The mangroves of Cambodia yield elusive wildlife marvels, as researchers reveal rich species diversity
Within the expansive mangrove forests of Cambodia, researchers reveal wondrous species diversity and vouch for habitat conservation.
Aside from being a profoundly primal yet magical habitat, mangrove forests are important carbon dioxide storage caches and host a panoply of wondrous wildlife. A comprehensive biodiversity survey of Cambodia's mangrove forests identified a diverse array of wildlife, including 700 different mammal species, insects, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibian species.
Survey overview
The survey was carried out over 23,750 hectares of land within the Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary (PKWS) and the 12,000-hectare Koh Kapik Ramsar site, which together comprise the largest mangrove forest area in Cambodia.
The survey team identified 73 species of fish in the surrounding waters of the PKWS area, 23 species of mammal, 12 species of amphibian, and 5 species of reptile. The team also identified 1235 individual arthropods (which are insects belonging to the phylum Arthropoda) and 150 species of birds (15 of which are recorded as near-threatened or endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.
One of the mammals recorded through camera trap images includes the Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica), listed as critically endangered on the IUCN red list. This beautiful animal has a long and arduous history, exploited by indigenous peoples to sell illegally to places like China and Vietnam for their meat and scales. Pangolins are insectivorous, which means they subsist on a diet of insects, namely ants and termites.
Another species identified by the study is the endangered hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) which uses its hairy nose pad to locate its prey. The animal was thought to have gone extinct in 1998 but has only recently made a resurgence and has been found in locations including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Borneo, and Cambodia.
Mangroves as a flood barrier and carbon store
Mangroves are integral erosion and flood barriers for coastal ecosystems, providing safe nursery grounds for juvenile fish and a haven for other wildlife. Their extensive root systems lessen the force of severe weather, hurricanes, and large powerful waves by diffusing wave energy. Mangroves further strengthen coastal protection by encouraging land development, boosting the retention of sediments, and slowing down water flow. Also, mangroves are powerful carbon sinks because they use photosynthesis to capture and store significant amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Their waste products build up in anaerobic (low-oxygen) sediments, where long-term carbon storage is made possible by the slow pace of decomposition. Mangroves play a crucial role in reducing the effects of climate change by storing carbon dioxide in their "blue carbon" stores. Mangrove ecosystems must be preserved and restored to prevent erosion and floods in coastal areas and to lessen the effects of climate change. This is another reason, in addition to wildlife protection, why the researchers believe that mangroves must be maintained and preserved.
Source of the news:
The detailed biodiversity survey was led by Fauna & Flora and Fishing Cat Ecological Enterprise.