WWF - News and Stories

Mekong biodiversity hotspot designated for management and conservation of fishery resources

2013-05-06

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – A Prakas n.126 Proko dated 23 April 2013 and signed by His Excellency Dr. Chan Sarun, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, officially designated a 56km remote section of the Mekong mainstream referred to as Mekong Flooded Forest as a management and conservation site for biodiversity and fisheries resources.

Situated between Kratie and Steung Treng towns, in northeast Cambodia, the area is a mix of diverse habitats, including tall riverine forest, waterways and islands that support a range of species that have virtually disappeared from the rest of Southeast Asia. The official designation of this area for management and conservation provides an opportunity for the recovery of many globally significant animal and plant species.

The Mekong Flooded Forest was poorly known until 2006 and 2007 when research teams from the Fisheries Administration and Forestry Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and WWF conducted biological surveys of the area. The area supports the critically endangered Mekong Irrawaddy Dolphin and the rare Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtle once thought to be extinct in the region. It also supports the third largest population of White-shouldered Ibis in Cambodia. The survey team also recorded a unique plant species (Amorphophallus sp., known as 'corpse plants') new for science, as well as new national records of rare plants, fish and reptile.

"The Royal Government of Cambodia recognises the biodiversity value of the area and the need to protect it for long term benefits. With the Prakas, current efforts to protect this important area will be strengthened," said His Excellency Dr. NAO Thuok, Director-General of Fisheries Administration. "This is a treasure trove of biodiversity and natural resources for Cambodia, and I am confident that developing a management and conservation site for this biodiversity hotspot will greatly contribute to maintaining biodiversity ecosystem and promoting sustainable community use," he added.

Following the surveys in 2006 and 2007, conservation measures were developed. Relevant agencies of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, WWF and other partners have been implementing a programme to assist national and provincial agencies in effective management of the site, which include capacity building, awareness raising among local communities adjacent to the site, sustainable livelihoods development to ensure that critical resources, especially fish and timber, are sustainably managed for local communities. Despite these efforts, pressures from human activities are increasing daily. The threats to this important site and its wildlife include land concessions that clear forests, fishing using destructive methods, and mining activities both on the mainland and on islands in the Mekong that destroy habitat.

"The Prakas offers an important legal framework for the current conservation projects in the Mekong Flooded Forest," said Ms. Michelle Owen, WWF's Acting Country Director. "The Prakas provides legitimacy for national and provincial authorities and partners such as WWF who are supporting activities on the ground, to address current and future threats to the area's biodiversity and reinforce ongoing conservation initiatives that promote participation from the local community," she explained.

In order to put the Prakas into action, Fisheries Administration officials and WWF will develop a comprehensive management plan to direct sustainable habitat and wildlife conservation activities.

WWF รายงานล่าสุดพื้นที่ป่าลดลง เร่งสร้างพื้นที่สีเขียวในอนุภาคลุ่มน้ำโขง

2013-05-02

กรุงเทพ ประเทศไทย – 2 พฤษภาคม 2556 -- อนุภาคลุ่มน้ำโขงในเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ สุ่มเสี่ยงที่จะสูญเสียพื้นที่ป่ามากกว่าหนึ่งในสามภายในสองทศวรรษ หากรัฐบาลในอนุภาคนี้ไม่สามารถเพิ่มการปกป้อง ให้คุณค่า และฟื้นทุนธรรมชาติ รวมทั้งเปิดรับการเติบโตสีเขียว นี่คือคำเตือนในรายงานฉบับใหม่ของ WWF
การวิเคราะห์ของ WWF เผยให้เห็นถึงพื้นที่ป่าธรรมชาติในอนุภาคลุ่มแม่น้ำโขงที่มีอยู่ราว 637 ล้านเฮคเตอร์ (3,981,250,000 ไร่) หรือเกินครึ่งหนึ่งของที่ดินทั่วอนุภาคอยู่เล็กน้อย แต่คาดว่าจะสูญเสียพื้นที่ป่าไปอย่างรวดเร็ว หากอัตราการทำลายป่ายังคงอยู่ในระดับนี้ ระหว่างปี 2516 ถึง 2552 ประเทศทั้ง 5 ประเทศในลุ่มแม่น้ำโขงสูญเสียพื้นที่ป่าไปราวๆหนึ่งในสามของผืนป่าที่เหลือทั้งหมด ในช่วงเวลาดังกล่าว กัมพูชาเสียพื้นที่ป่าไปร้อยละ 22 ของพื้นที่ป่าที่บันทึกไว้ได้ในปี 2516 ลาวและพม่าสูญเสียป่าไปร้อยละ 24 ส่วนไทย และเวียดนามสูญเสียป่าไปร้อยละ 42
พื้นที่บริเวณกว้างใหญ่ที่เชื่อมต่อกับป่าผืนหลักก็ลดลงอย่างมากทั่วภูมิภาค จากร้อยละ 70 ในปี 2516 เหลือร้อยละ 20 ในปี 2552 ป่าผืนหลักคือพื้นที่ป่าอย่างน้อย 3.2 ตารางกิโลเมตรที่ไม่ถูกรบกวน แต่หากแนวโน้มยังคงเป็นเช่นนี้ WWF คาดการณ์ว่า ภายในปี 2573 อนุภาคลุ่มน้ำโขงจะมีพื้นที่ป่าที่ให้ที่อาศัย และให้ประชากรสัตว์ป่าหลากหลายดำรงชีวิตได้อย่างยั่งยืนเหลือ เพียงร้อยละ 14
"ตอนนี้ประเทศลุ่มน้ำโขงกำลังอยู่บนทางแยก" ปีเตอร์ คัทเตอร์ ผู้จัดการฝ่ายอนุรักษ์ภูมิประเทศ WWF อนุภาคลุ่มน้ำโขงกล่าว "ทางหนึ่งนำไปสู่การลดลงของความหลากหลายทางชีวภาพและวิถีชีวิต แต่หากมีการจัดการทรัพยากรธรรมชาติอย่างรับผิด ชอบแล้ว ภูมิภาคนี้จะสามารถเดินสู่หนทางที่จะสร้างความอุดมสมบูรณ์และอนาคตที่มั่งคั่งให้แก่ประชาชนของพวกเขา"
ในรายงาน "ระบบนิเวศในลุ่มแม่น้ำโขง : อดีตที่ผ่านมา สถานะปัจจุบัน และอนาคตที่จะเป็นไป" มีการวิเคราะห์ถึงสถานะในปัจจุบันและความเป็นไปได้ในอนาคตของป่าผืนสำคัญในภูมิภาค รวมทั้งระบบนิเวศน้ำจืด รวมถึงสัตว์ที่เสี่ยงจะสูญพันธุ์ ที่อาศัยในระบบนิเวศนั้น
ในรายงานเสนอภาพความน่าจะเป็นของระบบนิเวศในภูมิภาค 2 รูปแบบ รูปแบบหนึ่งเป็นความคาดการณ์ถึงสิ่งที่จะเกิดขึ้นภายในปี 2573 ภายใต้แบบจำลองการเติบโตแบบไม่ยั่งยืน ในกรณีที่การทำลายป่าและความเสื่อมโทรมตลอดทศวรรษที่ผ่านมายังคงเกิดขึ้นต่อเนื่อง ส่วนความเป็นไปได้อีกรูปแบบหนึ่งอยู่บนสมมติฐานที่ว่าอัตราการตัดไม้ลดลงร้อยละ 50 และให้มีอนาคตที่มีพื้นฐานการเติบโตสีเขียว ภายใต้การคาดการณ์ถึงความเป็นไปได้ในรูปแบบเศรษฐกิจสีเขียว ป่าผืนหลักที่มีอยู่ในปี 2552 ทั่วทั้ง 5 ประเทศลุ่มน้ำโขง จะยังคงอยู่เช่นเดิม
"วิถีแห่งเศรษฐกิจสีเขียวเป็นทางเลือกทางรอดในอนาคตสำหรับลุ่มน้ำโขง" คัทเตอร์กล่าวเสริม "ผู้นำในภูมิภาคได้ให้คำมั่นแล้วว่า การเติบโตของเศรษฐกิจอย่างแข็งแกร่งนั้น ไปด้วยกันกับระบบนิเวศที่สมบูรณ์และให้ประโยชน์ แต่ตอนนี้จำเป็นจะ ต้องมีการตอบสนองที่รวดเร็วและมีประสิทธิภาพ เพื่อหลีกเลี่ยงไม่ให้สภาพแวดล้อมเสื่อมโทรมอย่างถาวร"

