Overview of the current status of biodiversity conservation in Cambodia

Cambodia is blessed with diverse plant and animal life such as species of plants (15,000), birds (720), reptiles (240), mammals (212), freshwater fishes (1500), marine fishes (435), hard corals (24), soft corals (14), seagrass beds, and mangrove forests. This biodiversity has played a vital role in sustaining the livelihood of many Cambodians especially the poor. It provides resources of direct value when consumed or turned into marketable products. Biodiversity not only supplies food, medicines, biological control agents of pests, and other valuable raw materials but also provides important life support functions such as air and water. However, this rich biodiversity is being threatened by population growth and other factors such as pollution, habitat destruction, human settlements, deforestation, cultivation, landscape gardening and livestock grazing, poaching, egg collection, predation, accidental fisheries by-catch, as well as by illegal collection of resources for local or international markets. Twenty-six mammal species are already listed in the 2000 1UCN Red List of Threatened Animals. As more biodiversity is lost, it becomes difficult to maintain sustainable development, ensure future prosperity, and most importantly, maintain ecosystem functions that are basic to life. To mitigate the threats to biodiversity, the government has taken important steps to improve community management and good governance. There are also government policies and regulations for biodiversity management. However, their implementation is difficult because of the country's unstable political situation, lack of financial resources, and issues besetting human resources and law enforcement. Cambodia is strongly committed to develop and integrate approaches so as to effectively conserve, manage, and sustain the country's natural resources for its future generations. Thus, the country is prioritizing its research areas, strengthening its policies in biodiversity conservation, and exploring sustainable donors assistance (local and international) and robust working partnerships to support its biodiversity conservation efforts.