Arya News - Camera traps captured images and video of the three species — the hog deer (Axis porcinus), large-spotted civet (Viverra megaspila) and hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) — between October 2025 and January 2026 during a camera-trap survey of the area.
PHNOM PENH – Three endangered mammal species have been recorded for the first time in the Prek Sre Ambel river’s Dong Peng Multiple Use Area in Koh Kong province, in what conservationists described as an “historic event and new source of hope” for wildlife conservation.
Camera traps captured images and video of the three species — the hog deer (Axis porcinus), large-spotted civet (Viverra megaspila) and hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) — between October 2025 and January 2026 during a camera-trap survey of the area.
The research was conducted through collaboration between the General Department of Nature Conservation and Protection at the Ministry of Environment, the Fisheries Administration under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Fishing Cat Ecological Enterprise Co Ltd (FCEE) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
A September 16 joint statement described the images as encouraging signs for the conservation of large, threatened mammals in the Indochina region.
The hog deer was rediscovered in Kratie province in 2006, making fresh evidence of the species’ presence particularly significant.
The new record of the hairy-nosed otter is also especially important, because it is among the world’s rarest otter species and is found only in Southeast Asia. Its population appears to be declining due to threats including habitat loss, pollution and illegal hunting.
The survey, conducted between October 2025 and January 2026, also captured the hairy-nosed otter, one of the world’s rarest. PHOTO: SUPPLIED/THE PHNOM PENH POST
Previous records of hairy-nosed otters in Cambodia have come from flooded forests around the Tonle Sap Lake and mangrove forests along waterways in Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary in Koh Kong province.
Populations of large-spotted civet have declined sharply worldwide. Cambodia is believed to support one of the species’ largest remaining populations, with Mondulkiri province’s Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary considered one of its last strongholds.
The discovery in the Dong Peng Multiple Use Area is particularly significant, with camera traps capturing a family group consisting of one adult female and two young. The record provides rare evidence that the species is breeding in the area.
Vanessa Herranz Muñoz, FCEE director, said the organisation’s work has focused on mangroves, upland areas and flooded forests within the Sre Ambel river system, with the aim of documenting rare species such as civets and otters.
The research is intended to increase knowledge of the area’s biodiversity and provide data to support conservation activities, she explained.
“The discovery of all three species is a source of great pride. These first records provide renewed hope for the conservation of rare and highly vulnerable mammal species facing the threat of extinction,” Muñoz said.
“The presence of these species provides further impetus to strengthen conservation efforts to protect terrestrial habitats around the Sre Ambel river system,” she added.
Chee Yoong Woo, species coordinator at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), said discovering rare and elusive species such as the hairy-nosed otter was particularly encouraging.
The record provides further evidence that Cambodia is an important global stronghold for the species, he noted.
The camera-trap survey also captured an endangered hog deer. PHOTO: SUPPLIED/THE PHNOM PENH POST
Ouk Vibol, director of the Fisheries Conservation Department at the Fisheries Administration, explained that for more than 25 years, the administration had worked closely with conservation organisations and other partners to protect the unique biodiversity of the Sre Ambel landscape.
He said the long-term commitment had contributed to the recovery and conservation of globally threatened species, including the royal turtle and Siamese crocodile, both of which are among the world’s most endangered species.
The latest mammal records further reinforce the national and international importance of the Sre Ambel wetlands and demonstrate that sustained investment in habitat protection, scientific research and strong cooperation with local communities continues to deliver meaningful conservation results, he said.
Environment ministry spokesman Khvay Atitya explained that the Dong Peng Multiple Use Area is an important coastal wetland ecosystem comprising waterways, mangrove forests, marshes and peatlands that provide habitat for important biodiversity, particularly rare species.
The recent discovery of the three endangered species reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring the survival of rare wildlife for future generations, he added.