Northeast Cambodia – Conservationists translocated 16 critically endangered banteng earlier this month to bolster populations in the Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary.
Urgent Action Against Poaching and Habitat Loss
Urgent Action Against Poaching and Habitat Loss (Image Credits: Imgs.mongabay.com)
Poachers had already claimed several banteng from the isolated herd, leaving behind only skins in one grim discovery. The animals roamed a former economic land concession about 30 kilometers south of the sanctuary, where farmland conversion loomed large. Rangers monitored the site around the clock to prevent further losses.
Rising Phoenix, a Cambodia-based social enterprise, led the effort in partnership with local wildlife authorities. The operation marked the second translocation to Siem Pang, following a similar move in May 2025. More than 50 personnel participated over four intense days.
Helicopter Herding Ushers in New Era
Teams initially chased the banteng for weeks using ground methods and a boma enclosure, a funnel-like fence designed to guide them toward a collection truck. Progress stalled until experts from Conservation Solutions recommended helicopters. The aircraft located the herd via drones and skillfully herded them into position.
Once corralled, the banteng loaded onto trucks for a swift three-hour journey to the 132,700-hectare sanctuary. This innovative approach succeeded where traditional tactics failed, capturing all 16 animals efficiently. The method drew on proven wildlife capture techniques from South Africa.
Viable Future Takes Shape in Siem Pang
The sanctuary now hosts 32 banteng, including breeding adults and calves born from the 2025 group. Post-release monitoring with vehicle surveys and thermal drones confirms their adaptation to the semi-evergreen and dry dipterocarp forests. Community rangers and law enforcement patrol the area, removing snares and enforcing protections.
These efforts align with broader rewilding at Siem Pang, where over 40 Siamese crocodiles have rejoined the wild since 2022. Banteng, with their striking white legs and russet coats, play key ecological roles, though tigers and leopards have vanished from Cambodia.
Experts Champion Proactive Conservation
“With proper law enforcement, no poaching and suitable habitat in Siem Pang, I think there is a very positive future for them,” said Romain Legrand, biodiversity research manager at Rising Phoenix. He noted the population could grow quickly under these conditions.
Thomas Gray of WWF emphasized concentrating resources in well-managed sites. “Securing these populations in well-managed [areas] is a really good conservation idea,” he stated. Rising Phoenix CEO Jonathan Eames called for similar interventions to save other isolated herds nationwide.
Global banteng numbers hover below 8,000, per the IUCN Red List, amid decades of hunting and deforestation pressures.
Key Takeaways
- 16 banteng moved to Siem Pang, doubling the founding population to 32.
- Helicopter herding overcame ground-based challenges in four days.
- Ongoing monitoring shows successful adaptation, with new calves observed.
This translocation underscores a shift toward active intervention in conservation, prioritizing key habitats amid Cambodia’s habitat losses. What do you think about these innovative wildlife rescues? Tell us in the comments.
