Ministry says Asian elephants face threat
Ministry of Environment spokesman Neth Pheaktra said the Asian elephant is being severely threatened in world sanctuaries. In Cambodia, eight elephants have recently died in wildlife sanctuaries.
Pheaktra said Asian elephants are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. World sanctuaries are being threatened and degrading habitats have separated Asian elephants and forced them to live separately.
The eight elephants that died were in the eastern part of Cambodia.
A camera installed at the Southern Cardamom National Park recently recorded four baby elephants caught in leg traps. One was trapped until it died, Pheaktra said.
“Using traps to catch animals in Cambodia’s protected areas is still a great concern and it is a danger for Asian elephants. It can cause them to sustain an injury or die. We have therefore increased patrols in 68 protected areas. About 30,000 traps have been removed and many animals were rescued,” he said.
Airavata Elephant Foundation president Chenda Clais said on November 10 that wild elephants face trapping, a lack of proper shelter and daily food in the dry season. Population growth has also fuelled the human demand for land.
Soth Koemsoeun
