July 25, 2024
PHNOM PENH – A landmark event in wildlife conservation took place on July 19, with the inauguration of the expanded Koh Kong Reptile Conservation Centre (KKRCC) and the release of 20 critically endangered Southern River Terrapins (Batagur affinis) – known locally as the royal turtle – into the Sre Ambel River, according to a July 19 press release from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cambodia.
The occasion was attended by prominent figures including Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Mithona Phouthorng, governor of Koh Kong province.
According to the release, the KKRCC, located in Toul Koki commune in the province’s Mondul Seima district, is an important facility dedicated to the conservation of the royal turtle and Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis).
Initially established as a small centre in 2002 following the discovery of the first royal turtle nest along the Sre Ambel River, the facility has since expanded and relocated to its current 8.9-hectare site in 2016. The centre’s ongoing upgrades have been made possible through the support of generous donors, significantly boosting its capacity to rear and breed these endangered species.
Alistair Mould, country programme director for WCS Cambodia, emphasised the importance of the centre’s efforts.
“All released turtles have been implanted with a distinctive microchip for future identification. Twelve of the 20 turtles were attached with acoustic transmitters at the rear carapace, allowing the project personnel to monitor and track their movements, survivorship and habitat utilisation,” he was quoted as saying in the press release.
“[This year] marks an incredible result in the success of this reintroduction programme, where the project team has identified the first ever nest from a reintroduced female. These nests consisted of approximately 28 eggs resulting in 26 successful hatchlings,” he added.
The turtles released were collected from wild nests along the river between 2015 and 2020 and have been reared at the centre for over a decade. This marks the tenth release of royal turtles into their natural habitat since 2015, bringing the total number returned to the wild to 206.
Ouk Vibol, director of the Fisheries Administration’s (FiA) fisheries conservation department, expressed his gratitude for the collaborative efforts in conserving the species.
“We highly appreciate the participation of local authorities, communities and the WCS team who have been working together to conserve this [turtle] so that they can persist in natural water bodies,” he said.
“All stakeholders should continue their efforts to conserve the threatened species, and those who still trade protected species will face legal action,” he stressed.
The Southern River Terrapin, listed as critically endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, is among the world’s 25 most endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles, said the release.
Designated as the country’s National Reptile by a royal decree in 2005, the species was believed to be extinct in the country until a small population was rediscovered in 2000. Since then, the WCS and the FiA have been working tirelessly to protect and revive the population through various conservation activities.
Sonja Luz, CEO of Mandai Nature, noted, “Witnessing another release of the [turtles] back into their natural habitat also signifies the continued success of the collective and committed efforts by local authorities and communities which has played a pivotal role in conservation efforts.”
“Mandai Nature reaffirms its commitment to working with our dedicated partners to achieve a common goal of saving this beautiful species from extinction and ensuring it can thrive in the wild,” she added.
The release added that the threats to the survival of the royal turtle include illegal fishing, habitat loss due to land grabbing and the clearance of riparian forests.