Twenty rare species of wildlife were identified as present in the conservation area in Koh Kong province.

The species noted included rare species of pangolins, hairy nosed otters, wild dogs, northern pig-tailed macaques, greater hog badgers, sambar deer and many other mammals and birds, according to Neth Pheaktra, spokesman for the Ministry of Environment.

Pheaktra said that the presence of various species of wildlife in Cambodia’s protected areas shows the excellent results of joint efforts between the government, forest communities, development partners and partner organisations to conserve and protect the natural resources, forests and wildlife of the Kingdom.

“The Ministry is proud of the research team that has done such excellent work collecting data on the wildlife species which are present in Cambodia’s protected areas. This will be of huge benefit to our efforts to increase conservation awareness,” said Pheaktra.

The data was obtained by a team from the “Cambodia Sustainable Landscape and Ecotourism” project, in collaboration with the Department of Coastal and Marine Conservation of the General Department of Protected Areas and park rangers of the Koh Kong Environment Department. Between August 8 and November 14, the team placed automatic cameras in 34 locations throughout the Koh Kong Provincial Wildlife Sanctuary, he added.

The images were collected and collated by November 20, and the results showed the presence of species that were designated as critically endangered, threatened, nearly extinct, or vulnerable, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, along with many other mammals and birds.

Some of the species discovered are present in other protected areas, according to previous studies.

Pheaktra thanked environment ministry and department officials, the park ranger and members of the local communities their support of the ministry’s sustainable landscape project, which was facilitated by financing from the World Bank.

“The images and date will be analysed by ministry specialists, and a detailed report on habitat status and threats will be prepared. This will be a valuable asset to our sanctuary management plans in Koh Kong province,” he said.

Heng Kimhong, head of the Cambodian Youth Network’s (CYN) research and advocacy programme, said that the discovery of the rare wildlife showcases Cambodia's biodiversity and should encourage further contributions to conservation by citizens, civil society organisations and the government.

However, he warned that conservation work remained limited. Snares continue to be found in sanctuaries, and bush meat is still traded extensively.

“If we want to sustain the conservation of natural resources and wildlife, we must ensure the prevention of wildlife hunting and snaring. I hope these issues receive more attention from the government, as well as its partners,” he added.

In order to ensure the conservation of the Kingdom’s wildlife, he called on all stakeholders, especially the government, to adhere to existing mechanisms to prevent the destruction of natural resources.

In addition, he urged the government to eradicate corruption in the field of conservation, including wildlife and biodiversity.