As the official content partner of WWF International, Love Nature is today helping make a difference to the great work the charity undertakes by donating toward a new WWF training programme for wildlife rangers at the Serepok Wildlife Sanctuary and Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary in north eastern Cambodia.
The two sanctuaries are part of the country’s eastern plains landscape, home to six cat species, an Asian elephant population, the world’s largest banteng population and the critically endangered giant and white-shouldered ibis as well as lesser and possibly greater adjutant. WWF has been supporting the royal government of Cambodia in saving this beautiful landscape through research, anti-poaching support, education programmes and community livelihood projects.
There are currently 60 rangers from the Ministry of Environment, police and communities responsible for protecting the vast wilderness of these sanctuaries. However, as poachers become increasingly professionalized and armed, the rangers require extensive training on anti-poaching and patrol tactics to effectively address the growing threat.
Under the new programme, joint training based on international guidelines designed by the International Ranger Federation and the Global Tiger Forum will be organised with Cambodian trainers and the Southern African Wildlife College.
The sessions will cover topics like field craft, patrolling tactics, navigation, crime scene investigation, wildlife law, wildlife monitoring, raid, search, mapping, arrest and detention. Additional lessons will be provided on enforcement and the judicial process with the help of local prosecutors.
Training will be conducted during the dry season (January-March) so make sure to keep an eye out for updates around that time on the incredible work WWF International is doing to help stop poaching from destroying one of Southeast Asia’s most valuable ecosystems.