Poachers have set hidden explosives in a national park in the northeast to kill tigers to obtain bones to be sold abroad, officials said Tuesday.
Park rangers and villagers spotted the illegal activity earlier this month in the 332,500-hectare Virachey National Park in Ratanakkiri and Stung Treng provinces, officials said.
Ratanakkiri Governor Kep Chuk Tema said Tuesday that provincial authorities have been assigned to investigate the illegal activity
“It is a very important and urgent issue that we have to take tough measures against,” he said.
Tiger bones fetch high prices for use in traditional medicine.
It is unclear how many tigers are left in Cambodia. As part of a worldwide campaign, an international environmental conservation group is scheduled to come to Cambodia this spring to help officials protect its remaining tigers. It is unknown how many tigers are left in Cambodia.
Also worrisome is that there are no warning signs marking where the crude homemade land mines are laid in the forest, meaning humans also could be in danger, environmental officials said. In the past, explosives were marked with danger signs, so villagers could avoid them.
In Phnom Penh, acting Conservation Director Chay Samith said that he will forward letters to the governors in Stung Treng and Ratanakkiri requesting that they take strong action against the poachers.
