Environment and natural resources

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) said low dry season river flows has caused a decrease in water levels in the Tonle Sap Lake, and called on all Mekong countries to improve river management.   ...

Conservationists have called on all stakeholders, including local authority, communities and rangers to reduce human disturbances in areas where there are bird breeding activities, especially from this month to December. ...

The rare Asiatic golden cat has been detected in natural protected areas in the Kingdom’s northeastern province of Ratanakiri. ...

Environmental activists are planting trees in Kampong Speu province’s Cardamom Mountains to mitigate the effects of climate change and support the livelihoods of the community. ...

The Koh Kong Provincial Administration has annulled the validity of documents for land sales in natural protected areas and biodiversity preservation corridors.​ ...

Finally, the long arms of the law caught up and arrested two men for illegally clearing flooded forest in Boengreal Bratescheal at Sankoa commune, Kampong Svay district in Kampong Thom province. ...

Australia, Germany, and Switzerland have pledged nearly $13 million in funding for the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to assist member countries including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam with their responses to pressing challenges while safeguarding the ecological functioning of the Mekong River and improving people’s ...

Dominic Raab, the UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, is visiting Cambodia today to forge deeper bilateral relations and promote cooperation in addressing global challenges. ...

Nearly 300 families in the Sre Trob community in the Prey Preah Roka Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear province continue to make a living from their ancestors’ methods of obtaining wood oil or vital resin to sell, which can earn about $450 a month per ...

A joint working group of the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration is inspecting a site at Bak Kang Mountain, which was designated state public property in 2002 but is now being cleared by a private company. ...

A large variety of plants from the Tonle Sap Lake area have been discovered by officials from the Tonle Sap Authority (TSA), but one tree in particular has revealed that it provides many benefits, according to TSA secretary-general Tony Hell on June 21. ...

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) has recorded river levels increasing by 0.65m between Stung Treng and Prey Veng’s Neak Loeung over the last seven days and forecast an additional rise this week of 0.60m due to torrential rain. ...

Fears that history may repeat itself and lead to yet more contamination of Cambodia’s rivers has been offset by the estimated $40 million the government will receive annually from Renaissance Minerals. ...

Over 1,500 floating houses and fish farming cages have been dismantled and evacuated from the rivers in Phnom Penh, according to Phnom Penh municipal police spokesman San Sok Seyha. ...

A 180kg Irrawady dolphin in the Ochheuteal dolphin pleasance in Preah Rumkel commune of Stung Treng province’s Borei O’Svay Sen Chey district was found dead on June 14, most likely from natural age-related causes.​ ...

The Battambang Provincial Administration has announced that it has a project to develop Roluos Lake in Peam Ek commune’s Takorm village of Ek Phnom district with the goal of protecting the lake as a sustainable tourist resort and preventing encroachment. ...

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cambodia has voiced concern about the rapid decline of the Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) population fuelled largely by habitat loss, rice farming and poaching, with a 2018 tally counting just over 100 territorial displaying males in the Kingdom. ...

Owners of floating houses and other unofficial structures on the rivers bordering the capital were ordered by the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration to remove or relocate the structures from June 2. ...

Battambang provincial officials said land encroachment still occurred on thousands of hectares of flooded forest land bordering Tonle Sap Lake, and authorities lacked the resources to protect these areas.   ...

The Tonle Sap, which contributed over half the fish produced in Cambodia, is now faced with a serious threat in fish catch due to loss of flooded forest, climate change, upstream dams and illegal fishing activities. ...

The Ministry of Environment announced yesterday that nearly 70,000 traps have been removed from the Kingdom’s forests over the past 15 months.   ...

BirdLife International Cambodia Programme yesterday said that it has freed 20 water pools in Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary in Stung Treng province in the first four months of this year to improve water sources and habitats for wildlife. ...

Cambodia has been internationally recognised for its rich biodiversity and the Kingdom’s Biodiversity Index is 7.5 (MacKinnon, 1997) although a higher score may be attainable when inventories are more advanced. ...

The APSARA National Authority (ANA) plans to release 11 birds from three rare species into the Angkor Archaeological Park’s forest and calls on the public to take care of all animals in the park. ...