A baby gaur was rescued by Wildlife Alliance on January 6 after being found trapped by a snare in Kampong Speu province’s Oral district.
The Ministry of Environment said that the calf had suffered injuries to its right front leg and had been sent to the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre for treatment.
According to the ministry, on January 6 members of the local community contacted the Wildlife Alliance rescue team – who work with the environment ministry’s rangers – after they discovered the trapped calf. The rescue team travelled 130km from Phnom Penh to the scene, and freed the animal.
“If we had not responded as quickly as we did, the baby gaur would have died. The trap was found at the same place where an adult male gaur was found dead in a snare in June 2021,” said a ministry social media post.
Ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra thanked the rescue team for their prompt intervention. He said Wildlife Alliance works closely with the ministry and local communities to protect wildlife and the natural resources of the Cardamom Mountain area.
He also noted the fact that local community members called the rescue team reflects that they have a deep understanding of the importance of biodiversity and wildlife conservation.
Pheaktra said the gaur is a rare and critically endangered species. Currently, there about 21,000 gaurs in the world, predominantly in India and South East Asia.
He urged the public to stop eating bushmeat, citing the need to dispel the false belief that it had health benefits. He also called on authorities to pursue legal action against wildlife crimes, with no exceptions.
