Kratie: The Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, has ordered the Ministry of Agriculture and Kratie Stung Treng provincial authorities to take measures to protect the lives of freshwater dolphins from danger after a series of dead dolphins due to human activities.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the bridge across the Mekong River in Kratie province on the morning of January 2, 2023, Hun Sen ordered the preparation of permanent core and non-permanent core areas of the dolphin’s habitat by placing anchor bags to prevent people from entering and fish, to protect the dolphin’s life from any danger.

Hun Sen said: "There must be good order.” The Ministry of Agriculture has to take care of the people who are in charge. The authorities have to ensure that the dolphins are not trapped or disturbed."

At the same time, the Prime Minister asked the people to participate to ensure their protection and not to go fishing in the protected area.

In the week, from December 18 to 24, three dolphins died, with the body of an adult male dolphin found floating in the river near Anlong Koh Dambang at the border between Kratie, and Stung Treng provinces. Two more were found dead floating in the water in Kratie province. The dolphins had died due to fishing nets and finish lines, these tragic and preventable deaths of healthy breeding-aged dolphins could have been avoided.

The series of deaths calls for the protection of endangered species, as a total of 29 dolphins have died in the last three years, and in 2022 a total of 11 dolphins have died.