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Protected Areas and Law Enforcement
In Cambodia, overexploitation of natural resources has taken a toll on our ecosystems and treasured species. Illegal activities like poaching, logging, mining and illegal fishing pose a critical threat. To protect a future where communities and nature can thrive together, we must act.
To safeguard protected areas and prevent wildlife crimes, WWF-Cambodia works closely with government ministries and their ranger teams to bolster law enforcement efforts. We recruit community members to join patrol teams supporting rangers, providing the equipment and training that they need to protect their environment. We also support the establishment of community protected areas, where people can lead the management of their own natural resources.
Our protected area law enforcement efforts take place in two priority landscapes: the Eastern Plains Landscape and the Mekong Flooded Forest. In the Eastern Plains Landscape, we focus interventions in Srepok and Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuaries, two protected areas in Mondulkiri province. In the Mekong Flooded Forest, we support river guard patrols along the Mekong Dolphin Protection and Management Zone, a 120-kilometre stretch of Irrawaddy dolphin habitat between Stung Treng to Kratie provinces. We also operate in two protected areas in Kratie province: Prek Prasob and Sambo Wildlife Sanctuaries.
Prek Prasob and Sambo Wildlife Sanctuaries
Protected area management made encouraging progress in 2024, with management improving in both Prek Prasob (PPWS) and Sambo (SBWS) Wildlife Sanctuaries according to Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool assessments. Both sanctuaries also experienced significant reductions in key threats. Logging incidents dropped sharply – by 86% in PPWS and 66% in SBWS – while land clearance also fell, particularly in SBWS by 61%. These positive trends signal that conservation measures are making an impact, and with continued collaboration across government and community partners, we can achieve further improvements.
Mekong Dolphin Protection and Management Zone
In 2024, patrol efforts by the Fisheries Administration, Cantonments, and river guards remained steady across key zones, with particular focus on the Kampi and Chroy Banteay Zone. Encouragingly, illegal fishing practices such as electric fishing and gillnet use dropped during the rainy season, though threats remained common during the dry season. In addition to nighttime patrols and targeted enforcement in hotspots, our law enforcement teams also received support from five CFis in regular monitoring and reporting on illegal fishing incidents. Now trained in the use of SMART-mobile tools, these communities play a direct role in protecting the habitats they depend on.
Srepok and Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuaries
In 2024, the Eastern Plains Landscape saw meaningful progress in collaborations for protected area management. A key meeting hosted by the Provincial Department of Environment (PDoE) sparked stronger communication and action between government leaders, sanctuary management and enforcement teams. Regular ranger meetings helped identify challenges early and keep management efforts responsive to real-time needs. Training also played a major role in strengthening law enforcement, with refresher sessions on SMART data collection tools held for 40+ patrol team members. Seventeen SMART focal points were also trained to support law enforcement teams with planning patrols, generating reports and recording data.
The above data collected in Srepok and Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuaries also includes the impact of three Mobile Law Enforcement Unit teams, which work across Mondulkiri province to combat illegal wildlife trade and timber trafficking. Working closely with local authorities, the team conducts regular patrols, market inspections and targeted operations to detect, prevent and respond to unlawful activities that threaten biodiversity.
Read our January to June 2025 Law Enforcement Report for the latest updates from our landscapes.