Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
|
 |
|
Sovannara, H. , The cambodian batagur baska project. Paper presented at Turtle Survival Alliance 2007 Annual Meeting.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (01 Jan 2009 23:10:45 UTC) |
| Resource type: Proceedings Article BibTeX citation key: Sovannara2007 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Batagur, Batagur baska, Geoemydidae, Habitat = habitat, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises, Südasien = Southern Asia Creators: Sovannara Collection: Turtle Survival Alliance 2007 Annual Meeting |
Views: 1/562
Views index: 10% Popularity index: 2.5% |
| Abstract |
|
In 2000, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) re-discovered a population of River Terrapin (Batagur baska) in the Sre Ambel area of Cambodia’s coastal region. The River Terrapin is classified as Critically Endangered throughout its range and was thought to be extinct in Indochina. Further research found animals being traded, identified suitable habitat and nesting turtles. Since 2001, the Fisheries Administration (FiA) and WCS have worked with communities in the Sre Ambel area to conserve the River terrapin by implementing a variety of conservation interventions, in particular through guarding nesting beaches and adjoining sections of river throughout the nesting and incubation seasons. Other activities have included releases of hatchling River Terrapins, patrols along the remainder of the River Terrapin’s habitat, and education and awareness activities in local communities. In the Batagur baska project there are conservation workers along both rivers; three people work along the Sre Ambel River and four people work along Kaong River. Both groups are under a coordinator (Mr. Yen That) from the Sre Ambel Fisheries, Koh Kong province. During the nesting season, the conservation teams go up the rivers to locate nests and make enclosures for protection from predators. The number of nests, eggs and hatchlings has fluctuated over the past five years. Table 1 shows the number of nests, eggs and hatchlings found between the years 2002 and 2007. Each year, between 45 and 78 eggs have been recorded, producing between 31 and 59 hatchlings. Table 1 River Terrapin (Batagur baska) nests, eggs and hatchlings recorded between 2002 and 2007 Year Nests Eggs Hatchlings 2002-2003 6 68 31 2003-2004 7 78 59 2004-2005 3 45 37 2005-2006 4 74 47 2006-2007 3 63 Not hatched yet Education Awareness We have also done a lot of education activities with local people and school children along the rivers. The activities relevant to education were as follows: # Placed bill boards about protecting Batagur baska along the rivers; # Produced school exercise books for local school children, with covers that show a photo and provide information about Batagur baska; # Produced a 30min Batagur baska conservation documentary, shown on national television; # Performed a release ceremony of Batagur baska with H.E. Nao Thuok (the General Director of the Fisheries), Mr. Joe Walston (the Country program Director of WCS), local officials, villagers and school kids. # Visited all local school gave talks about project activities, conservation and importance of this species. # A monitoring program was set up to check all activities of fishermen operating on the rivers, to stop them actively hunting this species and to educate to them on the new fisheries law and turtle protection. A conservation speedboat has been used for these activities along both rivers and the estuary. A head-start program for keeping hatchlings has just started for the 47 hatchlings that were collected last year. Some will be released back into the river this year. Research A PhD project researching the population of B. baska was conducted by Rohad Halloway in March 2006. Rohad’s used mark and recapture techniques and a local livelihood analysis as part of the research. Rohan Holloway obtained funding from the Institute of Applied Ecology at the University of Canberra to carry out his survey in conjunction with WCS. The local survey company, Crossroads, was hired to conduct interviews with local people. Rohan completed his field research in Cambodia in June 2006, and undertook comparison work with the Batagur populations in Malaysia until December 2006. Kate McMahon, Heng Sovannara and two university students carried out specific education evaluation surveys with locals, including school children in Sre Ambel town and children in the villages along the rivers. Observations of the effectiveness of current education methods were made as well as land use and developments along rivers. The locally employed conservation team was interviewed in detail about threats to Batagur baska. The results of the survey will help redefine educational needs and appropriate methods, as well as provide an up to date threat assessment. Problems and Constraints nbsp;nbsp;The problems facing the survival of the Batagur baska are about to be explored in depth by means of a current threat assessment. However, it is assumed that the following are still problems: # The most significant problem in the area is the poor livelihood standards and lack of education of the local villagers, all of whom are dependent on the rivers for fish and other forms of wildlife. # Particularly in upstream areas, there are still some problems with people using illegal fishing methods such as bomb and electro-fishing; these are mostly people from outside the local communities. # New migrants over the bridge along Kaong river are clearing land # Land on the Kaong River near the main nesting beach has been purchased by a developer from Phnom Penh. The developer has cleared the land and built a small scale resort including a few bungalows and primary school on the river. # The impacts of the land clearing by plantation company, Cam Agra, include increasing river turbidity that may affect hatchling and sub-adult survival. # Some poachers from outside areas have been carrying out small scale logging and hunting of long-tailed macaques # New agreement from the Government has allowed a Thai company to plant sugar cane on land owned by the millionaire Mong Rithy Concerned legal agencies In response to the need for monitoring and enforcing legal protection of wildlife, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has authorized two Administrations under the Fisheries Administration, one responsible for aquatic fauna and flora, and the other responsible for terrestrial fauna and flora. National regulations So far Cambodia has a law prohibiting the serving of wild meat in restaurants. If such food is found, the restaurant’s owner will be punished or heavily fined according to national proclamations, declaration and letter. Those regulations are: # Proclamation No. 359 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on the identification list of the nationally threatened wildlife species for which shooting is prohibited. This proclamation was signed and came into force on 1st August 1994. # Proclamation No. 1563/533 of the Co-Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Environment on prevention and protection of all wildlife in Cambodia. This proclamation was signed by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Minister of Environment and came into force on 20th September 1996. # Declaration No. 3837 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on prohibited trade of wildlife in Cambodia. This declaration was signed on 14th August 2001. # Letter No. 033 of the Department of Fisheries and Cambodian CITES Scientific Authority for fisheries and aquatic animals to the CITES Management Authority for Cambodia on prohibition of the reptile trade in Cambodia. This letter was signed on 14th November 2000. # The FiA has also listed 28 marine species in the new fisheries law reform as endangered species (Chapter No. 5, Fisheries Protection and Conservation, article 22). The Kingdom of Cambodia has also taken this species as the National symbol, singed by King of Cambodia on March 2005.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich |