A member of the Rising Phoenix CSO administers a vaccine to a water buffalo near the Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary. Rising Phoenix
More than 2,500 cows and buffaloes belonging to villagers living in and around the Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary have been vaccinated against diseases like foot and mouth disease and hemorrhagic septicaemia, as part of plans to protect the spread of illness to wildlife in the protected area.
USAID Morodok Baitang supports the vaccination efforts to safeguard wildlife in the sanctuary.
According to USAID Morodok Baitang’s June bulletin, in the absence of wild ungulates and wallowing animals, which have been nearly eradicated, farmers' cattle and water buffaloes have become vital in maintaining the sanctuary’s ecosystem balance.
“Their shared instinctive natural behaviours such as trampling, grazing, urinating, excreting, and wallowing contribute significantly to the sanctuary's biodiversity. However, they also pose a risk of potentially transmitting diseases to wildlife,” it explained.
To address this risk, USAID Morodok Baitang, in partnership with the Rising Phoenix CSO and the district office of agriculture, is delivering vaccination awareness education and offering inoculations in 17 villages in and around the sanctuary.
As of June 30, the team had successfully conducted awareness campaigns across all 17 villages and begun vaccination activities in 15 of them. A total of 2,586 animals from 282 households had received shots, with the work scheduled to continue until all cattle and buffalo in the area are protected.
As of July 16, about 30 percent of the nearly 50,000 cattle in Stung Treng province had been vaccinated against infectious diseases.
Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries director Tum Niro said there are about 33,000 cows and 16,000 buffaloes in the province.
He explained that thanks to precautionary measures by the department – including vaccinations before the rainy season – there have been no significant outbreaks of foot and mouth disease or hemorrhagic septicemia in the province.
“Thanks to our timely action, the have been no serious outbreaks. The rainy season has arrived, but we will continue to protect the cattle of the local people through vaccinations. We are still inoculating livestock on a daily basis,” he said.
He acknowledged that a few months ago, more than 10 cows died from illness in Kbal Romeas commune, Sesan district, but noted that no further transmissions have been reported.
“If domesticated animals like cattle get sick and die in the forest, any wildlife that eats their meat is at risk of contracting their disease. This is a mutual protection system. If domestic animals are healthy, they will not infect wild animals,” explained Miro.
