THE LAST GREAT FOREST IN THE NORTH

The trip to Monk Forest

Early morning, the sun rises up, the sound of an old motorbike started and the wheel started to move from Siem Reap town to the Northern part of Cambodia where remain some Dry Dipterocarp forest. About 4 hours, I arrived Aonlong Veng district, in Ordor Meanchey province and then I headed to the West of that district about another 30 minutes more where I met an affable monk, or we can say he is an environmental hero. He is Monk Bun Saluth. With his works for more than 10 years to protect the biggest dry forest and wildlife in the Northern part of Cambodia, Monk Bun Saluth was awarded the Equator Prize by the United Nations Development Programme in 2010.

The main purpose of this trip to observe a critically endangered (CR) bird. It is Giant Ibis Thaumatibis gigantea, which was recorded in one of the camera traps in 2013 in the pond. This time, a telescope with 22x and other 4 camera traps plus a few more cameras from the Monk will be used to observe that bird and other mammal threaten species.

Most part of the Community Forest (CF) are wet and slippery with high grass in October. The first day, the monk and I patrolled in the late afternoon to the middle part of the CF. While we were hiking one muntjac was jumping and making the calls in front of us while other bird flying around to find the place to stay. Finally and luckily, the big rosewood trees still remain. I can see the monk face was happy because of those tree are survival. We get back at nearly 9 pm in the camping side. We did hiking in the dark in the high up grass. Without GPS he could manage to get back to the camp. But although he can do, other monks and some other CF members probably could not.

The sun goes down, he keeps reporting with other team in the Eastern side.

Next day, the 2 poachers were reported to catch them in Eastern side of the CF by the other young Monks and supporting armies. The monk Saluth is trying to transform the job responsibility to the young generation. He does not involve with this issue, but can give some advice. One poacher set the traps for a long time and another one has just coming. They try to find out how many endangered species are killed. The new poacher will get the fine, warning letter and release but other one will probably send to the jail for a long time.

Go and back about 20km to the Sothern side, from 9am to 5pm, supported by motorbike for 2 hours. There are 2 rice fields, which mean to attract any wildlife to stay inside the CF. Next month it will have the crops and the animals will have a big party. We head to the saltlick areas. But we did not see any sigh fresh of the animal. There are 2 muntjac and Lesser Adjutant with other species were appear along the trail, in the same time, the sadness come up because of the one big rosewood was cut down in the last 2 weeks probably.

One hand carry the phone to talk to other team, one hand taking the death tree.

I left the CF in the third days because of the health problem, but kept all 4 camera traps there. The monk Saluth will set it up somewhere in the South-eastern of the CF and we will check it some day in November. My next trip will set up the cameras in the new location, GPS basic training to the CF members. In order to help them to know the location for the night walk patrol. The last thing will use a telescope to observe from distant, where the Ibis was recorded before.