Cambodia's department of environment is considering reintroducing tigers to the forests along the Mekong floodplain. Extirpated because of lack of prey and hunting, tigers have not been seen in Cambodia for decades. The pressures on local flora and fauna continue, with many species of deer, birds, amphibians, and even freshwater cetaceans considered critically endangered.
During a month-long expedition, biologists and conservation groups partnered with the Cambodian government to conduct a biological inventory of an important stretch of the Mekong River. The data will help guide conservation efforts and inform policy makers to create a massive wildlife reserve. Currently, the area is under imminent threat of illegal logging, poaching, and poor land management practices. Many species have been lost and others hang in the balance.
