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Cambodia to reintroduce tigers from abroad as tigers considered "extinct" there

Xinhua, April 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

Cambodia on Wednesday unveiled a plan to reintroduce tigers from abroad into the country's forests as the big cats have been considered "functionally extinct" in the kingdom due to poaching, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said in a statement.

Historically, Cambodia's dry forests in the Eastern Plains Landscape of far northeastern Mondulkiri province had supported diverse and abundant wildlife, including a large number of tigers; however, intensive poaching of both tigers and their prey had led to a rapid decline in the big cats, the conservation group said.

The last tiger was seen on camera trap in the Mondulkiri Protected Forest in 2007, it said.

"Today there are no longer any breeding populations of tigers left in Cambodia, and they are therefore considered functionally extinct," the WWF said.

In a bid to revive the population, the Cambodian government last month approved a plan to reintroduce the creatures into the protected forests in the province.

"This would be the world's first transnational tiger reintroduction and will be based on best practices developed from successful tiger reintroductions within India," the group said.

Keo Omaliss, director of the department of wildlife and biodiversity at the Cambodia's Forestry Administration, said Cambodia is committed to reintroducing the iconic tigers into their historical range of the Eastern Plains Landscape.

"We appreciate the support of WWF and together hope to see the tigers return to Cambodia," he said at a press conference here on Wednesday.

He added that the project needs the budget between 20 million U.S. dollars and 50 million U.S. dollars.

"At the initial stage, we want to reintroduce seven or eight tigers - two male tigers and five or six female tigers - into the forests," he said.

Chhith Sam Ath, director of WWF-Cambodia, said tigers are an iconic species and part of the country's natural heritage.

"To bring tigers back to Cambodia would be the biggest conservation feat of its kind and would support the conservation efforts of the whole landscape," he said. Endit