Now that the rainy season is over, poachers are back at work in the Virachey National Park in Ratanakkiri province, officials said.
Vorn Chhunly, the province’s first deputy governor, said poachers are after rare animals, including tigers, and aloe trees. He said officials believe the suspects cross the border from Vietnam.
Koy Sokha, park director, said that in the past month, about 1,000 animal traps made of bicycle parts and cables were discovered about 10 km into the forest.
He said poachers are active now because it is the mating season for tigers, when the big cats are more active and less wary than usual. Earlier this month, he said, four poachers were arrested and their traps were seized. The men were warned and released.
The lack of a strong wildlife law has left authorities with few options for punishing poachers. A new, tougher law is being drafted.
Poaching has long been a problem in the 332,000-hectare park, one of Cambodia’s largest. Several months ago, a $5-million, four-year project to protect biodiversity in the park was launched.
