ecosystem, mangroves play a crucial role as a habitat for various types of wildlife such as primates, reptiles and birds. Several types of birds use mangrove forests as a place to find food, rest, sleep and nest. Birds have several conditions for their survival, one of which is a habitat that is safe from disturbances and threats (Dharmojono, 1996); (Kamal et al., 2013). Birds have a reciprocal and interdependent relationship with their environment, so that the presence of birds can be an indicator of whether the environment supports the life of an organism or not. The types of birds commonly found in mangrove ecosystem areas are water birds. The presence of these water birds can be an indicator of wetland health (Sawitri and Iskandar, 2012).
One type of bird that occupies the mangrove ecosystem is the Bagau Tong-tong (Leptoptilos javanicus). This bird is very often found when the water is low, at that time it will prey on animals that are its food source, such as fish, frogs, lizards, large insects and other types of invertebrates. When resting, this bird will perch on tree branches. The Tong-tong stork is characterized by a body height of around 110 cm, weight of 5 kg, and a wingspan of 210 cm. Its feathers are black and white with a large beak. Its neck is yellow with fine fur, there is fine hair on its head, and it has a scary face (Gitayana, 2011). The Tong-tong Stork population continues to experience disruption due to land conversion and degradation. However, in the last six years this bird’s habitat has slowly begun to recover due to conservation activities. The Tong-tong Stork population is starting to increase from Vulnerable (VU) to Near Threatened (NT) status based on IUCN Redlist data.