Cambodia      PDF  | Print |  Email

cambodia_flagBiodiversity Resources

  • 123 mammal species
  • 545 bird species
  • 88 reptile species
  • 2,300 species of vascular plants
  • 435 fish species from 97 families
  • 24 species of hard coral
  • 14 species of soft coral

23 Protected Areas

  • National Parks:  7
  • Wildlife Sanctuaries:  10
  • Landscape Protected Areas:  3
  • Multi-Use Protected Areas:  3

Species on the IUCN Red List

  • 39 mammal species
  • 36 bird species
  • 15 reptile species
  • 38 plant species

Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)

  • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - 1995
  • Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) - 1997
  • Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) - 1999
  • World Heritage Convention (WHC) - 1991
  • Cartagena Protocol on Bio-Safety - 2003

Description

Cambodia has a total land area of 181,035 sq. km. and is dominated by low land along the Mekong River and Tonlé Sap Lake, and three mountain regions in the Southwest, North and Northeast.


Of all the habitats in the country, forests have perhaps suffered the most from mass extraction. More and more forests have been cleared for agricultural land, fuel wood, housing, infrastructure and commercial logging. Forest area declined from 73% before the 1960s to 58% of land area by 2000 and some sources even put it significantly lower. The Government addressed these problems by canceling logging concessions, curbing illegal logging, seizing equipment and illegally harvested logs, and closing illegal sawmills.  Similarly, mangroves in coastal areas declined as these were cleared for charcoal and aquaculture. Coral reefs and seagrass beds also deteriorated due to destructive fishing practices.



Protected Areas

In 1993, 23 protected areas covering 3.3 million ha equivalent to more than 18% of the country’s territory had been designated and categorized as National Parks (742,250 ha); Wildlife Sanctuaries (2,030,000 ha); Protected Landscapes (9,700 ha) and Multiple Use Management Areas (403,950 ha). Of all the PAs, three cover mixed terrestrial and coastal habitats, one includes terrestrial, coastal and near-shore marine waters and islands, one covers inland wetlands (316,250 ha) and seven are transboundary PAs. Marine habitats remain poorly represented in the current PA system. In addition, ten Forest PAs covering 1.49 million ha have been established.

Endemic species include the Kouprey (Bos sauvelii), a rare wild ox, and the “Khting sipu” (Pseudonovibos spiralis).  The most important wetland area in the country is Tonle Sap, which supports at least 115 species of plants and 850 species of fish.  The wetland is also an important wintering and breeding ground for migratory birds, including the Eastern sarus crane, great adjutant and Asiatic black stork.

 

 

Sources:

  • Hong, Daravuth.  2007.  Country Report on Cambodia’s Protected Areas.  2nd ASEAN Heritage Parks Conference. Sabah, Malaysia.
  • Cambodia:  Third National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity.  2006.