รายงานให้น้ำหนักกับโครงการก่อสร้างเขื่อนไซยะบุรี ในฐานะปัจจัยคุกคามหลักต่อความสมบูรณ์และการใช้ประโยชน์ จากลุ่มน้ำโขงและพื้นที่สามเหลี่ยมปากแม่น้ำ ลำน้ำโขงเป็นที่มาของระบบนิเวศน้ำจืดที่โดดเด่นแต่เชื่อมโยงกัน 13 ระบบ แต่โครงการที่เป็นที่วิพากษ์วิจารณ์อย่างโครงการไซยะบุรีจะตัดขาดแม่น้ำโขงตอนล่างจากลำน้ำสายหลัก ปิดกั้นเส้นทางอพยพของปลาและการไหลของตะกอนแม่น้ำ ซึ่งจะสร้างผลกระทบที่เป็นหายนะต่อวิถีชีวิตและความมั่นคงทางอาหารของประชากร 60 ล้านคน
รายงานยังแสดงรายละเอียดการลดลงจำนวนมากของสัตว์สัญลักษณ์หลายสายพันธุ์ในภูมิภาค ไม่ว่าจะเป็นเสือ ช้างเอเชีย โลมาอิรวดี และสัตว์ประจำถิ่น ความอยู่รอดของสัตว์หลายสายพันธุ์นี้ในลุ่มแม่น้ำโขงขึ้นอยู่กับระบบการบริหารจัดการพื้นที่อนุรักษ์อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ ซึ่งนับตั้งแต่ช่วงปี 2513 เป็นต้นมาจะมีการขยายเขตพื้นที่อนุรักษ์เพิ่มขึ้นอีกมาก แต่หลายแห่งก็มีการบริหารจัดการที่ไม่ดีนัก
"เขตอนุรักษ์หลายแห่งเป็นแค่ชื่อ" คัทเตอร์กล่าวเพิ่มเติม "กระทั่งเขตอนุรักษ์ที่มีการดูแลค่อนข้างดียังตกอยู่ภายใต้การคุกคาม จากกลุ่มลักลอบล่าสัตว์และตัดไม้ ส่วนเขตอนุรักษ์อื่นๆก็ถูกปรับลดพื้นที่โดยรัฐบาลที่กระตือรือร้นให้สัมปทานกับบริษัทเหมือง แร่หรือเจ้าของกิจการเพาะปลูกเพื่อเงิน"
แม้จะมีการจดบันทึกความเสื่อมโทรมของระบบนิเวศตลอดช่วง 50 ปีที่ผ่านมา และในรายงานยังเน้นให้เห็นว่า พื้นที่นี้ยังคงมี ทรัพยากรธรรมชาติที่อุดมสมบูรณ์ และให้มูลค่านิเวศบริการสูงที่สุดแห่งหนึ่งของโลก ไม่ว่าจะเป็นอาหาร น้ำ และเส้นใย ความร่ำรวยทางธรรมชาติในแถบลุ่มน้ำโขงนั้น มอบโอกาสสำคัญแก่การพัฒนาอย่างยั่งยืน และ WWF เชื่อว่า การสร้างเศรษฐกิจสีเขียวนั้นอยู่ไม่ไกลเกินเอื้อม
"หากพิจารณาจากมรดกทางชีววิทยาส่วนใหญ่ในภูมิภาค และระบบนิเวศที่เอื้ออำนวยที่มีอยู่ตามภูมิประเทศข้ามพรมแดนแล้ว การร่วมมือในภูมิภาคถือเป็นสิ่งสำคัญอย่างยิ่ง" คัทเตอร์กล่าวสรุป "การเพิ่มและการลงทุนเพื่อความยั่งยืนมากขึ้น เพื่อให้ระบบนิเวศที่เหลืออยู่ยังคงความสมบูรณ์ จะต้องเป็นความจำเป็นอันดับแรกทั้งในระดับพื้นที่ ระดับประเทศ และภูมิภาค"
หมายเหตุ:
· ดาวน์โหลดรายงานฉบับเต็มได้ที่ http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/greater_mekong_ecosystems_report_020513.pdf

Cambodia engaged in climate change adaptation

2013-04-04

In early March, a climate change adaptation workshop organized by WWF and hosted in Phnom Penh attracted massive participation from nearly 80 people, including representatives from the Cambodian government, non-government organizations, civil society and universities. The purpose was to improve general knowledge of climate change and to deepen the understanding of the effects of climate change on current and future, conservation and development goals.

The workshop was facilitated by Mr Shaun Martin, Climate Change Adaptation Senior Director with WWF-US, who has conducted similar trainings around the globe. Through a combination of lectures, discussions, and group exercises, the 3-day training aimed to answer fundamental questions about climate change adaptation, such as: What is the difference between climate and weather? Why do conservation planners and practitioners need to consider climate change? Why are integrated approaches to climate change adaptation necessary?

Climate change adaptation is a priority concern in Cambodia because the nation has been identified as highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. To prepare for these impacts, Cambodia has developed a National Adaptation Programme of Action to Climate Change and requested the UNDP to focus its 2011 Cambodia Human Development Report on building climate change resilience.

Mr. Va Vuthy, a presenter at the conference and Climate Change Policy Officer for Cambodia Climate Change Alliance (CCCA), discussed how the ranking of Cambodia as one of the most climate vulnerable countries in Southeast Asia, has led the Royal Government of Cambodia to take into consideration the implications of climate change and in particular the negative economic impact that will result from increased extreme weather events, e.g. flood, droughts, epidemics and storms, associated with global warming.

"With the support of CCCA and involvement of 9 key ministries, a national Climate Change Adaptation Strategy is now in progress of development, and is prioritized in the National Strategic Development Plan," he said.

Participants carried-out group exercises affording time for participants to discuss and consolidate understanding of the concepts presented. Based on workshop evaluations, many participants noted that the training and in particular, the interactive discussions and activities, were very valuable.

"This is not the first time I have participated in climate change training, but even so this training is very useful for me," said Mr. Son Bora, WWF's Community Extension Team Project Officer and Counterpart with the Ministry of Environment. He noted that the training's practical discussions gave him additional information and understanding about climate change, which will be very beneficial for his work and daily life.

Participants also noted that they gained more knowledge about key concepts of climate variability, vulnerability, impacts, and adaptation and that the training improved their ability to communicate these concepts effectively, along with giving them a better understanding of how adaptation differs and relates to aspects of their current work.

Mr. Hang Sereyvuth, WWF's Project Field Coordinator and Counterpart with Fisheries Administration, said that he would use knowledge and information he gained from this workshop to support his community outreach work along the Mekong River and educate the local villagers about the issue and advise them on climate change adaptation.

