Cambodian wildlife in danger as ecotourism collapses

Tourism in Southeast Asia crashes. And now, wildlife and conservation in southwest Cambodia may come to a halt.

No ecotourists means no revenue. And no revenue means no forest and wildlife protection. It’s the sad truth.

The temporary closure of Cardamom Tented Camp in Cambodia has meant that forest patrols by Wildlife Alliance rangers in Botum Sakor national park in southwest Cambodia may have to be suspended.

The rangers’ equipment, food and wages are provided in entirety by the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF) and Cardamom Tented Camp, which both depend on tourism for their income — and consequently have none due to the Covid-19 shutdown.

Until then, ranger foot patrols to seek out poachers and remove their hunting traps are still operational. But they would stop should GTAEF support fail and guests not return to Cardamom Tented Camp in the next months, which seems increasingly likely. This would leave the forest unprotected as rangers return to their home villages.

“We are extremely proud of the rangers’ efforts over the last six years. They have all-but stamped out bushmeat poaching, the illegal wildlife trade and land grabbing on the concession,” said John Roberts, Director of Elephants and Conservation at GTAEF.

“However, we see from the rampant forest clearance in surrounding areas that the rangers’ excellent work would almost immediately be reversed should patrolling stop in the next few weeks.”

GTAEF, which is based in northern Thailand, pays the lion’s share of the rangers’ wages in the Cambodia project.

“Unfortunately, our foundation’s income is also largely derived from tourism, which has stopped. So a FundRazr page is our last best hope for forest and wildlife protection in Botum Sakor for the next few months until tourism picks up again,” said Roberts.

Forest rangers depend on ecotourism support

The last guest at Cardamom Tented Camp checked out on 30 March. The camp’s manager, Allan Michaud, who is still resident at the lodge, said that the rangers’ patrols were vital to stopping illegal activities. These include logging and hunting which are lethal for mammals such as pangolins, gibbons, deer and wild cats.

“Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown, illegal hunting in Botum Sakor national park had declined by around 90% over the last five or so years. That is now at risk. The sooner we secure income for the ranger patrols, the better the survival chances of wildlife and habitat.”

Allan Michaud, Cardamom Tented Camp manager

Tourist visas, e-visas, visa on arrival and visa exemptions for Cambodia are all suspended.

While Cardamom Tented Camp and GTAEF provide the funding, the Botum Sakor ranger teams are coordinated by the Cambodia-based conservation organisation Wildlife Alliance, under the auspices of the Cambodian Ministry of Environment.

How you can help save wildlife

To secure continued forest patrols, GTAEF set up a FundRazr page to mobilize emergency income for the rangers. GTAEF and Cardamom Tented Camp invite people to make a donation, large or small, with all funds guaranteed to go to financing the rangers’ income, materials and food so that they can continue wildlife protection patrols.

Cardamom Tented Camp will offer donors giving US$200 or more a free night on top of a two-night stay. Vouchers for the free night are valid until February 2022 and are transferable.

“Your Stay Keeps the Forest Standing”

Four short videos made before the Covid-19 crisis show the role of ecotourism at Cardamom Tented Camp and how it supports the forest rangers.

Since opening in late 2017, the camp has operated with the slogan, “Your Stay Keeps the Forest Standing” to show the direct link between income from guest stays and forest habitat protection through ranger patrols.

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About GTAEF

The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation is a Thai registered not for profit originally set up in 2005 in cooperation with Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort. It is located in the far north of Thailand where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet (The Golden Triangle). GTAEF strongly believes that in an ideal world all elephants would be wild. This is unfortunately not the case, so until we reach that point, GTAEF aims to assist captive elephants, improving their lives and welfare, while also taking part in conservation and wild elephant programs to ensure the survival of the wild herd.

About Cardamom Tented Camp

Cardamom Tented Camp is an ecolodge located in the foothills of the Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia. Offering nine well-appointed safari-style tents, the lodge aims to minimize the human footprint on the natural world and serve as a role model in promoting sustainable ecotourism practices within both the national park and Cambodia as a whole. Located on an 18,000-hectare (180 km2) concession, the lodge and its surroundings are home to pristine lowland and coastal habitats linking wildlife corridors to the Cardamom Mountains. Eco-friendly trekking and kayaking packages are available for adventure enthusiasts who are keen to be a part of real conservation work.

Cardamom Tented Camp is a three-way initiative between Minor Group, YAANA Ventures and Wildlife Alliance to ensure the land and its biodiversity does not fall into the hands of loggers, poachers and sand dredging operations.

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