BLACK-FACED SPOONBILL (PLATALEA MINOR).
Breeds only on some offshore islands off the west coast of Korea. Winters in Southern China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Northern Vietnam. Entire population at
wintering sites is about 300 birds. Tidal mudflats and mangroves. Habitat everywhere degraded and disturbed. Requires urgent attention.

BLACK-NECKED CRANE (GROS NIGNICOLLIS).
lndia,China, Bhutan. High altitude bogs and marshy fringes of great lakes. Early in this century, many ‘thousands’ were reported in the wintering grounds in western China. The Indian population in Ladakh is bare half a dozen breeding pairs, and these

need to be closely monitored. It is not known where this smal population winters. In the Popshika Valley, in central Bhutan, 93 birds were sighted in October 1989 The ICBP Bird Red Data Book considers the status of this crane as ‘Indeterminate’.

BLACK-NECKED STORK (XENORKYNCHUS ASIATICUS).
India, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, New Guinea. Freshwater swamps, rivers, lakes. Widespread but there has been an alarming fall in numbers over the past few years. Disturbances from human activities and direct persecution seem to be the major problems for this bird. A complete status survey is urgently called for. The survival of this species seems possible only in large, protected wetland areas.

BLAKISTON’S FISH-OWL (KETUPO BLAKISTONI).
Easter USSR, NE China and Japan. a survey in 1984 revealed barely 50 birds in

Japan. Between 300 and 400 pairs in USSR. Threatened. Little is known of ran its stains in China. Requires very urgent attention.

BROWN-BANDED RAIL (RALLUS MIRIFICUS).
No reports in recent years. Very rare. Collar and Andrew (1988) inform that it is known train only two localities in the Philippines. Detailed surveys necessary to find out more about status.

CHINESE (SCALED) MERGANSER (MERGUS SQUAMACTS).
Breeds in SE Siberia, China and Korea. Wintering areas in China face many problems. Both, breeding and wintering grounds need to be properly surveyed and monitored. Some protected areas give limited protection to this species.

CHINESE (SWINHOE’S) EGRET (EGRETTA EALOPHOTES).
China, Korea. Formerly a widespread species. Good numbers were sighted during recent surveys. The coastal wetlands, tidal flats

and paddy fields in Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia are major wintering grounds but much of these have been destroyed. Nesting sites too demand urgent protection. The Chinese egret is fully protected by law in Hong Kong
.
CHINESE CRESTED TERN (STERNA BERNSTEINI).
Possibly extinct. Recent reports of the species’ presence in China (1978) and Thailand (1980) seem doubtful.

LOGGERHEAD TURFLE(CARELTACARETIA).
Almost world-wide. Not much is known except that major losses of sandy beaches has robbed the species of prime nesting habitat. Capture in trawls and egg collection too serious problems. Largest known population is in Oman, West Asia, where some 30,000 breeding females have been recorded on Masirah Island. The recent Gulf war could have severely affected the species in this region of Asia.

MALAYSIAN GIANT TURTLE (ORLITIA BORNEOENSIS).
Malaysia and Indonesia. Freshwater turtle. Uncommon. Listed as "Insufficiently known" in the IUCN Red List. Reported from only two sites.

MUGGER OR MARSH CROCODILE (CROCODYLUS PALUSINIS).
Indian subcontinent. Range has considerably reduced over the past few decades. Locally not uncommon in protected areas.

Continuous monitoring though should be enforced.

NEW GUINEA CROCODILE (CROCODYLUS NOVAEGUINEAE).
Papua New Guinea. Fairly common and widespread but current direct and regular persecution needs to be urgently controlled.