Dr. Geoffrey Blate, Senior Climate Change Technical Advisor with WWF Greater Mekong Programme and one of the workshop facilitators, said that the training provided related organizations and government officials with a greater understanding of climate change adaptation and created a platform for future cooperation, which will benefit the nation.

"We hope that knowledge and understanding about climate change adaptation that this workshop has given will assist WWF and its Cambodian government partner in achieving goals in the current 5-year strategic plan.

This training was made possible with the support of the MacArthur Foundation and the Education for Nature Program of WWF-US.

New study reveals scale of persistent illegal tiger trade

2013-03-07

Bangkok, Thailand, 7th March 2013—Parts of more than 1400 Tigers have been seized across Asia in the past 13 years, according to TRAFFIC's latest analysis of confiscations, which includes new data for 2010-2012.

Reduced to Skin and Bones Revisited finds that parts of at least 1425 Tigers had been seized across all but one of the 13 Tiger range countries between 2000 and 2012. For Cambodia alone, no seizures were recorded at all during the period.

Although it is not yet possible to show a definite trend, the analysis provides clear evidence that illegal trade in Tigers, their parts and products, persists as a major conservation concern, says TRAFFIC.

A total of 654 seizures of Tiger parts ranging from skin to bones, to teeth, claws and skulls took place during this period, an average of 110 Tigers killed for trade per year or just over two per week.

89% of seizures occur outside protected areas, emphasizing the importance of anti-trafficking actions to disrupt trade chains and prevent incursions into Tiger habitat. The benefits of such analysis to enhance law enforcement efforts to protect Tigers are obvious.

"If more robust information was routinely collected, analysed and shared between countries, real inroads could be made into targeting the smuggling syndicates behind Tiger trafficking," said Natalia Pervushina, Tiger Trade Programme Leader for TRAFFIC and WWF.

The report, a joint effort by TRAFFIC and the WWF Tigers Alive Initiative, was launched today at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) meeting currently underway in Bangkok, Thailand. Later this week governments will debate efforts underway to protect Tigers and other Asian big cats.

A significant finding in the updated analysis was increased recording of seizures involving live Tigers – 61 individuals were seized in the three-year period since the last full CITES meeting took place in 2010, representing 50% of overall numbers (123) recorded since 2000. Thailand was the most significant location for interdiction of live Tiger trade (30 Tigers), followed by Lao PDR (11) and Indonesia (9) and Viet Nam (4).

"Given the low population estimates for wild tigers in Thailand, Lao PDR and Viet Nam, combined with the presence of captive Tiger facilities within these three countries, there are serious questions as to the source of these live Tigers in trade," said Nick Cox, Species Programme Manager for WWF-Greater Mekong.

Of the 13 Tiger range countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, Viet Nam), only India had kept sufficiently detailed seizure records to allow meaningful analysis to identify the 'hotspots' where Tiger trade was taking place.

Based on the information from India, five 'hotspot' locations were identified, including Delhi, while the other four were close to protected areas in different parts of the country (Uttar Pradesh, central India, West Bengal (Sundarbans) and the southern India landscape of the Western Ghats).

"The quality of the information from India allowed us to perform a spatial analysis and pinpoint the key locations where Tiger trade is taking place," said Sarah Stoner, TRAFFIC's Tiger Trade Data Specialist and author of the report. "Countries should be made to keep to their commitments under CITES to protect wild Tigers by providing robust reporting on the current situation."

Under agreements made at earlier CITES meetings, Tiger range countries have to state what action they have taken to protect Asian big cats. As of the start of the CITES meeting currently underway in Bangkok, only China, India and Thailand1 had submitted appropriate reports in compliance with a CITES requirement to do so.2

WWF and TRAFFIC are urging countries engaged in the Global Tiger Recovery Program to develop a harmonized process for reporting to the GTRP that will also fulfil the requirements of CITES with respect to Tigers.

-ENDS-

For further information contact

Dr. Richard Thomas, TRAFFIC's Global Communications Co-ordinator, Richard.thomas@traffic.org, +66 904 169 478

Notes

1 Russia also submitted a report, but not in the appropriate format.
2 CITES Resolution 12.5 (Rev. CoP15) on the Conservation of and trade in Tigers and other Appendix-I Asian big cat species.

Six cat species found in Eastern Plains Landscape

2013-02-08

Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia - Camera-trap pictures confirm the presence of six different cat species in the Eastern Plains Landscape (EPL) after the first photograph of an Asian Golden Cat was taken in December 2012. No other protected area in Cambodia can boast this many cat species and even, worldwide, this is very rare.

Camera-trapping conducted between 2008 and 2012 took pictures of Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Asian Golden Cat, Marbled Cat, Leopard Cat and Jungle Cat. This finding reminds us of the high global conservation value of the EPL. This is due to a combination of large areas of unbroken forest, a diversity of habitat types and strong law enforcement. A 7th cat species, the tiger, was last photographed in the landscape in November 2007 and is now feared extinct. However the Cambodian government is committed to tiger restoration within the landscape and in the future this beautiful felid may once again grace these forests.

For photos of all six cat species and the 2007 tiger photo, please visit our associated photo album.

Regional cooperation on Mekong River in tatters

2013-01-11

Gland, Switzerland – Ministers from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam meeting next week in the Lao city of Luang Prabang must put derailed decision-making on Mekong River mainstream dams back on track or risk sabotaging management of one of the world's great rivers, warns WWF.

Environment and water ministers had agreed in 2011 to delay a decision on building the US$3.5-billion Xayaburi dam pending further studies on its environmental impacts. This agreement was swept aside last November when Laos decided to forge ahead with construction of the controversial dam.

The 16-17 January Ministerial-level meeting of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) – an inter-governmental agency made up of representatives from the four lower Mekong countries – will put transboundary cooperation to the test and the fate of the Mekong River, vital to the livelihoods of 60 million people.

"The Xayaburi dam experiment threatens the health and productivity of the Mekong River and Delta, and could leave millions of people facing critical food insecurity," said Dr. Jian-hua Meng, WWF's Sustainable Hydropower Specialist. "Ministers must take a stand against Xayaburi-style diplomacy or it will be the dangerous precedent for the future."

Xayaburi dam is a crucial test case

As the first dam to enter the MRC's consultation process, the Xayaburi project is a crucial test case for 10 other dams proposed for the lower mainstream of the river. The MRC process requires countries to jointly review development projects proposed for the Mekong mainstream with an aim to reach consensus on whether or not they should proceed. Laos is now constructing Xayaburi dam without consensus among its neighbours or notifying the MRC.

In November last year, the MRC delivered the much anticipated concept note for a joint study aimed at filling critical data gaps and guiding sustainable development of the Mekong River, including mainstream hydropower projects. The study was requested by Ministers at the 2011 MRC meeting.

"Without the results of the study, dam development on the lower Mekong mainstream is now largely guesswork," added Dr. Meng. "A fix it as you go approach with Xayaburi dam, and throwing money at problems as they inevitably arise, is not sound engineering nor smart development."

Thai banks back dam despite severe risks

Thailand is slated to be the prime consumer of the electricity produced by Xayaburi dam, and at least four Thai banks have confirmed their interest in financing the project, despite the acute environmental and social costs, and the uncertainties surrounding the financial return of the project.

"Thailand must act responsibly and cancel its premature power purchase agreement until there is regional consensus on dams," added Dr. Meng. "And if the Thai banks do their risk assessment homework well, and value their international reputation and financial returns, they'd do well to reconsider and to pull out of this project."

