Cambodia: Elephant hunting down but species still endangered, per Khmer Times.
Cambodia: Elephant hunting down but species still endangered, per Khmer Times.
Cambodia's wild elephants are mostly located in the southwest mountain complex, including the Cardamom Range, Phnom Aural and the Elephant Mountains. Also Botum Sakor National Park within Areng Valley.
The country's human population, being about 12 million, leaves much forest area available for the remaining 500 (estimated) wild elephants, however, hunting for ivory and elephant parts has decimated the natural wild population.
The recent drop in elephant poaching indicates that adequate protection of the remaining elephant population is possible.
Our fear is that many herds and groups may no longer offer the diversity of gene pool necessary to establish or maintain a healthy population.
"To continue to protect Asian elephants, the ministry said that the government has launched a new project."
It said: “The Cambodian Wildlife Conservation Group, in cooperation with the ministry and the International Organisation for Wildlife and Flora has began a project to stabilise and promote the growth of the species in Cambodia – called the Asian Elephant Conservation Programme.”
The project will be implemented between 2020 and 2029 with a budget of $40 million.
see: Visit Cambodian Wildlfe Conservation Group here: https://www.facebook.com/wcscambodia.fb
