Animal Cambodia!
More than 212 species of mammals live in Cambodia. This also includes animal species such as tigers, elephants, bears, rhinos and leopards. 720 species of birds feel at home in the forests of Cambodia and, as in many countries in Southeast Asia, butterflies show themselves in a wonderful variety in bright colors and many shapes.
Snakes? Sure, of course!
Cambodia is also home to many species of reptiles. Of the 240 species, around nine are said to be dangerous. The poisonous snakes include the cobras and the vipers. The king cobra, which can be up to five meters long, is the largest venomous snake there is. There are also several types of Kraits, which, like the cobras, belong to the poisonous snakes andwho have their home mainly in the rainforest. In Cambodia, snakes are especially popular with people as meals.
Endangered tigers
According to localtimezone.com, many animal species are threatened with extinction and this includes the tiger. Many tigers were hunted and killed, especially in the 1990s. The number of tigers hunted has now declined, simply because not as many tigers have survived. Because there are so few, you don’t really know how many tigers live in Cambodia. And the remaining stocks are threatened by poachers.
In and on the water
In the Tonle Sap area in particular, many animals live in and around the water, including many water birds. The lake is very rich in fish, many people find their income from fishing. There should be 850 species of fish. The Irrawaddy Dolphin lives in the Mekong River on the border between Laos and Cambodia. It is between 2.30 and 2.70 meters long. In most countries it is under protection.
What is a sun bear?
The Kouprey, that is a wild cattle, is also under protection. It is now one of the most endangered animal species in the world.
This also applies to the sun bear. This is a small bear that is only 140 centimeters long and 70 centimeters high. This makes him the smallest bear in the world. He is also called a sun bear.
The population of Siamese crocodiles has been significantly reduced by poachers.
What kinds of trees are there in Cambodia?
Trees up to 20 meters high grow in the mountains above 700 meters. Tropical rainforest can also be found in Cambodia. In the lowlands there are arable land that is used for agriculture. On the coast you will find mangrove forests. Exotic tree species such as ebony and rosewood can also be discovered in Cambodia.
A very special tree is the kapok tree, which is also called the wool tree. It can be huge, namely up to 75 meters high, and is one of the largest trees that can grow in tropical rainforests.
Bamboo and lotus flowers
In addition to rice, bamboo is also grown as a useful plant in Cambodia, from which, for example, building materials can be made. Coconut and sugar palms also grow in Cambodia. Lotus flowers that bloom beautifully can be seen on ponds and small lakes.
Deforestation
Cambodia has a big problem with the deforestation of the forests. In the 1980s in particular, far too many trees were felled, so that the wood stocks fell sharply. Much of the cut wood is transported to Vietnam. In many of our gardens, for example, there is furniture made from wood from Cambodia. The consequences of this logging are often bad for the environment because the waters are silting up. The Mekong, the longest river in Southeast Asia, is also often dammed in China, which means that less water can flow and, in the end, the important groundwater level sinks.
Threat despite nature reserve
But it has also been recognized in Cambodia that it is not possible without nature conservation. In Cambodia, for example, as the first country in Southeast Asia, a nature reserve was established around the temple complex of Angkor. That was even back in 1925.
The number of nature reserves continued to rise, but unfortunately the protection of animals and plants cannot always be guaranteed. People’s greed and corruption make it difficult to monitor compliance with the law.
