Monk, forest chief proclaims his love for wildlife, decries poachers
A community forest chief in Oddar Meanchey province has appealed to poachers to stop destroying wildlife and to all Cambodians to respect and love the Kingdom’s rich biodiversity.
Speaking to The Post on Monday, the Venerable Bun Saluth, head of the Sorng Rukhavorn community forest, expressed concern over the ongoing killing of wildlife in Cambodia.
Saluth said last year, he found several specimens of rare wildlife caught in illegal traps during his daily visits to the forest. The ensnared animals included four bantengs, five fallow deers and two peacocks.
Many other animals suffer a similar fate in Cambodia, he noted. At least, 10 to 20 boars are killed in this fashion every week, many of them by electric traps. Forest rangers also routinely encounter the headless bodies of bantengs, whose horns are coveted by poachers.
“My goal is to teach people to feel pity for these animals and love them instead. The Sorng Rukhavorn community forest has nearly 100 bantengs and we need to protect them so the next generation can also get to know them.
Khorn Savi
