In spite of three decades of conflict, Cambodia still contains many of the best remaining wildlife populations and habitats in South-East Asia. Of special interest are the Cardamom Mountains in the country’s south-west. This remote wilderness was effectively closed to the outside world until fighting ended in 1998, and is still remarkably intact.

Covering more than 2 million hectares, the Cardamom Mountains are largely dense evergreen forest, with significant areas of dry deciduous forests in the foothills. The range includes Cambodia’s highest mountains (Aural and Samkos at over 1,700 metres) and the headwaters of major rivers that provide water for the rest of Cambodia.

The first biological surveys of the Cardamom Mountains, in 1999, were led by scientists from Fauna & Flora International. And although less than 5% of the mountains have been explored to date, literally hundreds of species new to science have been discovered. The mountains also hold significant populations of many threatened species, such as the Asian Elephant, Clouded Leopard, Malayan Sun Bear, Tiger, Eld’s Deer, Green Peafowl and Siamese Crocodile. More than 70 species are on the IUCN Red List  and for many of these, the Cardamom Mountains may represent their last real hope of survival in Indochina.

Based on these preliminary surveys, the Cardamom Mountains are now considered one of the most important areas for conservation in Asia. They form a Global Biodiversity Hotspot and one of the world’s Global 200 Ecoregions. Much of the range has been awarded protection status, including the Phnom Samkos and Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuaries (3,340km² and 2,500km² respectively) and the 4,300km² Central Cardamom Protected Forest.

Up to 40,000 people live in the Cardamom Mountains region, mostly in the lowlands, and rarely venture into the central mountain area. Approximately 8% of these residents are forest-based indigenous minority peoples. These are among the poorest communities in Cambodia and suffer frequent food shortages.

Despite the global biodiversity significance of the Cardamom Mountains, pressures and threats to this wonderful landscape are increasing rapidly. Aided by the construction of several new roads into the mountains, the vast forests and commercially valuable wildlife are drawing the attention of loggers and poachers. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Environment, which has the responsibility for managing the wildlife sanctuaries, lacks adequate resources and technical capacity, and is struggling to cope. The Ministry’s total annual operational budget for managing 23 protected areas is only  about $11,500. Without significant support, the sanctuaries in the Cardamom Mountains will become nothing more than ‘paper parks’.

Field Partners

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) is the world's longest established international conservation body, founded more than 100 years ago. FFI focuses on solutions that are sustainable, are based on sound science and take account of human needs. Zoos Victoria has a Memorandum of Understanding with FFI and has supported FFI’s Cardamom Mountains program since 2006.

FFI has been working with the Cambodian Ministry since 2000 to secure funds and technical support to ensure the long-term protection of the Cardamom Mountains. On the ground, FFI and the Ministry of Environment work closely with a wide range of local partners and stakeholders, including district and provincial governments, commune councils and non-government groups.