Environment and natural resources

Four natural lakes totalling 300 hectares in Kandal province’s Sa’ang district have been designated state properties while more are set to have the same status. The designation followed illegal encroachment by individuals who intended to claim the lakes as their own, said Kandal provincial governor ...

Authorities are facing mounting pressure to safeguard the Samlot Protected Area, where villagers and wealthy land-grabbers continue to trespass to start orchards and claim ownership of the plots. The area, which straddles Battambang and Pailin provinces, is jointly protected by the Ministry of Environment and ...

Provincial environment department director Mon Phalla said officials had inspected the area around the Prek Andong Teuk stream in the district’s Andong Teuk and Thmar Sar communes, which are vulnerable to encroachment. ...

As International Vulture Awareness Day approaches, conservationists have called for a boycott of bushmeat and a halt to using poison to hunt wildlife. Ny Naiky, BirdLife International Cambodia Programme coordinator who has been tasked with vulture conservation, said yesterday that red-head, white-romped and slender-billed vultures ...

Concerns have been raised over the clearing of mangrove forests along Bak Khlong beach in Koh Kong province’s Mondul Seima district as land prices in the area increase. Bak Khlong commune chief Eav Kosorl told The Post on Monday that land titles existed for areas ...

Home to abundant natural resources and biodiversity, the listing of Phnom Kampong Trach, Phnom Chhngouk, Phnom Kbal Romeas and Phnom La’ang as protected cultural and historical sites would be of great benefit to the local communities and environment, said Kampot provincial governor Cheav Tay. ...

Fisheries administration officials and local authorities on Saturday cracked down on banned types of fishing along Chomrouk lake in Kampong Cham province and seized fishing nets, wooden poles and various types of fish, the provincial police said. ...

The Mondulkiri provincial Environment Department launched a campaign among the Banong, Krueng and Tumpuon ethnic communities to create awareness about the importance of wildlife to the ecology and tourism sector. The communities live close to wildlife sanctuaries. ...

Authorities in Tboung Khmum province’s O’raing Ov district on Wednesday seized several kilometres of small-hole fishing nets, bamboo poles and more than one tonne of small fish during a crackdown on illegal fishing on Kapit lake, according to officials.​ ...

With the government pushing the sustainable development goals (SDG) agenda forward, fishermen and farmers urged authorities to address the various ecological and environmental challenges they face during an event this week in Siem Reap. ...

Villagers from the Tumpuon ethnic minority group in Keng San community forest are accusing the local authority and some community members of colluding with timber traders to illegally fell large trees and clear dozens of hectares of forest land in their community. ...

Villagers claim that rampant illegal logging is taking place at the Phnom Namlear Wildlife Sanctuary and local authorities are not doing enough to curb the activity. Every night about 20 to 30 lorries remove luxury timber from the wildlife sanctuary, which is fast depleting its ...

The Environment Ministry has asked the Interior Ministry to help facilitate its World Cleanup Day event planned for next month to raise environmental protection awareness. ...

Koh Kong provincial hall on Tuesday revoked ownership of land near the protected Peam Krasoap Wildlife Sanctuary to prevent further land clearing in the area. Its announcement raised fears among local communities of a potential forced eviction. “All illegal land ownership or unregistered land at ...

Banteay Meanchey provincial authorities yesterday released more than 100 rescued turtles into a conservation area in Preah Netr Preah district. Sin Rasy, district military police commander, said that the turtles were seized from poachers earlier this month and were released into the O’ronteah Banh turtle ...

Pursat provincial police and fishery administration officials cracked down on a large scale illegal fishing operation along Tonle Sap lake and seized equipment including over 5,300 fishing nets in Kandieng district’s Raing Til commune. ...

Some 300 pieces of timber were discovered and two men arrested in separate cases in Pursat and Mondulkiri provinces as they were transporting the logs to Vietnam. National Military Police on Monday found piles of first-grade timber measuring nine cubic metres in Pursat’s Veal Veng ...

A joint task-force consisting of the national police and Pursat province’s Phnom Kravanh district police on Saturday arrested five people found transporting illegally-felled timber in Santre commune. ...

Senior Environment Ministry officials on Saturday agreed to continue to work together and cooperate with local forest rangers in order to maintain order and prevent forestry crimes from occurring in Kirirom national park. ...

An Irrawaddy dolphin weighing more than 100 kilograms was found dead on Koh Rong Sanloem beach yesterday, with officials blaming plastic bag consumption for its death. Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith said on Facebook that the dolphin likely died many days ago and then was ...

The Mondulkiri provincial authority on Wednesday refuted claims that it had turned a blind eye to illegal timber trafficking to neighbouring Vietnam. The denial followed the discovery of over 500 pieces of first-grade timber by the National Military Police in protected areas and local media ...

Rights group Licadho said yesterday that a forestry crime reporting mechanism set in place by Koh Kong provincial Governor Mithona Phouthorng to protect tipsters is ineffective as residents fear repercussion from powerful figures. ...

Ratanakkiri police and forestry administration officials yesterday raided a house and seized a large pile of various types of timber in O’Yadav district’s Pork Nhai commune. District police chief Mao Sann said the seizure was made during a crackdown on illegal logging in the area. ...

WWF Cambodia said that elephants play a crucial role in balancing ecosystems by maintaining biodiversity. It said that elephants continue to face extinction due to habitat destruction and conflict with humans, including poaching. ...