Cambodia Creates First Genetic Conservation Area for the Siamese Crocodile

Cambodia has designated its first-ever genetic conservation area for an animal species. The target is the survival of one of the last wild strongholds of the Siamese crocodile, a species listed as critically endangered.

A 315-hectare sanctuary in the Cardamoms

The Boeung Veal Veng Genetic Conservation Area now carries formal legal protection. It covers 315 hectares of Veal Veng Marsh, in O'Som Commune, deep in the Cardamom Mountains of Pursat province. More than 40 Siamese crocodiles have been recorded there, the largest known wild population of the species.

The designation was set out in a Prakas signed on July 22. Its joint announcement on September 26 brought together the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Conservation International (CI), Fauna & Flora, and local communities.

Three years in the making

Conservation International began working with the Cambodian government on the designation in late 2023. Public consultations and field visits with village leaders, commune and district officials, and national agencies stretched over nearly three years. Population-monitoring data supplied by Fauna & Flora helped map the area's boundaries and shape policy options.

“By protecting the last stronghold of globally endangered Siamese crocodiles in the wild, we're not only saving a species from extinction — we're supporting Indigenous communities, strengthening law enforcement, and preserving the genetic diversity of this globally important species and its wetland ecosystems for future generations,” said Sony Oum, Country Director of Conservation International Cambodia.

Rediscovered in 2000

Long feared close to extinct in the wild, the Siamese crocodile was rediscovered at O'Som in 2000 by Fauna & Flora working with government partners. A conservation breeding programme has since supported reintroductions into the wild since 2012.

In June 2025, a natural nest holding 17 eggs was found at O'Som — evidence that the marsh remains an active breeding ground, and a strong argument for tighter legal protection.

Horm Chandet, Country Director of the Fauna & Flora Cambodia Programme, called the species' recovery an important success on its own, but one facing new pressure on its habitat. The new conservation area, he said, would strengthen protection for the crocodiles and other wildlife while drawing attention to the value of the O'Som wetlands.

A milestone for Cambodian authorities

MAFF Minister Dith Tina described the new area as a milestone in bringing the species back from the brink. He noted that the ministry's breeding and reintroduction programme had already returned Siamese crocodiles to several natural river systems.

“Giving this wild population full legal protection over its core nesting habitat is a testament to what we can achieve when ministries, partners, and communities come together,” he added, saying the move would also support the resilience of Cambodia's wetland ecosystems.

Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth noted that Boeung Veal Veng is Cambodia's first genetic conservation area created specifically for an animal species, calling it a sign of the government's commitment to the crocodile's survival. He linked the designation to the Circular Strategy on Environment 2023–2028 and to the country's Natural Resources Protection Strategy.

Shared management, tighter enforcement

The Boeung Veal Veng Genetic Conservation Area now falls under the Pursat Provincial Department of Environment, with support from MAFF, local authorities, Conservation International, and Fauna & Flora. The designation carries stricter enforcement measures than a standard protected area.