Project
Conserving Virachey National Park’s forest ecosystem
Fauna & Flora is working to strengthen the management of Virachey National Park, survey its biodiversity and support com...
A new camera-trap biodiversity survey in Cambodia’s Virachey National Park has helped pinpoint the most crucial habitat conservation areas for the critically endangered large-antlered muntjac, as well as other Fauna & Flora target species including the Sunda pangolin, red-shanked douc langur, sun bear, clouded leopard, green peafowl and Asian golden cat.
Virachey National Park harbours Cambodia’s only known population of large-antlered muntjac, a species unknown to science until 1994. The survey results indicate the densest locations of the species, which will now be prioritised for targeted studies to help better inform species population, range and connectivity needs.
A rare glimpse of the critically endangered large-antlered muntjac.
The survey was led by Fauna & Flora’s Cambodia team and Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment, with support from the Ratanakiri and Steung Treng Provincial Departments of Environment and local communities.
The 66 cameras deployed captured almost 2,500 separate images of wildlife, including records of 36 mammal, 21 bird and two reptile species. Of the 59 species detected, 16 are categorised as threatened on the IUCN Red List: three Critically Endangered, two Endangered and 11 Vulnerable. A further three species are Near Threatened.
Red-shanked douc langur. © Fauna & Flora
A red-shanked douc langur, caught red-legged on the forest floor.
Nocturnal snapshot of a Sunda pangolin foraging for termites.
The exquisitely marked clouded leopard investigates a scent-marking.
Asian golden cat. © Fauna & Flora
An Asian golden cat on the prowl under cover of darkness.
Green peafowl. © Fauna & Flora
A green peafowl proudly struts its stuff on camera.
Sun bear © Fauna & Flora
A sun bear caught in the act of claw-marking on a tree trunk.
The aim of the survey was to maximise encounter rates with some of Virachey’s key species, and better understand their distribution throughout the park. As one of the southwesternmost areas of the Annamites mountain range, Virachey is a vital haven for endemic flora and fauna not found elsewhere in Cambodia. Despite high levels of historical logging, it remains a key biodiversity refuge, but it is still relatively understudied.
Fauna & Flora is working with local partners and communities to strengthen the management of Virachey National Park, survey its biodiversity and support the livelihoods of local communities living near the park.
Vanny Lou, Programme Manager for Fauna & Flora in Cambodia, comments: “Virachey National Park is full of incredible species and habitats that are in vital need of protection. But, like any protected area, in order to have any positive impact for nature, people and the climate, Virachey needs to be effectively managed. This camera-trap survey has been essential for helping us to map the presence of target species across the park and will inform our conservation priorities going forward.”
In July 2023, Virachey National Park was expanded from 332,500 to 405,766 hectares, incorporating the biodiversity conservation corridor into the protected area. The survey looked at these two areas separately, and confirmed that the biodiversity corridor still contains notable levels of nature despite its more degraded state, and therefore has conservation value as an expanded area of the park. The biodiversity data has been used to inform the zonation of the whole park.
Spotted linsang
As well as helping to identify species, the survey has gone some way to outline the threats to biodiversity in the park, including the impact of domestic dogs and snaring. The camera-trap images included photographs of two threatened species with missing limbs: an Asiatic black bear and a northern pig-tailed macaque.
The survey also helped underline the value of the protected area to the local communities living closest to it. All camera records of people within the park showed them collecting non-timber forest products such as high-value malva nuts. This indicates that these areas have economic value for local communities as well as biodiversity value, a factor that needs to be considered when planning conservation actions.
“Indigenous Peoples and local communities are the most important stakeholders in our project planning and implementation,” Vanny Lou continued. “Given that local people have direct dependence on natural resources, their knowledge is essential to ensure effective biodiversity conservation outcomes that are also sustainable, as they support people too. Particularly in the expanded conservation area of the park, outreach and livelihood activities will be key.
“Fauna & Flora, along with our key consortium partners, aims to further strengthen management of the park, and to promote and diversify livelihoods of local people based on agricultural commodities and non-timber forest products that are conservation-friendly and locally beneficial, while also identifying sustainable markets for the products.”
Asiatic black bear with missing limb. © Fauna & Flora
Asiatic black bear with missing limb.
Saving Cambodia's last frontier
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