Raise Awareness to Protect Wildlife in Cambodia

Wildlife Alliance’s Kouprey Express Mobile Education Unit has partnered with the Cambodian Fishing Cat Project to raise awareness and educate villagers in the far reaches of the mangroves of Koh Kong province about fishing cats and how to protect them. Classified as Vulnerable, these cats are very rare in Cambodia and have only been seen on camera traps once in the country since 2003. Fishing cat populations are believed to be declining at an alarming rate across all range countries, but especially in Southeast Asia. They are even believed to be the most vulnerable of small and medium sized cats in Southeast Asia because there is little overlap of their wetland habitat with other protected landscapes. Fishing cats are mainly threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, but are also hunted for their meat and as retaliation for damaging fishing nets.

In February, the Kouprey Express traveled with the Fishing Cat Project to two schools in Koh Kong province, giving lessons to 147 students and 38 community members. In the workshops, students and community members were given informational posters about fishing cats (see the poster in English below), created artwork, and played educational games. Through this partnership, we hope to raise awareness of the unique fishing cat in communities in their range in order to prevent them from being killed or their habitat destroyed.

Thank you for helping spread awareness of pressing environmental issues to the communities that are most affected. So far in 2017, the Kouprey Express has given environmental lessons to 1,167 students and have brought 201 people to Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center to meet rescued wildlife. Your support has been vital to the success of this program! 

• Fishing Cat educational poster (PDF)