Cambodia is host to two of the largest contiguous elephant habitats left in Asia. The Cardamom Mountains region & the Province of Mondulkiri are approximately 1 million ha of forested elephant habitat, presently undeveloped by people. While elephant population sizes are low (approximately 100 animals in each area), the potential for long term viability of large herds is extremely high, if poaching and habitat loss can be controlled. Though Cambodia has an impressive 53% forest cover, the human population growth rate of 2.7% puts the large forest areas under severe pressure to be replaced by agriculture and industry. Key government policies on land reform, relating to land tenure for small holdings, as well as guidance on human-wildife conflict mitigation are not yet in place. This leaves a chaotic set of circumstances for forest-edge communities who are unable to absorb the impacts of elephant damage.

This phase of this multi-year IEF supported elephant conservation program will conduct studies at human elephant conflict sites and provide mitigation methods to farmers such as noise systems, deterrent methods (scarecrows and hammocks with smell of perfume), chilli fences, chilli ropes, and chilli dung to demonstrate that there are many options to prevent elephants destroying crops.

Read More