Largest Wildlife Rescue Center of Cambodia
Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center (PTWRC) known locally as Phnom Tamao Zoo, is the only and biggest wildlife center in Cambodia.
** Profile of the center
Why this is not a zoo?
The zoo is where they display animals but this center has more work behind the scenes than just to display the animals.
The animals that are still seen at the center because they cannot be released back to the wild, either disables physically or mentally and cannot survive in the wild by themselves. It was established in 1995 with the assistance from Wildlife Alliance organization. There are about 1,200 animals in the center. The center covered about 6,000 acres of protected regenerating forest.
There are animals that roam freely around you and animals that are kept in the cage/ fence to prevent dangers.
How do animals are collected and treated?
- They are taken from homes (gibbon, sun bear, and other animals that are used to be pet)
- From the wild where animals were trapped in the snares,
- Get rescued from animal trafficking
- The organization called Wildlife Alliance provides cares and rehabilitation to animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. When return to normal state, animals are introduced back to the wild, e.g. Sun bears are sent back to the Cardamom mountain, Gibbons are released back to the park such as Angkor Wat park and some returned to Mondulkiri.
** Location
The center located roughly 25 miles southern part of Phnom Penh, in Takeo province of Cambodia (along national road #2). Google Map here.
One day is enough to spend here.
** Some profile of animals &touching stories:
- The are various wild animal, rescued by WA from traders, poachers and other forms of exploitaton.
- There are animals which I can give names such as birds, Bunteng, Gaur, Python, Monkey, Civit, Otter, Silvered Langur, Clouded Leopard, Asiatic Black Bear, Jungle Cat, Yellow-cheeked Gibbon, Stump-tailed Macaque and long tailed macaque, Fishing Cat, Leopard Cat, Common Palm Civet and many others.
- There are 4 elephants living in the park, namely Lucky, Chhouk, Chamreoun and Sakor. Each of them has different stories and cannot be released back to the wild.
- Lucky (now the park's ambassador, 19) was just a kid of 1 year when she was transported for taming by local people and she was rescued and sent to the park. One mahout was her mentor/caregiver and is like mommy to her. She would cry and look for him during her few years of life at the park. He could not travel anywhere. She is lovely teenager girl and always trust human as she has human mother! She can be played with and touched.
- Chamreoun (another girl, older than Lucky, 25 ), was roaming on the street #48 at Koh Kong provine (Cardamom mountain) because her home was used for sugar cane plantation and she has no where to go. People threw battery acid on her in order to scare and chase her away so she doesn't trust human at all. People called WA team and she was sent to the park too. You can get closed to her and touched her, give her food only by the mean of going with BTS tour only.
- Sakor (the male matured elephant, 24) was spotted swimming in the sea at Botum Sakor national park, that's why he was named as Sakor. He is a strong male so you cannot get closed to him. Even feeding him coconut, you have to stay far from him.
- Chhouk (the teenager boy, 12?) loves to play a lot but he is a disable boy from the snare he got caught and was left in the wild by his family for many days before WA team was called to rescued him (he was 1 at that time) so he can never trust human.
- Otter - native to Cambodia
- Sun bear - native to Cambodia and there are about 100 bears in the park. Some are disable too.
- Some gibbons were rescued from home as pets and hate Cambodian men and would scratch Cambodian men/women whenever they are able to - advised to never get closed to their cage. However, they trust westerners and they can touch the gibbons with present of BTS tour guides!
*** Tickets/Tours
Individual visit
- Going by yourself, locals ticket's price: 5,000R/1.25$/pax, foreigners: 20,000R/5$. No guides
, own transport and lunch (many stores you can sit and order). - You will be given the map while going in (ask from the ticket booth).
- You will roam freely in the park but cannot guarantee that you will see all animals, given that the park is very big and animals are keeping in different sections and the roads are quite confusing.
- We decided to do it ourselves but end us seeing only elephants, sambar deers and sun bears for half day.
- There are many more which you did not see!
Tours
- If you are going on the tour, for example by booking in the tour arranged by Wildlife Alliance, which you will find here, it costs 150$/pax for one day
- You get a day package that includes guides, transport, lunch, fruits to feed the animals and privileges to get very closed to animals which many visitors would spend just to go behind the scenes and appreciated what WA has been doing with these animals. The tour named "Behind the Scenes"
- There are other organization, for instance, "Free the Bears Cambodia" who provide similar tours for 90$/day/pax but focus mainly on "Bears" with name of "Bear Care Tours".
- With behind the scenes tour, you get so much to see, starting from feeding the elephants and listening to its stories (especially Lucky, the ambassador elephant in the park) who is very friendly. She is a young girl of 20ys, rescued from traders who wish to tame her for riding and profit. You are allowed to go inside the tiger area and listening to its stories, rescuing from trade. You can see gibbon, cloud leopard, otters, and of course listening to its stories. At the end, you get a chance to go inside monkey cage and play and feel baby monkeys who are so cute/curious. This is the highlights of the tour.
- Money gotten from the tour are used for wildlife care, treatment and food (managed by WA).
If you do not want to spend much money but able to listen to the stories, you might as well ask for a tour guide from the ticketing booth or hire one from Phnom Penh who can tell you about them and animals (exclusive and not many people have deep knowledge of what's going on with these animals). I have been the BTS tour guide for about 4months while I was still with Wildlife Alliance. With the organization, I have more relation with wild animals, and thus, I committed myself not to eat wildlife at all.
Other places where you can play with elephants:
- Siem Reap: Phnom Kulen, walk with the elephants, read here, Google Map is here
- Mundulkiri: read here, Google Map is here
This article is inspired by CMs and GMs.
@ermest I know you are into nature and the first time I talked with you, the topic was about nature day.
@helga19 I remember you posted one article about wildlife and zoo. I know you care for animals!
@Erik_van_den_Ham I know you prefer free roam animals, we have them in Cambodia too but not very often you would see them.
I hope you all enjoy reading this post!
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