The Chhay Reap Community Crocodile Wardens of the Southern Cardamoms National Park have been selected as a winner of the inaugural 2021 IUCN WCPA International Ranger Awards. The awards recognise teams and individuals that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to protecting wildlife and supporting local communities. The Community Crocodile Wardens, from Koh Kong province, were one of two ranger teams in the world to receive the award.
The wardens patrol remote areas of the Cardamom Mountains for days at a time to remove and report threats and to monitor Siamese crocodile populations. Once widespread across Southeast Asia, Siamese crocodiles are now critically endangered with fewer than 300 individuals surviving in Cambodia. They were thought to be extinct in the wild until Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the Cambodian government rediscovered the species in early 2000. Habitat destruction and fishing gear still threaten the crocodile and the protection of the species could not be achieved without the tireless dedication of the community wardens.
Pablo Sinovas, Flagship Species Manager at Fauna & FIora International, said: “We are proud of our partners, the Community Crocodile Wardens, for winning the IUCN WCPA International Ranger Award. They have been instrumental in securing key habitats and in stabilizing the population of Siamese crocodiles, representing a role model of community-led conservation.”
In addition to conserving one of Cambodia’s most charismatic species, through their patrols, the community wardens are also protecting a multitude of other important species in Cambodia including pileated gibbons, smooth coated otters and clouded leopards.
Full citation of all winners on IUCN website:
Video of the Chhay Reap Community Crocodile Wardens:
For further information please contact:
Charlie Cooper (Media Relations Manager, Fauna & Flora International)
Tel: +44 (0)7988 774811
Email: [email protected]
About Fauna & Flora International (FFI) (www.fauna-flora.org)
FFI protects threatened species and ecosystems worldwide, choosing solutions that are sustainable, based on sound science and that enhance human well-being. Operating in more than 40 countries worldwide, FFI saves species from extinction and habitats from destruction, while improving the livelihoods of local people. Founded in 1903, FFI is the world’s longest established international wildlife conservation organisation and a registered charity