WWF urges Mekong ministers to defer a decision on the dam for 10 years to ensure critical data can be gathered and a decision can be reached using sound science and analysis.

Future of MRC hangs in the balance

"If decision-making continues to occur outside of the MRC, the institution will soon lose its legitimacy and US$300 million of international donor support to the Commission will be wasted," added Dr. Meng. "Mekong countries need to stop wasting time picking apart the MRC process, and start using common sense and sound science again to reach joint decisions that are to the benefit of all."

Reviews of the dam development have identified serious gaps in data and weaknesses with the proposed fish passes for the mega dam, and confirmed the Xayaburi project will block part of the sediment flow, destabilising the river's ecosystem upon which farmers, fishers and many other economic sectors depend.

WWF advises lower Mekong countries considering hydropower projects to prioritise dams on some Mekong tributaries that are easier to assess and are considered to have a much lower impact and risk.

About the mighty Mekong

TEDxWWF talk by WWF-Greater Mekong Interim Representative, Stuart Chapman, on hydropower development on the Mekong River.

Extraordinary new species discoveries in the Greater Mekong

2012-12-18

A new bat named after its devilish appearance, a subterranean blind fish, a ruby-eyed pit viper, and a frog that sings like a bird are among the 126 species newly identified by scientists in the Greater Mekong region in 2011, and described in a new WWF report, Extra Terrestrial.

Among the ten species highlighted in the report is the aptly named Beelzebub's tube-nosed bat, a diminutive but demonic-looking creature known only from Vietnam. Beelzebub's bat, like two other tube-nosed bats discovered in 2011, depends on tropical forest for its survival and is especially vulnerable to deforestation. In just four decades, 30 per cent of the Greater Mekong's forests have disappeared.

"While the 2011 discoveries affirms the Mekong as a region of astonishing biodiversity, many new species are already struggling to survive in shrinking habitats," said Nick Cox, Manager of WWF-Greater Mekong's Species Programme. "Only by investing in nature conservation, especially protected areas, and developing greener economies, will we see these new species protected and keep alive the hope of finding other intriguing species in years to come."

A new 'walking' catfish species (Clarias gracilentus), discovered in freshwater streams on the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, can move across land using its pectoral fins to stay upright while it wiggles forward with snake-like movements. And a dazzling miniature fish (Boraras naevus), just 2cm in length, was found in southern Thailand and named after the large dark blotch on its golden body (naevus is Latin for blemish).

A pearly, rose-tinted fish from the carp family was found in the Xe Bangfai catchment, a Mekong River tributary in Central Laos that runs 7km underground through limestone karst. The cave-dwelling Bangana musaei is totally blind and was immediately assessed as vulnerable due to its restricted range.

Mekong River supports around 850 fish species

The Mekong River supports around 850 fish species and the world's most intensive inland fishery. Laos' determination to construct the Xayaburi dam on the mainstream of the Mekong River is a significant threat to the Mekong's extraordinary biodiversity and the productivity of this lifeline through Southeast Asia that supports the livelihoods of over 60 million people.

"The Mekong River supports levels of aquatic biodiversity second only to the Amazon River," added Cox. "The Xayaburi dam would prove an impassable barrier for many fish species, signalling the demise for wildlife already known and as yet undiscovered."

A new species of tree frog discovered in the high-altitude forests of northern Vietnam has a complex call that makes it sound more like a bird than a typical frog. While most male frogs attract females with repetitive croaks, Quang's tree frog spins a new tune each time. No two calls are the same, and each individual mixes clicks, whistles and chirps in a unique order.

When it comes to frogs in the genus Leptobrachium, the eyes have it. Among its more than 20 species, there is a remarkable variety of eye colouration. Leptobrachium leucops, discovered in 2011 in the wet evergreen and cloud forest in Southern Vietnam, is distinguished by its striking black and white eyes.

Staggering array of 21 reptiles

A staggering array of 21 reptiles was also newly discovered in 2011, including the ruby-eyed green pit viper (Trimeresurus rubeus) in forests near Ho Chi Minh City. This new jewel of the jungle also winds its way along the low hills of southern Vietnam and through eastern Cambodia's Langbian Plateau.

A short-tailed python species was found in a streambed in the Kyaiktiyo Wildlife Sanctuary in Myanmar. The elusive pygmy python (Python kyaiktiyo) has not been found again despite repeated surveys, so little is known of its ecology, distribution or threats. However, the 1.5 metre-long python is likely at risk from threats faced by other pythons, including habitat loss, and illegal hunting for meat, skins, and the exotic pet trade.

"Poaching for the illegal wildlife trade poses one of the greatest threats to the existence of many species across Southeast Asia," added Cox. "To tackle this threat, WWF and TRAFFIC launched a global campaign this year to increase law enforcement, impose strict deterrents and reduce demand for endangered species products."

Extra Terrestrial spotlights 10 species newly identified by science, among the 82 plants, 13 fish, 21 reptiles, 5 amphibians and 5 mammals all discovered in 2011 within the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia that spans Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the south-western Chinese province of Yunnan. Since 1997, an incredible 1,710 new species were newly described by science in the Greater Mekong.

Poaching still biggest threat to recovery of world's tiger populations

2012-11-23

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Serious gaps in protection are leaving tigers exposed to poachers, a new WWF study says, but this could be reversed if more investments are made in staff, equipment, and training programs for rangers that are working to protect the scattered populations of the endangered species in the wild.

WWF released the findings today to mark the 2nd anniversary of the historic St. Petersburg Tiger Summit, a high-level meeting hosted by the Russian Government and World Bank that saw 13 tiger range governments pledge to double wild tiger numbers from the current 3,200 to 6,000 plus by 2022 (TX2).

Covering 135 critical areas within the 12 landscapes where WWF currently supports tiger conservation, the survey found many of the sites remain poorly managed and under-resourced and therefore remain highly vulnerable to poachers.

"Poaching continues to be the single-most immediate threat to the survival of the tiger in the wild and also the greatest barrier to achieving the TX2 goal," said Mike Baltzer, leader of WWF's Tigers Alive Initiative. "If we don't work as fast as possible towards ending poaching in these places then we cannot trust that these last remaining populations of tigers, and their prey, are safe for longer term recovery of this endangered species."

The survey also shows that the same sites are in danger of becoming "paper parks", i.e.
parks that are legally protected but are not being actively managed and protected on the ground.

Although 90% of the sites surveyed are legally protected, less than half have protection-specific management plans (with the exception of Russia). Across South and Southeast Asia only 12% of sites had the full number of planned staff in place and over 50% were not trained or equipped to an adequate level.

"The report shows that while important government commitments have been made, and much action has been accelerated, we are still far from what is needed to establish the very basics of tiger recovery," Baltzer added.

Moving forward: six ways to increase tiger numbers

The survey examined six key elements related to effective management and protection against poaching: legal protection status, protection management, effective patrolling, intelligence networks, arrests and prosecutions as well as training and resources for field staff.

Investments in these areas are needed to not only achieve Zero Poaching, but to demonstrate to that the commitments made at the Summit are being actively pursued and are evident in the increased efforts to protect tigers. WWF is committed to Zero Poaching and will use the survey results to help identify gaps for future investments.

Global Tiger Recovery Program and Cards4Tigers

The 2010 Tiger Summit, governments also endorsed the Global Tiger Recovery Programme, an amalgamation of national tiger conservation actions and global targets towards meeting the TX2 goal. As a follow-up to the Tiger Summit, government officials met during the 2nd Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation conducted in Bhutan in October 2012, where they committed to taking immediate and specific action over the next year to strengthen protection.

