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Cambodia's Rangers Risk Lives Protecting Environment

Malis Tum

   SREPOK WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, MONDULKIRI PROVINCE, CAMBODIA - The 20 or so
   very fit men gathered deep in the forests of northeast Cambodia at the
   Tropaing Tear Base in the Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary.

   On their uniforms, a patch richly embroidered with the map of Cambodia
   and its protected landscapes, elephants, tigers,'¯one of the national
   flowers and the Ministry of Environment logo did little to counter
   their overall don't-mess-with-us attitude.

   "I live in the forest more than my home," said Reth Phearun, a
   26-year-old ranger who commands the Chas Yang Base in the Srepok
   Wildlife Sanctuary. Half a century ago, the region rivaled the East
   African savannah for its diversity and abundance of wildlife --
   banteng, Asian elephants, Eld's deer, Indochinese tigers, leopards and
   more.

   Today, those beasts exist in critically low numbers, but the recent and
   increased protection effort "leaves hope that, at some point in the
   future" wildlife populations in the region "can be restored to their
   former glory," [1]according to the World Wildlife Fund.

   That's where'¯Reth Phearun comes in. One of six'¯rangers'¯who recently
   received awards for outstanding service, he was born in the province's
   Koh Nhek district, graduated from high school in 2013 and began his
   ranger career three years ago.

References

   1. https://www.wwf.org.kh/where_we_work_cambodia/eastern_plains_landscape/

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