Help Care for Rescued Animals in Cambodia

A special update from Wildlife Programs Director, Nick Marx.

Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre (PTWRC) serves as a refuge for all the animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. It is managed by the Cambodian Forestry Administration, and with the assistance of Wildlife Alliance, has developed into one of the best wildlife rescue centers in any developing country. In many ways, it is an inspired choice of site for such a facility. PTWRC is set in 2,300 hectares of forest, and many animals can be released here once they have recovered from their injuries. Keepers have been trained to a high standard and despite their meager salaries; they do a responsible and attentive job caring for their animals.

There are wild animals living in the surrounding forest, many of which we released. We have created teams of community rangers who patrol the area to ensure the safety of the animals and the protection of the forest. Released animals include sambar and muntjac deer, wild boar, macaques, civets, leopard cats, mongooses, jackal, porcupines and different species of birds and reptiles.

It has been a busy and difficult year at Phnom Tamao. Since mid-February our over-riding concern has been for Lucky, our 16 year old female elephant, who has been fighting for her life. Fortunately, after intensive treatment, we are now seeing improvements and can safely say that she is finally on the mend.

In just three months, there have been 139 new arrivals. These included two silvered langurs, a sun bear, a small toothed palm civet, a ferret badger, two leopard cats, a baby yellow-cheeked gibbon and two green peafowl to accompany the usual long tailed macaques, parakeets, lorises, common palm civets and pythons we see every month. The endangered yellow-cheeked gibbon is only the third of this species we have received at PTWRC. This may be because it is easier for any captured yellow-cheeked babies to be quickly transported to Vietnam before we hear about them. In Cambodia, yellow-cheeked gibbons live east of the River Mekong (closer to the Vietnamese border), while pileated gibbons, which we see very regularly, inhabit the western side.

Early in the year, feral dogs attacked a wild female sambar and her fawn in the forest. The mother sustained some injuries, but managed to escape. We captured the fawn, which sustained wounds and a broken leg. He was raised at our Nursery and has done very well. The fracture was too low down on the leg and could not be pinned, but he has recovered well. A young serow that was rescued at the end of 2014, with a bullet wound to her shoulder, has recovered and is now weaned and we must find the funds to construct an enclosure for her to pair her up with a male.

119 animals were released during the past three months into protected forest in Phnom Tamao as well as in the Southern Cardamom Mountains.

There were also 22 births at the Center, including a binturong, an Eld’s deer, an endangered fishing cat, a pig tailed macaque, and four hedgehogs. Five painted storks hatched in our water bird aviary. Sadly, in March, Cataracts, our first gibbon ever to breed at PTWRC passed away due to problems with an unborn baby. She had many babies and was a wonderful mother, caring for every one perfectly, one of which we have released into the Angkor forest. She loved people and used to take the hand of visitors and place it on her own head for a stroke! She is greatly missed.

We would like to sincerely thank you for your generous support, and for ensuring that no rescued animal is ever turned away.

- Nick Marx

We hope you will consider making your gift go further by taking advantage of GlobalGiving’s biggest Bonus Day of the year! On July 15th, donations of up to $1,000 made through GlobalGiving will be matched at 50% while funds last - hurry because funds run out quickly! With your help, we can continue to give rescued animals a second chance at life!