Help Stop Illegal Wildlife Trafficking

The Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team had a dynamic year in 2023, intensifying its efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade and enhance local law enforcement's capacity to enforce wildlife laws. This report highlights the Team's significant achievements during the year.

Thanks to generous support from donors, the Team accomplished the following in 2023:

• Conducted 613 operations across 70 districts in 23 provinces and the capital city of Phnom Penh.
• Confiscated or received a total of 1,345 live animals, including many from threatened species on the IUCN Red List such as pangolins, elongated tortoises, Asian giant terrapins, and black-shanked douc langurs (Critically Endangered), as well as macaques, pileated gibbons, slow lorises, silvered langurs, yellow-cheeked gibbons, green peafowls (Endangered), and great hornbills (Vulnerable).
• Seized 6,168 dead animals, 600kg of bushmeat, and 369 wildlife parts.
• Apprehended 70 suspected traders caught with evidence in their possession.
• Collected more than $14,000 USD in penalty fines.
• Reported 585 online posts illegally advertising wildlife sales to platform providers.
• Released over 500 rescued animals back into their natural habitat.

The team remains dedicated to changing attitudes and traditions regarding wildlife throughout the country. In October 2023, a surprising donation was received from a businessman: 5 pangolins and 1 juvenile yellow-checked gibbon. The businessman, owner of a fuel transportation and distribution company, revealed that the pangolins had been purchased by fuel transport drivers from various regions across the country. While this may seem like a kind act to rescue wildlife, we explained to the tycoon that it actually encourages illegal activities by hunters and traders. We emphasized to him that buying pangolins is a serious offense with legal consequences. All the animals were safely brought to the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre (PTWRC) for care and rehabilitation.

Additionally, in October, the team responded to calls from the public requesting help with wildlife rescues. A citizen of Kampong Chhnang province had caught a pangolin that had entered their house and donated it to the team. The team also received a donation of a leopard cat in Kampot province, which had escaped from a neighboring house. In November, a team was dispatched to collect a barn owl found unable to fly in Siem Reap, which was donated to the team for care.

In November, following a public report about an adult silver langur being kept in a pet shop in Phnom Penh, the team raided the shop, rescued the silver langur, and brought it to PTWRC for care. The owner of the pet shop was required to sign a non-re-offense contract with the team.

In December, following previous investigations in Kampot, the team inspected restaurants serving bushmeat. Two establishments were raided, resulting in the confiscation of 4.2kg of bushmeat (2.7kg of wild boar meat and 1.5kg of porcupine meat). Both owners were warned and required to sign a non-re-offense contract. On the same day, a partner NGO contacted the team to rescue a lesser adjutant. Villagers from Pursat province found the bird injured and sought help. The team collected the lesser adjutant and, during the rescue, learned that a nearby villager wanted to donate a green peafowl they had been raising. Both birds were brought to PTWRC for care.

Your support through GlobalGiving enables our team to promptly respond to calls for assistance from citizens nationwide, ensuring that every animal in need receives the care it deserves. Thank you for making our work possible!