Conservation Status of Dolphin Species of Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary (PKWS), Southwestern Cambodia

9th Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation Asia-Pacific Chapter 30 March – 2 April, 2015 Himawari Hotel Apartments, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Brian D. Smith, Sun Kong, Lieng Saroeun and Lou Vanny

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Presentation Outline

- General information on PKWS

- Snapshot of PKWS-dependent local livelihoods

- Survey on dolphin species in coastal areas

- Dolphins and whales found in Cambodian-Thai coastline

- Snapshot of dolphins in PKWS and adjacent areas

-Conservation status

- Results of IUCN survey

- Threats, disturbances and challenges

- Recommendations

- Actions/approaches

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE

General information on PKWS

• Among the most significant protected areas in Cambodia;

• Covers 3 districts, 6 communes, 13 villages (around 10,000 inhabitants);

• First zoning in PA

• Covers 25,897 hectares;

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE General information on PKWS

• Provides many subsistence and livelihood services

• Contains a variety of natural features; including marine mammals: Dolphins

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE PKWS-dependent local livelihoods

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Survey on dolphin species in coastal areas

• Report on dolphin in Cambodian waters found dolphin 9 species,

• Beasley and Davidson (2007) found 8 species along Cambodia-Thailand;

• A little studied on dolphin in PKWS;

• Preparing management plan to protect dolphin species;

• Recent surveys by Smith, Kong and Saroeun (2014) found three different species of dolphin

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Dolphins and whales found in Cambodian- Thai coastline Thai Cambodia Common name Scienfic name DMCR Isabel SEAFDEC IUCN/ KK Bryde’s wahle Baleanoptera edeni * False Killer Whale Pseudorca crassidens * * * Bolenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus * * \aduncus Common dolphin Delphinus delphis * Dwarf Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris * * Neophocaena Finless Porpoise * * * phocaenoides Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Sousa chinensis * * * * Irrawaddy Dolphin Orcaella brevirostris * * * *

Long-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus capensis *

Pantropical Spoed Dolphin Stenella aenuata * *

Short finned pilot whale INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION Globicepahla melas OF NATURE * Total 4 8 9 3 Snapshot of biodiversity in PKWS and adjacent areas

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Conservation status

• Dolphin species are present in PKWS

• Protected by Fisheries Law and relevant regulations

• Listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

• Population trend: decreasing

• Agencies responsible for dolphin protection in PKWS: MoE, FiA and local communities and authorities

©Yangtze

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Results of IUCN survey

Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) Status: IUCN classify as Vulnerable (VU), CITES Appendix I Population trends: decreasing

Indo-Pacific Hump-backed dolphin (Sousa chinensis), Status: IUCN classify as Near-Threatened (NT), CITES Appendix I Population trends: decreasing

Finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) Status: IUCN classify as Vulnerable (VU), CITES Appendix I Population trends: decreasing ©Yangtze

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Results of IUCN survey

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Results of IUCN survey

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Threats, disturbances and challenges

1). Fisheries and the potential for fatal entanglement of dolphins and porpoises:

2). Habitat disturbance: Sand mining

3). Habitat degradation and pollution

4). Lack of knowledge to assist stranded Dolphin

5). Climate Change

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Recommendations

Recommendations:

• Dolphin Management Areas should be established in priority habitat;

• Enforcement is needed to ensure compliance;

• Sand mining should be eliminated or reduced;

• Outreach/education program should be employed;

• Research/Monitoring should be conducted.

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Actions/Approaches

On-going actions:

• Integrating Dolphin management plan into PKWS Management Plan

• On-going 18-month Dolphin Conservation Project: Cambodian-Thai trans- boundary project, involving stakeholders and all levels of community in project implementation

• Taking bottom-up approach taken to ensure long-term survival

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INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Thank you! The healthy ecosystem, the healthy livelihoods

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