By
Mengey Eng |
Views: 8830 | June 12, 2017
Mondulkiri (13 June 2017) – Two suspects have been sent to Mondulkiri Provincial Court after being arrested on suspicion of killing two Globally Endangered Black-shanked Douc Langur inside Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary (KSWS).
“While patrolling inside KSWS, we saw three men carrying the dead Black-shanked Douc Langurs along a track in the forest. Our team immediately arrested the suspects and filled the complaint to send to the court,” said Mr Em Tray, KSWS’s Community Patrolling Team Leader.
Black-shanked Douc Langurs (Pygathrix nigripes) are found only in Cambodia and Vietnam, with the largest known surviving population found in KSWS. Sadly, these beautiful animals are hunted for their stomachs due to a mistaken belief that they are medicinally beneficial. They are also killed for meat, and in some areas adults are killed and their babies taken for the pet trade. They are listed on IUCN Red List as Globally Endangered. Under Cambodia’s Protected Area Law, poaching endangered wildlife can result in a prison sentence of up to 5 years and a fine of 15-100 million riels.
“Illegal poaching is still occurring inside the protected area, even though KSWS rangers and community rangers are working hard to patrol the forest. Demand for bush meat for consumption and traditional medicine leads to poaching that is now threatening the survival of key species”, said Mr Tan Setha, WCS’ Technical Advisor to KSWS.
“Educating local communities is needed to encourage their participation in wildlife conservation. In addition, all Cambodian people can also play an important role in conserving our priceless wildlife from extinction by not purchasing or eating wild meat,” he added.
KSWS (formerly known as the Seima Protection Forest), is home to more than 60 animal and plant species listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List. The area is of international importance for the conservation of primates including the world’s largest known populations of Black-shanked Douc Langur and Southern Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbons, wild cats, Asian Elephants, wild cattle, and many species of birds.
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