Since the Tiger Summit, WWF has been working with governments, NGOs and private partners to find ways to improve the effectiveness of ranger patrols through the development of law enforcement monitoring systems across Asia, training teams and key stakeholders in the latest methods in patrolling, prevention and conservation. WWF is presently supporting protection field staff and rangers through the Tigers Alive Initiative's "Cards4Tigers"

For more information contact:

Chris Chaplin, Media Relations Manger, WWF International, +86 139 117 474 72, cchaplin@wwf.sg

Early nests under community protection

2012-11-13

Fourteen new nests of the rare Lesser Adjutant have been found and are being protected by local community members. This increases the number of Lesser Adjutant nests protected to 42 for the first two months of the current breeding season. Two White-shouldered Ibis nests are also under protection, indicating that both species are nesting earlier than in previous years.

Since 2008, WWF and the Forestry Administration have run a Bird Nest Protection programme in the Mekong Flooded Forest, paying local people a small daily wage to protect nests, rather than rob them for food or for the wildlife trade. In 2011, as a result of villagers' involvement, 119 chicks were fledged from four priority species, including the critically endangered White-shouldered Ibis and Red-headed Vulture, River Terns—one of Cambodia's most threatened species—and Lesser Adjutants.

Mr. Sok Ko, WWF's Bird Nest Project Officer and Forestry Administration counterpart, said that many of these nests occur within land designated as an economic land concession, and that "the protection of this species is vitally needed."

Mr. Sok Ko also mentioned that the Forestry Administration, with support from WWF, was prepared to consider designating some important nesting areas as 'bird protection zones' and excluding them from the land concession.

The Mekong Flooded Forest, a 56-km long section of the Mekong River between Kratie and Stung Treng Town, is known as a critical habitat for endangered and rare birds. However, illegal logging and land concessions threaten this biodiversity hotspot.

"To deal with this threat, we work with local authorities to increase patrolling, and disseminate forestry law to local people to make them aware that illegal logging and poaching are prohibited and that they can be fined", Sok Ko added.

Laos pushes ahead with Mekong dam and risks destroying the region's lifeblood

2012-11-06

Gland, Switzerland – The Lao government's determination to plow ahead with construction of the controversial US$3.5-billion Xayaburi hydropower dam in northern Laos puts the mighty Mekong River's spectacular biodiversity, rich fisheries and livelihoods - vital to nearly 60 million people - in grave danger, warns WWF.

Despite fierce opposition from neighbouring countries, and some concerns raised this week by delegates attending the Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM 9) in the Lao capital, Vientiane, Laos' Deputy Minister of Energy and Mining, Mr Viraphonh Viravong, announced that Laos will hold a ground-breaking ceremony at the dam site on Wednesday, 7 November. Mr. Viravong also told a group of journalists, "It [Xayaburi dam] has been assessed, it has been discussed the last two years. We have addressed most of the concerns."

Criticism of the Xayaburi project has been mounting over the past year, with concerns centred on the serious gaps in data and failures to fully account for the impacts of the dam, particularly concerning fisheries and sediment flows.

"Laos appears to be recklessly intent on forging ahead with construction before the agreed impact studies have been completed," said Dr Li Lifeng, Director of WWF's Freshwater Programme.

"If the region's governments fail now to reaffirm their concerns on Xayaburi, they risk resting the future of the Mekong on flawed analysis and gaps in critical data that could have dire consequences for millions of people living in the Mekong River basin."

In June 2010, Thailand's electricity utility, EGAT, signed an initial agreement with Ch. Karnchang to purchase over 95 per cent of the Xayaburi dam's electricity, and at least four Thai banks have expressed their interest in providing loans to the project, despite the acute environmental and social costs, and the uncertainties surrounding the financial return of the project.

"Thailand has a huge stake in the project and should not turn a blind eye to the potentially devastating consequences the project will wreak on their neighbours, and their own people," added Li. "Thailand must take responsibility and join calls to stop the dam construction and cancel its power purchase agreement until there is regional consensus to build the dam."

Laos' actions fly in the face of the decision last December by Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to delay building the dam on the Mekong mainstream pending further studies on the sustainable management of the Mekong River, including impacts from mainstream hydropower development projects. However, no timeline has yet been set for when the further studies will be completed.

Fisheries and sediment impacts

A recent review of the dam development identified uncertainties and weaknesses with the proposed fish passes, and confirmed the Xayaburi project will block part of the sediment flow and that important gaps in knowledge concerning the sediment aspects remain.

The Lao government and Ch. Karnchang agreed to spend an additional US$100 million on modifications to the dam design in an attempt to mitigate the adverse impacts, but experts warn this will fail to solve the problems given the remaining gaps in key data and science, and the clear risks associated with using unproven technologies.

"Laos expects its neighbours to trust that the clear risks associated with this project will somehow be resolved while construction moves ahead," added Li. "In pushing ahead with their Mekong dam experiment, Laos is jeopardizing the sustainability of one of the world's great river systems, and all future transboundary cooperation."

An important precedent for 10 other dams

As the first dam project to enter the Mekong River Commission's (MRC) formal consultation process, the Xayaburi project will set an important precedent for 10 other dams proposed for the lower mainstream of the river.

"The Asia-Europe meeting brought together about 50 Asian and European leaders in Laos this week under an umbrella of "Friends for Peace, Partners for Prosperity." But few voices of concern were raised about a project set to spread instability throughout the region and undermine development goals. The international community must not remain silent on Xayaburi," added Li.

WWF urges Mekong ministers to defer a decision on the dam for 10 years to ensure critical data can be gathered and a decision can be reached using sound science and analysis. WWF advises lower Mekong countries considering hydropower projects to prioritise dams on some Mekong tributaries that are easier to assess and are considered to have a much lower impact and risk.

About the mighty Mekong

TEDxWWF talk by WWF-Greater Mekong Interim Representative, Stuart Chapman, on hydropower development on the Mekong River.

Support from Local Communities Needed to Protect Endangered Mekong Dolphins

2012-10-23

Kampi, Kratie town, Cambodia – Five Cambodian fishermen representing their communities will publicly express their support for a ban on gillnet use in a ceremony highlighting the importance of the Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin.

The event organised by the Commission for Dolphin Conservation and Development of the Mekong River Dolphin Eco-tourism Zone, the Fisheries Administration and WWF is expected to attract government officials, NGO's, monks and locals and will see Cambodian fishermen commit to the protection of the critically endangered dolphin, the ceremony will also celebrate the importance of the Mekong dolphin as a national treasure .

His Excellency Touch Seang Tana, Chairman of the Commission for Dolphin Conservation and Development of the Mekong River Dolphin Eco-Tourism Zone, says that the Government recognizes the urgent need to protect the remaining population from extinction.

"The dolphins in the Mekong are sacred to the people of Cambodia and are an important source of income for communities involved in dolphin-watching tourism. The Royal Government of Cambodia promotes poverty alleviation through conservation activities," he said.

"Dear communities along the Mekong River, the Irrawaddy dolphin needs your support for its survival. Commit to protecting dolphins and do not use gillnets within their habitat," he added.

The dolphin population in the Mekong River has been declining due to human activities in the last few decades especially due to modern fishing practices. Gillnets are particularly dangerous to dolphins and could cause the extinction of this species in the Mekong in the near future.

In an effort to save the Irrawaddy dolphin, the Cambodian government issued a sub-decree in September banning the use of gillnets within the dolphin's habitat, a 180-km stretch of river between Kratie town and the Laos border.

Mr Meas Min, Chief of Koh Pdao Village, intends to inform people in his village about the ban on the use of gillnets in dolphin habitat and encourage good fishing practices outside the habitat to avoid accidental catching of dolphins.

