The two youths who attended the attended the virtual summit – which is organized every 12 years during the Lunar Year of the Tiger – were Long Sapor and Man Fayanin. WWF-CAMBODIA
Two Cambodian youths attended the International Tiger Youth Summit on July 28 and pledged to participate in tiger and wildlife conservation in Cambodia’s natural forest habitats. The summit was organized by WWF-India and WWF-Tigers, according to a WWF-Cambodia press statement.
The two youths who attended the attended the virtual summit – which is organized every 12 years during the Lunar Year of the Tiger – were Long Sapor and Man Fayanin. They summit brought together young people from 13 tiger range countries, including Cambodia, to highlight the importance of securing forest habitats and prey for tiger conservation.
“Without waiting any longer, we need to mobilise more participation from young people in Cambodia to support tiger conservation efforts by the government, WWF and other partners,” said Sapor.
She said wildlife deserves to be protected just like humans. Young people have to join hands to protect them and be their voices before they go globally extinct.
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“I wish to see tigers make a return to the Kingdom. I would be proud to tell my kids I played a small part in this great effort,” she added.
Likewise, Fayanin said that the species still holds great significance to him spiritually and ecologically.
“I have heard stories that tigers once roamed the forests around us, and I have faith that with the right actions, Cambodia will one day see tigers in the wild again. My generation hopes to facilitate this effort,” he said.
Seng Teak, WWF-Cambodia country director, said that engaging youth in environmental education and helping them build relationships with nature were important to ensure a more sustainable future.
“I congratulate the participation of the Cambodian youth in the International Tiger Youth Summit. Together with other young people from the tiger range countries, they sent their message, calling on governments and relevant stakeholders to recommit to big cat conservation,” he said.
According to WWF, the last tiger in Cambodia was photographed in 2007 in Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary of Mondulkiri province. In 2016, wildlife scientists declared the big cat functionally extinct in the Kingdom.
It said the tiger conservation in Cambodia remained a long-term conservation goal and the forests in the Eastern Plains remain a globally irreplaceable conservation landscape for realising the conservation reintroduction ambition.
Stuart Chapman, Leader of WWF Tigers Alive Initiative, said that decision makers in all countries need to hear the voice of youth to ensure that wild tiger conservation is a part of a conservation legacy for future generations.
