TIGER REINTRODUCTION

Tigers were last seen in Cambodia over a decade ago. The last two records of tiger are from Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary in northeastern Mondulkiri province in November 2007 and in the Cardamom Rainforest Landscape in December 2007.

After this, the big cats disappeared from view and tigers were declared functionally extinct in the country in 2016.

What is behind this sad loss of tigers? Poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. As Wildlife Alliance CEO Suwanna Gauntlett told the Guardian at the time, the tiger has “been hunted to extinction because of weak law enforcement and the government is now reacting.” Wildlife Alliance is working with government partners, including the Ministry of Environment to bring tigers back to Cambodia.

TIGER REINTRODUCTION
Tigers were last seen in Cambodia over a decade ago. The last two records of tiger are from Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary in northeastern Mondulkiri province in November 2007 and in the Cardamom Rainforest Landscape in December 2007.

After this, the big cats disappeared from view and tigers were declared functionally extinct in the country in 2016.

What is behind this sad loss of tigers? Poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. As Wildlife Alliance CEO Suwanna Gauntlett told the Guardian at the time, the tiger has “been hunted to extinction because of weak law enforcement and the government is now reacting.” Wildlife Alliance is working with government partners, including the Ministry of Environment to bring tigers back to Cambodia.

CAMBODIA TIGER ACTION PLAN

The Cambodia Tiger Action Plan (CTAP) 2011-2022 was approved by the Royal Government of Cambodia in March 2016. The CTAP is a species management plan which reflects Cambodia’s commitment to the TX2 global goal to double tigers by the year 2022.

How was the CTAP Plan made? The first critical step was recognition of the functional extinction of tigers in the country. In taking this bold step, Cambodia became the first country to recognise the 21st century national extirpation of tigers and to develop clear actions for their recovery.

The TX2 commitment was reaffirmed by Prime Minister Samdach Akka Moha Senabdeiy Techo Hun Sen in August 2017 at the Second National Forum on Protection and Conservation of Natural Resources. The Prime Minister then instructed the Ministry of Environment (MoE) to work with other relevant government agencies and conservation partners to begin detailed planning. That’s where Wildlife Alliance comes in.

We work with the government and local communities to protect one of the last unfragmented rainforests in Southeast Asia: the Cardamom Rainforest landscape. To do this, we create strategic protection plans, conduct zoning and demarcation, provide critical environmental education and support communities to develop conservation-friendly activities like community-based ecotourism.

CAMBODIA TIGER ACTION PLAN
The Cambodia Tiger Action Plan (CTAP) 2011-2022 was approved by the Royal Government of Cambodia in March 2016. The CTAP is a species management plan which reflects Cambodia’s commitment to the TX2 global goal to double tigers by the year 2022.

How was the CTAP Plan made? The first critical step was recognition of the functional extinction of tigers in the country.  In taking this bold step, Cambodia became the first country to recognise the 21st century national extirpation of tigers and to develop clear actions for their recovery.

The TX2 commitment was reaffirmed by Prime Minister Samdach Akka Moha Senabdeiy Techo Hun Sen in August 2017 at the Second National Forum on Protection and Conservation of Natural Resources. The Prime Minister then instructed the Ministry of Environment (MoE) to work with other relevant government agencies and conservation partners to begin detailed planning. That’s where Wildlife Alliance comes in.

We work with the government and local communities to protect one of the last unfragmented rainforests in Southeast Asia: the Cardamom Rainforest landscape. To do this, we create strategic protection plans, conduct zoning and demarcation, provide critical environmental education and support communities to develop conservation-friendly activities like community-based ecotourism.

WHERE WILL TIGERS BE REINTRODUCED?

Southeast Asia is at the epicenter of the global extinction crisis. But Cambodia’s Cardamom Rainforest landscape benefits from legal protection and effective law enforcement by joint MoE and Wildlife Alliance park ranger patrols.

Together, we address threats through hands-on protection of some 1.2 million hectares of dense rainforest in the Cardamoms.

WHERE WILL TIGERS BE REINTRODUCED?
Southeast Asia is at the epicenter of the global extinction crisis. But Cambodia’s Cardamom Rainforest landscape benefits from legal protection and effective law enforcement by joint MoE and Wildlife Alliance park ranger patrols.

Together, we address threats through hands-on protection of some 1.2 million hectares of dense rainforest in the Cardamoms.

Park Rangers

IMPLEMENTING TIGER REINTRODUCTION

Tigers need a large, continuous range with abundant prey and protection from hunting. The network of protected areas in the Cardamom Rainforest Landscape offer a vast expanse of forest cover, grasslands, and wetlands that are ideal for tiger reintroduction. These protected areas include the Southern Cardamom National Park, Tatai Wildlife Sanctuary and Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary.

Wildlife Alliance has a proven track record in delivering effective law enforcement and protected area management through strong government partnership.

The proposed tiger release site meets species requirements, including:

Inviolate Core Zone >2,000-km2 : created and secured*

Prey base : 3 tiger prey base surveys conducted, finding good tiger prey density

Law Enforcement: professionally equipped, trained, and supervised rangers in <4 Patrol Stations strategically situated around the Tiger Core Zone

Human-Wildlife Conflict prevention: safeguards developed

Water sources : rivers and streams are present and well distributed throughout the landscape.

Community engagement : good community support. A FPIC and Livestock Compensation Fund are planned *Within the core zone, there are zero human settlements, with the nearest 25km away.

Park Rangers

IMPLEMENTING TIGER REINTRODUCTION
Tigers need a large, continuous range with abundant prey and protection from hunting. The network of protected areas in the Cardamom Rainforest Landscape offer a vast expanse of forest cover, grasslands, and wetlands that are ideal for tiger reintroduction. These protected areas include the Southern Cardamom National Park, Tatai Wildlife Sanctuary and Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary.

Wildlife Alliance has a proven track record in delivering effective law enforcement and protected area management through strong government partnership.

The proposed tiger release site meets species requirements, including:

Inviolate Core Zone >2,000-km2 : created and secured*

Prey base : 3 tiger prey base surveys conducted, finding good tiger prey density

Law Enforcement: professionally equipped, trained, and supervised rangers in <4 Patrol Stations strategically situated around the Tiger Core Zone

Human-Wildlife Conflict prevention: safeguards developed

Water sources : rivers and streams are present and well distributed throughout the landscape.

Community engagement : good community support. A FPIC and Livestock Compensation Fund are planned *Within the core zone, there are zero human settlements, with the nearest 25km away.

CEO Dr. Suwanna Gauntlett at the Second National Forum on Protection and Conservation of Natural Resources, in August 2017. There, Dr Gauntlett requested the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s endorsement of tiger reintroduction in the Cardamom Rainforest Landscape, which was granted.

CEO Dr. Suwanna Gauntlett at the Second National Forum on Protection and Conservation of Natural Resources, in August 2017. There, Dr Gauntlett requested the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s endorsement of tiger reintroduction in the Cardamom Rainforest Landscape, which was granted.