"Villagers must be aware that using gillnets in the dolphin habitat is against the sub-decree and can cause serious danger to the remaining dolphins that we need to protect for the benefit of our future generations," he said.

The Cambodian Rural Development Team in partnership with the Cambodian Government and WWF has implemented an alternative livelihoods programme to reduce the dependence of local communities on fishery resources, in favour of activities such as aquaculture, livestock-raising, vegetable growing and community based ecotourism.

"The Royal Cambodian Government has taken a big step toward conserving this species and this is a great opportunity for stakeholders all across the country to join together to save the Mekong River dolphin – the smiling face of the Mekong," says Ms Michelle Owen, WWF's Acting Country Director.

Protecting dolphins in the Mekong River – support from the local community is needed

2012-10-23

Kampi, Kratie town, Cambodia – On 24 October 2012, five fishermen, representing their communities, will publicly express their commitment to protecting the Irrawaddy dolphin in the Mekong River as they join other community members living adjacent to the dolphin habitat in a ceremony for celebrating the importance of the Mekong dolphin as a national treasure, and disseminating information about the ban on the use of gillnets regulated by the Royal Cambodian Government's sub-decree n. 155 Or Nor Kror/Bor Kor dated 25 September 2012.

The event is organised by the Commission for Dolphin Conservation and Development of the Mekong River Dolphin Eco-tourism Zone, the Fisheries Administration and WWF, and will attract a crowd of more than 250 people from the Provincial Governor's Office, NGOs, as well as monks, teachers and students.

Globally important, critically endangered

The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin is globally important, yet critically endangered. The dolphin population in the Mekong River has been declining due to human activities in the last few decades especially due to modern fishing practices. Gillnets are particularly dangerous to dolphins and could cause the extinction of this species in the Mekong in the near future.

Through a new dolphin protected area sub-decree the Royal Cambodian Government banned the use of gillnets within the core zones of dolphin habitat over a 180-km stretch of river between Kratie town and the Laos border to prevent the accidental catching of dolphins.

His Excellency Touch Seang Tana, Chairman of the Commission for Dolphin Conservation and Development of the Mekong River Dolphin Eco-Tourism Zone, says that the Government acknowledges the value of the Mekong's dolphins as a national living treasure, and recognizes the urgent need to protect the remaining population from extinction.

"The dolphins in the Mekong are sacred to the people of Cambodia and are an important source of income for communities involved in dolphin-watching tourism. The Royal Government of Cambodia promotes poverty alleviation through conservation activities," he says.

"Dear communities along the Mekong River, the Irrawaddy dolphin needs your support for its survival. Commit to protecting dolphins and do not use gillnets within their habitat," he adds.

Mr Meas Min, Chief of Koh Pdao Village, is aware of the sub decree on dolphin protection and will inform people in his village about its importance, especially the ban of the use of gillnets in dolphin habitat. He will encourage good fishing practices outside dolphin habitat to avoid accidental catching of dolphins and will participate with fishing communities engaged in alternative livelihoods programme implemented by Cambodian Rural Development Team, in partnership with the Royal Cambodian Government and WWF.

"Villagers must be aware that using gillnets in the dolphin habitat is against the sub-decree and can cause serious danger to the remaining dolphins that we need to protect for the benefit of our future generations," he says.

Entanglement in gill nets is a major cause of Irrawaddy dolphin deaths – a ban on the use of fishing techniques that harm these rare freshwater dolphins will reduce mortality rates.

"The Royal Cambodian Government has taken a big step toward conserving this species and this is a great opportunity for stakeholders all across the country to join together to save the Mekong River dolphin – the smiling face of the Mekong," says Ms Michelle Owen, WWF's Acting Country Director.

The ceremony will unveil a signboard calling on local communities to commit to protecting dolphins by not using gillnets within dolphin habitat and will include a blessing of the dolphin and the river by Buddhist monks from Kratie province. WWF will also release a new documentary video about the current status of the Mekong dolphin and the need for support from local communities, the Cambodian people, and international partners to conserve this critically endangered population. The video is available on Youtube Khmer version, English version.

Additional information

The Commission for Dolphin Conservation and Development of the Mekong River Dolphin Eco-tourism Zone, the Fisheries Administration and WWF are implementing recommendations developed by a panel of national and international dolphin experts who met in Kratie early this year to discuss how best to conserve Mekong dolphins. The recommendations are included in the Kratie Declaration, in which the Dolphin Commission, the Fisheries Administration, and WWF agreed to work together to conserve Mekong dolphins. One of the recommendations is to minimize or eliminate gillnet related mortality through effective law enforcement and monitoring.

The sub-decree signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on 25 September 2012 includes outright bans on gill nets, fish cages and floating houses within a 180-kilometer safe zone along the Cambodian stretch of the Mekong.

Restrictions on gillnet use can create difficulties for the people who use them to feed their family and make a living. To support these people, WWF has partnered with local government and development agencies to provide alternative livelihood opportunities in communities along the Mekong to mitigate these difficulties and gain support to save the Mekong's critically endangered dolphins. These livelihoods programmes include aquaculture, livestock raising, vegetable growing and community-based eco-tourism to improve food security and generate household income. The programmes include environmental education to help ensure the sustainable use of natural resources by communities living along the Mekong River in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces.

Laos' last chance to save last 6 river dolphins

2012-09-27

Gland, Switzerland – A tiny population of six river dolphins, isolated in a deep pool in the Mekong River on the border between Laos and Cambodia, will not survive long unless Laos takes immediate action to ban gillnet fishing in the dolphin's range on their side of the border, warns WWF.

According to a new WWF report, Last chance for dolphins in Laos, more than 30 river dolphins have died since 1991 in and around the trans-boundary pool, with gillnets set by local fishers identified as the main cause. From January to April this year, WWF recorded over 100 separate gillnets in and around the deep pool area and as many as 188 on one occasion.

Cambodia recently enacted a law banning gillnet fishing in the entire pool and nearby areas on their side of the border. In Laos gillnet fishing is banned only in the deepest areas of the pool on their side of the border. While the dolphins are known to reside in the 1km² trans-boundary pool in the dry season they range more widely in the surrounding 5km² area in the wet season.

"Six river dolphins are swimming the gauntlet every day as they risk entanglement and death in the many floating walls of nets," said Gerry Ryan, Technical Advisor with WWF-Cambodia and author of the report. "Laos must immediately ban gillnets from the entire trans-boundary pool area on their side of the border, throughout the whole year, or face losing the country's last river dolphins."

Freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins are critically endangered in the Mekong River, where their numbers have dwindled to around 85 individuals restricted to a 190km stretch of the Mekong mainstream between southern Laos and north-east Cambodia.

As many as 40 - 50 dolphins are believed to have once used the trans-boundary pool, with numbers falling to around 25 in the 1990s. The six dolphins inhabiting the trans-boundary pool are now believed to be an isolated sub-population, and do not move further up or down Mekong mainstem.

While dolphin numbers are shrinking, dolphin-watching tourism to the area is booming. Last year about 20,000 tourists are estimated to have visited the trans-boundary dolphins, with dolphin-watching tours from one of the two main sites in Laos more than doubling since 2008. In Cambodia, visitors to one of the two main dolphin-watching sites have increased nearly thirty-fold since 2005.

"Dolphins are a major tourist attraction and contributor to growth," said Ryan. "Dolphin-watching tourism brings in much needed income to local communities that otherwise rely heavily on fisheries for subsistence and income. It is clear that saving the dolphins also means smart development."

