Help Rangers Protect Endangered Cambodian Wildlife

Thanks to your continued support, our dedicated patrol teams and wildlife rescue initiatives have achieved remarkable successes in safeguarding Cambodia's incredible biodiversity. From June 2024 to October 2024, rangers rescued 257 animals. Here are some highlights from recent rescue efforts:

A villager from Cham Yeam village donated two Great Hornbills to our team. These majestic birds were promptly transferred to the Wildlife Release Station in Koh Kong, where they will receive expert care and a chance to thrive in their natural habitat.

On the same day, the Stung Proat Patrol Unit acted on intelligence and discovered a Sunda Pangolin, a critically endangered species. The pangolin was safely transported to the Wildlife Release Station for rehabilitation. The team also rescued: 

• A Red Muntjac
• A baby Leopard Cat
• Another Sunda Pangolin during their patrol.

Additionally, the team rescued several reptiles, including: 

• Four Water Dragons: One was found deceased, but the remaining three were released into their natural habitat after the team dismantled an illegal camp where they were discovered. 
• Three Asian Leaf Turtles: later released back into the wild. 
• A Black Marsh Turtle caught in a turtle net. The team freed the turtle and returned it to safety. 
• Nine Asian Leaf Turtles rescued during another patrol and released the next day.

In addition to rescuing animals, our teams actively combat illegal activities threatening wildlife. Two illegal camps were dismantled, ensuring safer environments for countless species.

These rescues underscore the critical role your support plays in protecting Cambodia’s wildlife. From emergency rescues to rehabilitation and release, your contributions make these life-saving operations possible. Together, we are giving these animals a second chance at life in the wild.

Thank you for being part of this vital mission.

From March 2024 to May 2024, your generous donations fueled a whirlwind of action in the Cardamom Mountains, where rangers went above and beyond to safeguard the forest. Here's a glimpse of the incredible impact your support has had:

• 1844 patrols conducted by our dedicated rangers, ensuring the forest's protection.
• 182 live animals rescued from harm's way, offering them a second chance at freedom.
• 326 chainsaws confiscated, halting illegal logging in its tracks.
• 18 offenders arrested for crimes ranging from land encroachment to illegal wildlife trade.
• 32 charcoal kilns destroyed, disrupting a major driver of deforestation.
• An astonishing 7,682 snares removed from the forest, preventing countless injuries to wildlife.

Ranger patrols are the only short-term method available to counter the snaring crisis which grips Southeast Asia. Across the region, wild animals are being hunted out of existence to feed growing demand for bushmeat. They are simple traps made of wire and rope and have become the single biggest threat to ground-dwelling animals in Cambodia over the last decade. Our rangers watch the Cardamom Rainforest for 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, patrolling the Cardamoms by ground, water, and air. Rangers are often on patrol for days at a time in pursuit of illegal loggers and poachers and removing snares. Snares are like ticking time bombs for animals — every snare is a potential death sentence — and almost any animal can fall victim to snares, from pangolins to elephants.

In addition to patrolling the forest, our rangers respond to reports of illegal wildlife trade. In March, on a patrol in Koh Kong province our team found and confiscated two wreathed hornbills. The wreathed hornbill is currently listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The two hornbills were taken to the Wildlife Release Station, where we rehabilitate wildlife and release them back to the wild. In April rangers patrolled in Pursat province and found 5 asiatic softshell turtles which were subsequently released back into their natural habitat. In May, our team found and confiscated five common palm civets which were also released into the wild.

Your support has truly made a difference in protecting this vital ecosystem and its inhabitants. Thank you for being a vital part of our conservation efforts!