PHNOM PENH: After the first phase of the zero trap campaign was successfully completed in October 2022, the Ministry of Environment has organized the campaigns second phase, which will be implemented in five provinces from March to July 2023.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, 2 March 2023, Secretary of State and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Neth Pheaktra, confirmed that the second phase of the Zero Trap Campaign will start from 3 March and will run until July 2023, implemented in five provinces: Kampong Speu, Pursat, Koh Kong, Battambang and Pailin.
He said that the second phase of campaign aims to contribute to the protection of wildlife and the reduction of threats that wildlife face in Cambodia's natural forests, which will also provide significant benefits to ecotourism.
He added that the Zero Trap Campaign has been consistently implemented in Cambodia’s protected areas with many different activities organized under the campaign, and different forms of media used to disseminate information to stakeholders and the general public, especially those living near and around the protected areas, on the consequences of trapping and hunting, for both humans and wildlife resources.
Secretary of State Neth Pheaktra stressed that the Zero Trap Campaign has four main goals: 1) Supporting the collection of resources to strengthen the protection and conservation of natural resources; 2. Preventing illegal wildlife trade, especially the trade of wild meat, which can potentially spread diseases; 3. Strengthening law enforcement and local economic development in order to reduce the number of traps in protected areas; and 4. Changing the attitude of the public, especially those who eat wild meat believing it is good for health and can cure diseases, so that people give up such ideas and turn to protection and conservation of wildlife.
The Wildlife Alliance has said that the Zero Trap Campaign in Cambodia’s Protected Areas, initiated and led by the Ministry of Environment in March 2022, with the participation of international organizations, successfully raised public awareness, particularly on the risks the wild meat trade poses for personal and public health.
Through the first phase of the Zero Trap Campaign, 52 restaurants in six target provinces declared they would stop selling and serving wild meat. These restaurants were awarded by the Ministry of Environment for their commitment and participation in stopping the illegal wildlife trade.