The river dolphins not only bring tangible livelihood benefits, they are also an important indicator of the health and effective management of the freshwater ecosystem, and their decline in numbers may reflect a declining trend in the broader ecosystem, which is heavily relied on by local communities.

"The loss of the river dolphins would not only greatly diminish Laos' biodiversity, it would suggest a potentially devastating decline in the health of the entire river ecosystem, and likely declines in other species too," said Ryan. "If Laos loses its remaining river dolphins it risks losing so much more."

While gillnets represent the most immediate threat to the survival of the six dolphins, coordinated cross-border action is also needed to end illegal fishing and the use of explosives in the area, regulate boat traffic transiting the deep pool, and cancel the proposed large concrete pier and ramp at Anlung Cheuteal, one of Cambodia's main sites for dolphin-watching.

"The pressures on this tiny population of river dolphins are immense, but as long as they survive there is hope," said Ryan. "Urgent and strict protection efforts are needed to keep hope for the survival of this elusive icon of the Mekong River alive, without it hope will fade very fast."

For further information:

Chris Chaplin, Media Manager, WWF International, +86 13911747472, cchaplin@wwf.sg

Sarah Bladen, Communications Director, WWF-Greater Mekong, mob: +84 1224 223 760 sarah.bladen@wwfgreatermekong.org

Cambodia's rangers receive their postcards

2012-09-07

Rangers in Cambodia's Mondulkiri Protected Forest are the first to receive their postcards sent by people from all over under the WWF's Cards4tigers action.

When we launched the action on World Ranger Day on 31 July, the rangers were very happy as this was the first time ever that there was a lot of information about them – profile articles, press releases and web features – in promotional activities across Cambodia and worldwide.

"They are very excited that their work is recognised by people from across the WWF network as well as outside Cambodia," said Asnarith Tep, WWF-Cambodia's communications manager. "In response to all this, the rangers said they would double their effort to protect the tiger landscape."

WWF-Cambodia has taken to receiving the postcards for the rangers due to uncertainty in postal services to outlying areas in the country. WWF staff recently were in Mondulkiri to hand over the postcards received so far to the rangers.

Eng Mengey, WWF-Cambodia's communications officer, managed to catch up with ranger/field researcher Vong to get his reaction to receiving the postcards:

Mengey: Is there any particular postcard that you like and why?

Vong: I do like all the postcards that were sent to me and the other rangers in Cambodia's Mondulkiri Protected Forest because it means more than a postcard. It is a strong encouragement and motivation, which I have never before received from outsiders. I personally like one postcard the most because I think it was sent by a young person due to the message written, language used and the handwriting. As I noticed, most postcards were sent from older people. This postcard clearly shows that young people also care about the environment and that is positive sign for the future of conservation.

Mengey: What message has especially touched you?

Vong: "I love you because you save the animals" is the message that was written in the postcard I mentioned earlier. The message is simple, but it touches my heart. It gives me strong motivation and encouragement to work hard in this landscape. I would like to say thank you so much to all the people who have sent postcards to me and the other rangers because it is a strong encouragement and motivation to us as rangers to work hard to protect the forest and its wildlife.

Mengey: What do you think of people sending all these postcards to you?

Vong: I think it's important as they are from people who support conservation. In addition, I think that they are aware of the significance of conservation, and they would like to play an important part in conservation as well. I do hope that more people will keep sending us postcards.

We will be getting more reactions from the other rangers as soon as they are back from patrollng the field.

---------------------------------
* Cards4tigers is a WWF initiative to tell rangers that around the world, people recognize and support their hard and dangerous work in keeping wild tigers safe. With fewer than 3,200 tigers remaining in the wild, poaching still is one of the gravest threats to their survival. Rangers are critical in the fight to achieve Zero Poaching of tigers and their prey, along with stopping the illegal wildlife trade.

WWF commends new protection plan for critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins

2012-08-25

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – WWF commends the Cambodian government's recent approval of a sub-degree for critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong River, but cautions that strong efforts are still needed to save the iconic species from extinction.

"The approval of the sub-degree demonstrates Cambodia's commitment to reducing threats to rare Mekong dolphins, but to be truly effective it will need the full support of communities along the Mekong. The Dolphin Commission and the Fisheries Administration will also need strong backing from the government and international donors to support enforcement," says Ms Michelle Owen, WWF-Cambodia's Acting Country Director.

The new measures include outright bans on gill nets, fish cages and human settlements in floating houses within a 180-kilometere safe zone along the Cambodian stretch of the Mekong. While fishing will still be permitted in the area, the ban on techniques that are particularly damaging to Irrawaddy dolphins is a crucial step that will help the species bounce back.

"Entanglement in gill nets is a major contributing factor in Irrawaddy dolphin deaths – a ban on the use of fishing techniques that harm these rare freshwater dolphins will significantly reduce mortality rates, while still allowing local communities to maintain their livelihoods," said Ms Michelle Owen.

To reduce the dependence of local communities on fishery resources WWF and key partners have implemented a series of alternative livelihood programs along the Mekong River. These livelihood programs include aquaculture, livestock raising, vegetable growing, and community based ecotourism.

Irrawaddy dolphins are found throughout Southeast Asia, with riverine populations now restricted to the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar, the Mahakam River in Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), and the Mekong River in Cambodia and southern Lao PDR. Research by WWF and the Cambodian Fisheries Administration indicates that only about 85 dolphins remain in the Mekong River.

The Cambodian government has taken a big step toward conserving this species and this is a great opportunity for stakeholders all across the country to join together to save the Irrawaddy dolphin – the smiling face of the Mekong.

First postcards arrived in Cambodia for tiger rangers - one of them yours?

2012-08-10

The first postcards for rangers working at the Mondulkiri Protected Forest arrived at WWF Cambodia's office in Phnom Penh yesterday!

In all, there were 5 postcards all dated 1 August and addressed to the rangers - Lean Nhor, Hun Vanne, Si Mean and Vong. Two cards came from David, Stephanie and Sammy in Holland, and three were from Scherzade Westwood of Hong Kong.

The postcards were sent under the WWF Tigers Alive Initiative's Cards4tigers action to feature the work of rangers working in the tiger landscapes WWF is supporting. It enables people from everywhere to tell these rangers they care and thereby help to boost morale and promote the rangers' work. Cards4tigers will run till June next year. Results from the action will be used to urge tiger range governments to invest more in the rangers and therefore in better protection and enforcement of the tiger's habitat. Rangers are critical towards achieving Zero Poaching.

Similar to Indonesia, WWF Cambodia has also taken to receiving the postcards for the rangers due to uncertainty in postal services to outlying areas in the country. WWF staff will hand over the cards to the rangers on their next visit to Mondulkiri. We aim to capture this moment on film, so watch this space!

Interview with a dedicated ranger from the forest in Mondulkiri province, eastern Cambodia

2012-07-31

Usually, when imagining forest rangers you think only of enforcement activities, such as confiscating illegal timber, but in the Eastern Plains Landscape, a 16,000 square kilometer stretch of tropical dry forest in Cambodia, some of WWF's trained rangers are carrying out research. Using camera traps, line transects, and other research methodologies, these rangers are working hard to piece together an understanding of the landscape's biodiversity which, just 60 years ago, was compared to an African savannah because of its species richness.

Vong, a 25-year-old man from Mondulkiri province in the northeast of Cambodia, represents the future of conservation research in Cambodia. We sat down with Vong sheltering under a ranger outpost building, built in the traditional Khmer style, deep in Mondulkiri Protected Forest to find out more about his work.

Can you explain how you became a WWF researcher?

