Rescued Yellow-Cheeked Gibbon at PTWRC
The primary purpose of Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center (PTWRC) is to provide rescued wildlife with a safe and happy home to recover. PTWRC currently rehabilitates and cares for different species of primates such as gibbons, lorises, langurs, and macaques. Several of these species are classified by IUCN as Near Threatened, Vulnerable, or Endangered and all have decreasing population trends in the wild. In Cambodia, 9 out of the 10 primate species are either Endangered or Threatened. Primate populations in Cambodia continue to dwindle due to habitat destruction and hunting. Unless we get the local communities actively engaged in protecting them, we are sure to lose these primates forever.
PTWRC has incredible educational potential; it offers the opportunity for visitors to develop meaningful connections with animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, which ultimately inspires them to create a better future for wildlife. With around 300,000 visitors every year, the Rescue Center is an ideal outlet to increase awareness of the illegal wildlife trade and be Cambodia’s leading center for conservation education.
Wildlife Alliance is working to increase the outreach and educational component of the Center by constructing interactive and engaging Conservation Centers. The Primate Conservation Center will engage visitors in the unique life of Cambodian primates and the circumstances that brought them to the Center, informing them of the consequences of illegal hunting and the trade in wildlife, and what they can do to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat for the next generation. Visual and interactive educational materials will be shown in Khmer and English to maximize impact among diverse visitors.
Help construct Cambodia’s first Primate Conservation Center – $6,000 is needed to cover construction and $3,000 to provide education materials. Your gift will provide invaluable education to thousands of visitors each year, and promote the long term conservation of some of the most threatened primates in the world.
