Healthy habitats and wildlife are vital for a healthy Cambodia, providing the food, medicine and livelihoods needed to thrive. However, unsustainable practices threaten these resources. WWF’s research and monitoring teams provide insights on key species to inform our conservation strategies with the latest scientific practices. 

Our efforts primarily focus on endangered keystone species, such as the Asian elephant in the Eastern Plains Landscape, or threatened indicator species, such as the Irrawaddy dolphin in the Mekong Flooded Forest. Other species of focus include the white-shouldered ibis, the river tern, hog deer, Siamese crocodile, Indochinese leopard, banteng and three critically endangered vulture species.

In 2024, glimpses of rare species and positive population trends gave us hope for wildlife’s future. 

• 9 dolphin calves were born.
• 311 white-shouldered ibises were recorded in our annual census, indicating a 23% increase in population size from only 252 individuals in 2021. This population contributes significantly to the national population of 752 birds.
• 71 river terns were recorded in 2024, suggesting a stable population.
• 2 white-shouldered ibis chicks were discovered in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, the first hatchlings that WWF-Cambodia has ever recorded in the area.
• 2 Siamese crocodile hatchlings, accompanied by their adult mother, were discovered along the Srepok River in November 2024. 
• 49 white shouldered ibis nests, 47 river tern nests, 43 lesser adjutant nests, one vulture nest and one giant ibis nest were safeguarded through our bird nest monitoring programme… that’s 80 white-shouldered ibis chicks, 61 river tern chicks, 77 lesser adjutant chicks, one vulture chick and one giant ibis chick’s homes protected!
• 117 distinct fish taxa – representing 12 orders, 30 families, 72 genera and 80 species – were detected during our Mekong freshwater eDNA survey between Cambodia’s Kratie town and the Lao border.