When I was thinking about what to study at university I sat down with my family and they suggested animal science and veterinary medicine because of my uncle, who works in the provincial department of agriculture and because Cambodia's economy is very dependent on agriculture. I didn't imagine working for WWF then or consider being a ranger.

Anyway, I went off to university and my love for wildlife grew as I learnt and I became closer to animals. Two months after graduating a job with WWF came up. I applied immediately and I got the job, I was about 22 then, and I am still here 2 and a half years later.

Your family seems to really understand you because they suggested this path to you, but how do you explain your job and why you do it to your friends?

My friends always ask me about what I am doing. I explain that we are working to conserve wildlife. Sometimes they don't understand why I would want to sleep in the forest in a hammock for a whole week. I tell them about how good it is to work with the animals and surrounded by nature.

I spend a lot of time explaining to them about why we need to conserve the animals. I tell them of the past when we used to have kouprey and many many tiger and elephants and that now the forests are quiet. I tell them about other countries, like India for example, where they have many many young researchers.

I think they are starting to understand more and so do other young people across Cambodia. I do try to educate and explain to as many young people as I can about why it is so important

You mentioned sleeping in a hammock, do you find being in the field challenging at times?

No. The challenges relate more to the difficulties I face with collecting data. Many people come into these forests for whatever reason and their presence messes with the data because they disturb the animals. When they disturb our tests or scare the animals it is very frustrating and, importantly, time consuming.

There must be something that you personally find hard?

The rainy season can be quite challenging because the roads become impossible. Very often we have to spend half a day cutting bamboo to make a bridge for crossing flooded areas. That is half a day not collecting data!

Now that I have poked a challenge out of you, what do you love about your job?

I love going into the forest and escaping the noise and I enjoy seeing animals in this good landscape, which should be full with them. Spotting the animals makes me very happy.

Finally, Vong the Eastern Plains Landscape manager, Mark Wright, has said that you are the future of conservation research in Cambodia. How does that make you feel?

(Smiling from ear to ear) It makes me feel so proud. I will try to work hard to improve myself so that I can be the future of conservation. I need to learn much more in order to make this statement true.

WWF offers roar of support for tiger rangers on World Ranger Day

2012-07-31

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - WWF marked World Ranger Day with the start of its new Cards4Tigers action, a way of extending support and appreciation to rangers working to stop wildlife crime across the world's 12 remaining tiger landscapes.

From now until June 2013, people everywhere can join WWF in telling rangers we care and support their work by sending them postcards. Visit www.panda.org/tigers/cards4tigers for more information.

"Rangers are critical in achieving Zero Poaching," said Mike Baltzer, Leader of WWF's Tigers Alive Initiative. "Yet they are not always fully appreciated for their work. Through the Cards4Tigers action, we aim to provide an easy way for people all across the world to show their support to the rangers. We intend to use the cards to show the government leaders that the world thinks the rangers need more help and resources to save wild tigers."

The Thin Green Line Foundation says 1,000 rangers have lost their lives in the line of duty over the past decade – one every four days. Meanwhile, the International Ranger Foundation reports that in the past 12 months, at least 60 rangers have died while on the job. Over half of these deaths have been classified as homicides.

Also known as forest guards, park wardens and field enforcement officers, many rangers work under harsh conditions to keep wild tigers and other animals safe. They are among the lowest paid of all government employees, and often spend significant amounts of time away from their families.

"Without these dedicated frontliners working hard to stem out poaching, tiger range countries cannot hope to achieve the TX2 goal of doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022," said Craig Bruce, WWF's Tigers Alive Initiative protection expert. "Governments must invest in the well-being of rangers and ensure they are fully equipped to fight ruthless armed poachers. Too many lives have been lost needlessly."

Often underequipped and unarmed, rangers are the first line of defense against wildlife crime. Poaching has become highly organized with armed criminal gangs, and many rangers face death threats and fear for their family's safety.

A survey undertaken by WWF in April shows that many of the protected areas tiger rangers work in do not have the resources or capacity to effectively protect tigers. For example, WWF field personnel in 41 of 63 tiger protected areas felt there were not enough protection staff available to offer the necessary coverage to achieve Zero Poaching.

In Malaysia's Royal Belum State Park, considerable poaching activity has been documented. Although occupying an area of over 1,000 km2, the park only has 17 enforcement staff. Contrasting this is protected areas such as Kaziranga Tiger Reserve in India, with approximately 800 enforcement staff for about 860 km2, they have been able to stem poaching activity.

Nepal has also seen a great deal of success in stemming wildlife crime and celebrated 2011 as a Zero Poaching year for rhinos, largely attributed to the addition of 44 new range posts across several protected areas.

This has also contributed to the increase in the wild tiger population in the country's largest park, Bardia National Park, as reported by Nepal's Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation on Global Tiger Day, 29 July 2012.

Former poacher turned wildlife protector

2012-07-31

With a hunting tally of at least 3 tigers, 4 male elephants, 60 gaurs and 50 banteng, Lean Nhor, a poacher turned ranger, feels regret. In 2000, Nhor put down his hunting gun and joined WWF as a ranger in Mondulkiri province, northeast Cambodia, working to protect the animals he once hunted.

For 12 years now Lean Nhor has been working hard with WWF to protect wildlife in the Eastern Plains of Cambodia, a vast, rich stretch of dry forest, which is part of the biggest intact dry forest block in south-east Asia. Nhor works daily to protect the forest - where tigers and elephants once freely roamed - against illegal loggers and hunters, whilst helping to monitor the health of the ecosystem. It is a challenging and dangerous job. He is driven, he said, by the thought that one day his son and daughter will be able to get to know the wildlife that was once found in abundance in the dry forest.

Nhor, 49 years old, started poaching as a soldier in 1979, the year the brutal Khmer Rouge regime was toppled. The country was poverty-stricken. He said that a lack of food in his family's bellies combined with a lack of knowledge led him to hunting. Nhor said he felt joy when he walked out of the forest, in the years of hunting that followed, with a gaur or banteng and he knew that his family would not go hungry for a while.

21 years later in a Cambodia that had gone through much change, his brother Lean Kha, who also used to poach and was a WWF ranger at the time, came to him and pleaded with his brother to stop hunting. Kha feared that his brother would be arrested under new laws that made hunting for wildlife illegal. Nhor was reluctant. He made good money from selling the meat, horns, fur and bones of different animals, which for gaur or banteng meat could fetch anything from 3000 riel, the equivalent of just under one US dollar, right up to about US$150 for the horns of males.

"I did not know it was illegal. My brother told me that we could not hunt wild animals anymore. He also told me that there was an NGO who worked to conserve the wildlife here in conjunction with the government of Cambodia. My brother asked me to stop poaching and helped me to get a job with WWF. This was in 2000."

Nhor said smiling that he loves his job despite his salary not always going as far as he would like to support his family. For the animals that he once felt nothing for, he now has great respect and feels that because of his past he can better protect them by using his sophisticated understanding of animal behaviour.

He explained that part of the reason why he loves his job so much is because of all that he has learned.

"Since working with WWF, I have been trained and educated about the significance of wildlife. I know now that the forest is everything, it can prevent flooding, prevent drought, and it provides for its people by producing resin and other non-timber forest products, which communities can collect."

The former poacher is proud of his team's work. Their commitment has contributed to a rise in the number of animals like banteng and muntjac, which are important prey species for tigers, a crucial requirement to support possible future attempts to reintroduce the majestic beast back into the landscape.

Despite his worries for the future, in an ever changing Cambodia, and his worry that their efforts will not be enough to save the dry forests, his greatest hope is that one day he will be the one to get a photo of a tiger on a camera trap.

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