Pursat eateries pledge no more bushmeat on menus
Asenior Ministry of Environment official said that, in Pursat province, a total of 19 restaurants in Veal Veng district and Pursat town have now pledged to cease all sales of bush meat to their patrons.
Bushmeat is a catch-all term for any meat or other parts of wild animals of any species obtained illegally.
Ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra said on April 23 that ten of the restaurants are in Veal Veng district and nine others are in Pursat town.
“To date, a total of 71 restaurants and canteens across the country have signed onto to support the zero-snaring campaign and have announced that they will not sell any food containing bushmeat to their customers.
“We believe that the owners of restaurant and canteens will join us and change their attitudes. They will learn to oppose the eating of wild animals and turn their attention to protecting and conserving our wildlife for the next generation. If there is no demand to supply then trapping and hunting wildlife will cease,” he said.
Heng Kimhong, research and advocacy programme manager at the Cambodian Youth Network (CYN), said that the campaign is good because it contributes to the conservation of wild animals.
He added that bushmeat sales at markets continued to take place and that markets around protected areas can still sell bushmeat and it is a concern that any markets anywhere are still permitted to sell bush meat to anyone.
“Therefore, along with the this campaign, I understand that there should be a push for intervention, prevention and solutions on a large scale to be effective at managing this problem, stopping snaring in natural protected areas and conserving wild animals in Cambodia,” he stated.
In 2022, the environment ministry succeeded in launching the first phase of the zero-snaring campaign in six provinces: Kratie, Stung Treng, Ratanakkiri, Mondulkiri, Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom.
This year the ministry will spearhead the second phase of its zerosnaring campaign in Pursat, Kampong Speu, Siem Reap, Koh Kong, Battambang and Pailin.