Help Rangers Protect Endangered Cambodian Wildlife

On January 13, 2016, Wildlife Alliance's forest rangers rescued an Asiatic black bear cub that was being smuggled out of the Cardamom forest. Rangers from our Southern Cardamom Forest Protection Program intercepted the trader in Thmar Bang in Koh Kong province. The 3-month old cub, weighing only 8 pounds, was taken to Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center to be cared for by Free the Bears.

Sadly, sun bears and other Asian bear species are being brutally targeted by poachers in Cambodia for their body parts which are used in traditional medicine. Because of this active trade in bears and bear parts, their populations - especially in Southeast Asia – are rapidly declining. Cubs are torn from their mothers and sold into the pet trade. When they get bigger, they end up imprisoned in tiny cages or sold to bile farms in Vietnam. Wildlife Alliance has been working since 2001 to end the trade of wildlife in Cambodia and throughout Southeast Asia. Since then, over 160 trafficked bears have been rescued. However, the international demand remains high and continued efforts are needed to ensure the long-term survival of bears in region.

In the same month, the rangers also seized a truck carrying 47 tons of illegal timber. The forest ranger station advisor received a tip about a truck carrying illegal timber attempting to leave Aural Wildlife Sanctuary. The station advisor reported the information to Wildlife Alliance's Law Enforcement Manager who instructed the ranger unit to ambush the truck. To prevent the driver from being tipped off, the nearest ranger station did not conduct the operation    informants are often posted at nearby ranger stations to provide information to the drivers and prevent law enforcement from successfully confiscating the timber. Instead, rangers from a further station found the truck on the road leaving Aural Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounded the vehicle. The team found 47 tons of rosewood and other precious timber on the truck and it was taken to the station for further legal action.

Wildlife Alliance’s Southern Cardamom Forest Protection Program partners with the Cambodian government to provide on-the-ground protection to one of Asia’s last remaining elephant corridors. Our forest rangers work day and night, risking their lives to protect nearly 2 million acres of rainforest and the countless wildlife that reside in this expansive forest.

Thank you for your important contribution! Your gift makes it possible for our rangers to stop illegal loggers and wildlife poachers from removing our most precious natural rescources.