About 11 pm 1 Jan 2021 farm dogs raised a ruckus only about 75 meters from the house. I was slow to get out, and my brother-in-law had the subject of their barking in a rice sack by the time I got there. A fairly small pangolin, 2.5-3Kg. We looked at it, took some pics, then, after I said I wanted to release it the next day, we hung it up where the dogs wouldn't bother it.
Next day, still stinking in the bag - they have seriously potent 'musk' glands, I gave it some water. It was VERY thirsty! A lot was spilt, but I filled two full Khmer showier scoops for it. Amazing tongue, lapped up water from the back. It could smell or otherwise sense where the water was.
Neighbour, said the going rate for live pangolin was $80/Kg., so my releasing it was preventing a substantial pay out, and the two-wheel tractor tires were looking pretty worn. Poverty drives the bottom layer in animal trafficking. Further, they said the front foot was injured, probably from a snare.
I was having none of that. I preached that an environment devoid of wildlife was an unhealthy one, and that our little mountain range (OK, range of Karst hills) were now islands of real nature encircled by farmlands, and the relative rarity made these 'islands', and their inhabitants - deer, monkey, palm civets, various squirrels, porcupines, pangolin, and lots of birds, bats, and etc. - more valuable then ever... They nodded and grunted, but it went over like a lead balloon. Well, they knew the pangolin was valuable anyway.
My wife and I hiked up the mountain and released it in a quiet, thickly forested dell, directly into an old termite mound. Only then did I see that the front foot had been completely cut off by the snare. Shit! With luck, 10% survival odds. It unrolled and ambled painfully off. As I considered just re-bagging it, I came to a new theory of why it came so close to our house. Due to it's injury, It couldn't get enough ants and termites, to stay hydrated, it could sense our large pond, and made a late night beeline for it. I decided if they found it on the farm again, it was theirs.
The pandemic has been a problem for wildlife. The farm population in some areas has more than doubled as out of work Cambodians, from tourism, garments, construction and etc, both from Cambodia and neighbouring countries retuned to their parents to wait out the downturn. Snares are far too cheap!
More motivation to get some University students out in nature: snare collection! My farm folk feel nervous removing snares others have set. I think relatively rich and powerful city youth would lack such qualms.
If research shows it is safe, I'll see if I can get a couple of 5-10 student groups doing day trips this month, hopefully while it is still cool. I'm not any kind of environment crusader, though I'm very glad some are that passionate about it, but I do think if you can do small things to help local nature, it is worth a try.
(I'm lazy, and don't do much, but I'm cheerleading here. Maybe you have more motivation than me. Good on ya!)
Nature in Cambodia: should camping be encouraged?
Decathlon in Aeon 2 has everything a camper probably needs.*Guest999 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 10, 2020 9:34 amDoes anyone know of a store or market in PP that sells tents for camping?
(I know some places in Arranyaprathet, Thailand (actually beside Rongluea border market, beside Poipet), but they are hard to access at the moment.)
* snake/spider anti-venom not included
Meum est propositum in taberna mori,
ut sint Guinness proxima morientis ori.
tunc cantabunt letius angelorum chori:
"Sit Deus propitius huic potatori."
ut sint Guinness proxima morientis ori.
tunc cantabunt letius angelorum chori:
"Sit Deus propitius huic potatori."
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