Meet Sim Khmao: Saviour of the Siamese crocodile

From crops to crocs

I live in Por Beoung village, Dong Peng Commune, Srea Ambil District, Koh Kong Province. It’s a remote area located in the northern Cardamoms. I’m married and have four kids: one daughter and three sons. One child is pursuing her bachelor’s degree while the other three are still in high school. My wife is a farmer.

Before I became a Siamese crocodile warden, I was also a farmer. I grew crops and raised animals including chickens and ducks. A middleman used to come to our community to buy from us and sell in Srea Ambil District.  I started working with Fauna & Flora as a community warden in 2002 and have been doing so ever since. I decided to become a warden because I wanted to protect the Siamese crocodile from extinction and ensure its survival for future generations.

Patrol detail

I patrol four times per month, once a week. We start our work at 8 am and finish at 5 pm. Before we go patrolling, we prepare a kayak, motorcycle, SMART device, GPS, notebook and pens. During our patrols, we check for crocodile tracks and look for signs of any perpetrators who might harm the crocodiles and their habitats. The main threats to Siamese crocodiles are their low population, which increases the risk of extinction if they are not well protected, and deforestation in their habitat.

My main patrolling sites are Chhay Kampong Ta Chey, Tapeang Lapeang and Phnom Tajol. Sometimes, we need to sleep in the jungle for up to two days for distant patrolling sites. The most challenging aspect is patrolling during the rainy season. It’s very difficult to move around due to flooding.  But patrolling is my favourite part of the work because it means I can help protect not only the Siamese crocodile but also other species and all the rest of the biodiversity in the area. Besides Siamese crocodiles, I often see gaur (the world’s largest species of wild cattle) and, rarely, bears.

My life has changed since becoming a community crocodile warden. My livelihood has improved through tourists coming to our sites to see the crocodiles, allowing us to earn some income. There is also an increase in fisheries, and in addition I earn a patrolling salary from Fauna & Flora.  Other people in my community are happy with the work that I do and also help to protect this species themselves. By protecting it, they are able to earn more income through tourist visits and fisheries.

Sacred symbol of hope

There are many beliefs in our community. People show respect for the Siamese crocodile and refrain from harming this species, as it is believed that protecting and conserving crocodiles contributes to happiness and prosperity. The presence of Siamese crocodiles is often associated with thriving fish populations, biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

Every time I see crocodiles in the wild, I feel so happy and proud of our hard work to protect this species. One of the most memorable moments was earlier this year, when we found five wild crocodile nests that produced 60 hatchlings.

I believe that with great conservation efforts from all the people involved, the population of Siamese crocodiles will continue to grow in the future.