Critically endangered southern river terrapins caught on camera traps at Koh Kong Reptile Conservation Centre on December 7. Steven Platt via FB
The southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis) – a rare turtle species known locally as Royal Turtle and thought to have become extinct in Cambodia until 2001 – is facing critical endangerment, attributed to encroachments on flooded forests along the 200km length of the Prek Sre Ambel canal system and illegal fishing, as recently stated by the Fisheries Administration (FiA) and conservation groups.
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Ouk Vibol, director of the FiA’s Fisheries Conservation Department, said on December 10 that dredging no longer threatens the turtles due to authorities’ restrictions on such activities. However, encroachments persist along the canal, the habitat for this species, coupled with instances of illegal fishing.
Addressing these challenges, the FiA has intensified conservation efforts by increasing area patrols, releasing turtles into their natural habitat, conducting educational outreach to local communities and enhancing breeding efforts at conservation centres.
Vibol added that it is especially necessary to increase livelihoods in the communities along the biologically diverse canal system so they do not rely solely on fishing for their income.
“The turtle’s presence affirms Cambodia’s commitment to preserving the species, unlike other countries where it is now extinct. We aim to enhance breeding and hatching at our centre, which is receiving more eggs and experiencing increased hatching this year,” he said.
Vibol added that the turtles’ presence also indicates unpolluted water quality and showcases rich biodiversity. Particularly, when conservation efforts focus on breeding, it can attract visitors to the Kingdom.
“In the future, our plan is to expand our centre and release more terrapins into their natural habitats. This way, our communities can establish ecotourism areas, contributing to their livelihoods,” he said.
He said that this year, conservation officials hatched hundreds of eggs, releasing more than 100 terrapins into the wild, with an additional 200 released at the Koh Kong Reptile Conservation Centre (KKRCC).
The total count of southern river terrapins in both the KKRCC and the wild approximates 500. They have also been reintroduced in the Angkor area of Siem Reap province, and at the aquaculture station in Kandal province, taking into consideration potential risks in one location but potential sustainability elsewhere.
Thorn Phon, coordinator of the Royal Turtle and Siamese Crocodile Management and Conservation Project for Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cambodia, noted that the southern river terrapin is one of the world’s 25 most critically endangered species of turtles.
The species was presumed to have vanished from Cambodia until its rediscovery in 2001 in the Prek Sre Ambel canal system in Koh Kong province. Subsequently, FiA and WCS conservationists initiated tagging the animals with tracking devices, along with monitoring their nests, following a personal order for protection from King Norodom Sihamoni.
“This species might be declining because of the destruction of their natural habitats, encroachment on flooded forests and forests along the canal system, illegal fishing and riverside development, particularly sand dredging. Although the FiA recently collaborated with local authorities to crack down on this activity, the crime still persists,” he said.
Phon said his organisation and authorities have established a sustainable breeding programme at the KKRCC, proving successful for three consecutive years. This marks the fourth year of the programme, which has received and hatched numerous eggs.
