The zero snaring campaign carried out the Ministry of Environment and partners organisations or more than a year was estimated to have reached more than 14 million people, as the government and its partners remain determined to end snaring and trapping in the Kingdom’s forests.
The ministry hosted an August 3 meeting to review the outcome of the campaign, which kicked off in March 2022 and ended in June this year. A total of 12 towns and districts in the provinces of Stung Treng, Preah Vihear, Kratie, Mondulkiri, Kampong Thom, Ratanakkiri, Pursat, Kampong Speu, Koh Kong, Siem Reap, Battambang and Pailin were targeted.
Along with the goal of ending snaring and the wildlife trade, it also sought to change people’s mindsets when it came to the consumption of bushmeat.
Ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra thanked all relevant stakeholders for joining the campaign.
“As a result of your efforts, the zero snaring campaign reached more than 14 million people. It was spread via the media, as well as through direct activities. Information was also shared widely by local authorities and partner NGOs,” he told the August 3 meeting.
A report on the campaign claimed that more than 10,000 people had taken direct roles in the campaign, while more than 1,000 articles had appeared in the media, reaching over five million people. In addition, seven million people received messages through their mobile phones.
It explained that in 2022, more than 34,000 snares were removed from protected areas across the country, a drop of 44 per cent when compared to 2021, when 61,611 snares were found and removed. In the first six months of this year, a total of 14,325 snares had been found and removed from protected areas.
The meeting attendees also announced plans for a mobile joint law enforcement unit tasked with combating the wildlife trade outside protected areas.
