KRATIE: About 70 rare and endangered deer have been spotted by scientists in the grasslands of the Mekong landscape in Kratie province, in images caught by camera traps and thermal drone surveys.

The observation of 70 rare hog deer was announced by the Ministry of Environment on Monday, 2 May. The images of the deer were obtained through photographic evidence from camera traps and thermal drone surveys, which showed the presence of multiple fawns, indicating that reproduction is taking place in the area.

The research program was carried out by wildlife research experts from the Kratie Provincial Department of Environment and WWF, with technical support from the Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation NPO team, Thermal DRONES GmbH, as well as by the local community and local authorities. The deer were spotted in a wildlife sanctuary under the management of the Ministry of Environment with WWF support. Additionally, the Ministry of Environment and WWF have stated that they are preparing a report on the status of the hog deer population in Cambodia, which will soon be released.

The hog deer is listed on the IUCN Red List as a globally endangered species. Once thought to be extinct in Cambodia, scientists rediscovered the species in 2006 in Kratie province. The hog deer are still, however, threatened by habitat loss, poaching and a snaring crisis that is fueled by the illegal wildlife trade.

To save the hog deer and other globally important species in Cambodia from poaching and snaring, the "Zero-Snaring in Cambodia Protected Areas" campaign was created and officially launched earlier in March 2022, with the aim of eliminating all types of wildlife traps and ending the illegal wildlife trade.