The Jahoo Gibbon Camp, a community-managed ecotourism project operated by the indigenous Bunong people in Mondulkiri province, has won the inaugural EXO Foundation Sustainability Award.

This recognition highlights Jahoo’s ongoing efforts to establish itself as a world-class destination for conservation and ecotourism, the only one of its kind in Cambodia.

The announcement was made on December 5 by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cambodia and its partner the Ministry of Environment, who expressed their congratulations to Jahoo for winning the “Planet – Non-Profit/Social Enterprise” category. 

The award includes a $7,000 prize, acknowledging their dedication to sustainability and innovative tourism concepts. The EXO Foundation is a non-profit organisation supporting grassroots projects in Southeast Asia.

In addition to this achievement, Jahoo also received the highest number of votes for the “People’s Choice” award under the category of “Planet”, with 441 votes from across the globe. 

WCS country director Alistair Mould​ said that their joint efforts have paid off, and expressed excitement about Jahoo being selected as a winner.

“Through these awards, we believe more tourists will come to Jahoo to experience the gibbon trail walk, in turn directly benefiting forest conservation activities by the Andong Kraloeng indigenous community,” he said. 

He highlighted that the globally endangered yellow-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus gabriellae) are the main attraction for tourists, and as such, habitat protection and their welfare are both key in determining the long-term success and sustainability of the ecotourism initiative. 

The announcement of winners coincides with WCS’s celebration of 25 years in Cambodia. The organisation shared the award-winning news with all stakeholders supporting Jahoo, expressing gratitude for their contributions.

WCS extended its thanks to the Andong Kraloeng Indigenous Community Committee (ICC) for their stewardship and commended the Jahoo team for their daily efforts in transforming the site into a world-class venue for conservation and ecotourism in Cambodia.

It also acknowledged the vital, long-standing support of the ministry, USAID Cambodia, the Keo Seima REDD+ project and World Hope International (WHI), whose initiatives have significantly contributed to Jahoo’s success.

Khvay Atitya, undersecretary of state and spokesperson for the ministry, highlighted the importance of establishing community-protected areas. He said these efforts promote community livelihoods, natural resource conservation and the preservation of indigenous cultural traditions.

“These protected areas improve livelihoods for residents. We provide training and support to help communities establish and manage ecotourism projects, which are part of our green tourism goals,” he explained. 

He added that initiatives include livestock breeding, vegetable farming and community committee formation, enabling locals to manage and protect their areas independently.

This initiative is enabling communities to transition from forest dependency to tourism-based services within their preserved community forests, safeguarding natural resources for future generations.

Currently, the country hosts 193 community-protected areas spanning over 330,000 hectares across 15 provinces, involving 73,149 households.

WCS highlighted that approximately 1,129 yellow-cheeked crested gibbons have been recorded in the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, reflecting a stable and positively trending population over the past 12 years.

The Jahoo Gibbon Camp, situated in Andong Kraloeng village, Sen Monorom commune in the province’s O’Raing district, expanded its protected area by 445.5 hectares in early 2024, bringing the total habitat to 691.3 hectares. According to the USAID Morodok Baitang Project, efforts are underway to expand the gibbon habitat to 1,000 hectares by the end of the year.