Hi, my name is Danny Catt and I am a wildlife ecologist, educator and photographer with a passion for travel and nature conservation. I invite you to join me from March to June 2012, for an educational journey through Asia as I explore and learn about the wildlife, people and ecosystems of one the most culturally rich (and heavily populated) regions of the world. Through our learning perhaps we will all be inspired to do things to make the planet we live on a better place.
While driving along one of the roads in Cambodia I kept seeing bright red signs posted in various locations. After a closer look I saw that these signs are indicating that there are live land mines still in the area. There are an estimated 6 million active land mines around Cambodia (left primarily by the Khmer Rouge upon their retreat into northern Cambodia in the late 70s).
Since that time more than 40 000 Cambodian people have suffered injuries as the result of these land mines. That is an average of nearly 40 victims a week (and they are still happening today!). What is even more troubling is that it is often the poorest of the poor (eg. farmers) that get seriously injured or killed. The families of the land mine victim live at poverty levels almost three times lower than those with disabilities due to other causes.
I don’t know how many times in the past week that I have read and re-read the political history of Cambodia, starting from the period of French rule, to its independence from France in 1953 which was the start of the reign of King Norodom Sihanouk, to the military coup of 1970 to the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge that took place from April 17, 1975 to January 7, 1979 … and yet I still cannot seem to understand how it all played out and how such atrocities could be allowed to happen.
Here is my understanding of the history of Cambodia... apologies for any errors!
Cheung Ek Genocide Memorial
In 1970, when King Norodom Sihanouk was out of the country a military coup occurred ousting the King as Prime Minister of the country and installing General Lon Nol as the self-proclaimed President of the newly created Khmer Republic.
The early years of the 1970s were tumultuous as a civil war erupted between Cambodian forces and a leftist political party dubbed the Khmer Rouge (Khmer = Cambodian & Rouge = red in French referring to Cambodian communists).
Fighting occurred throughout the country during the civil war and no doubt it must have been confusing for the citizens to figure out which side was the good guys and which was the bad guys!
During the rule of General Lon Nol life had gotten worse for the Cambodian citizens and some considered the Khmer Rouge as liberators from oppression and in fact cheered when Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge marched into Phnom Penh on the 17th of April, 1975.
But the tears soon changed to tears of hunger, pain and death. Pol Pot had a vision of an extreme self-supporting communist society where the average citizen (farmers and villagers) worked the fields and fed the country. A country of equality was the vision.
But… Pol Pot went a little off his rocker (to put it lightly) killing anyone he thought did not support his goal. An estimated 3 million Cambodians were killed by other Cambodians (the Khmer Rouge). Here are a few thoughts recorded during my visit to the Killing Fields on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.
Three objectives I set right from the start for my CT3 journey were: 1) to share with words and images (on the CT3 Blog and Facebook pages) some of the amazing regions of Asia that I explore; 2) learn and share my learning about conservation and sustainability related issues I encounter and 3) meet and share the stories of people & groups back home and abroad who are making the world a better place. My hope is that what I share will inspire others to do things to contribute to a healthy planet and a healthy future for all of us. We can all make a difference.
I have learned so much on this journey including gaining a better appreciation for the importance of education, good health, clean water, global ‘peace’ and the alleviation of poverty if we truly want to realize a sustainable world. Things are changing so rapidly as we add more and more people to the planet.
Many things came together for me during my visit to Cambodia, one of the poorest yet richest nations in Asia. Poor economically but rich in culture and people. I was also humbled on a visit to an organization that has been working to help the underprivileged, particularly children, in Phnom Penh.
The organization is called Destiny Rescue. I have to thank some Rotary friends in the US and Australia for making the connection for me (thanks Nancy and Susanne!).
Imagine working in a challenging career for 25 years of your life, raising two kids on your own, going back to university as a mature student (at the same time as one of your children!), creating things worthy of a patent and that could put you in a financial position that would keep you comfortable for the rest of your life … and then saying, “No. I want to give back something. I have more than I need already and there are so many people in the world who are less fortunate than I and who have nothing.” That is what Chris, the Country Manager for the Cambodia arm of Destiny Rescue, did earlier this year.
Destiny Rescue is an international NGO established to help abused and sexually exploited children. In Phnom Penh, Destiny Rescue operates an education centre and a care home where underprivileged and exploited children can get an education, receive medical care, and feel safe and loved by caring and compassionate volunteers and staff. Chris left her career in Australia to volunteer for a year (maybe longer) in some of the poorest areas of the city.
Chris took me to meet some of the children at the Destiny Rescue facilities in Phnom Penh some of whom have been raped, others beaten and forced into prostitution and sadly one or two now have HIV. Absolutely heartbreaking.
When we walked in to both the school and the care home she was swarmed by the kids all of whom wanted a hug and some attention. So heartwarming.
She also took me to one of the villages that Destiny Rescue works in where many of the children come from. Poverty, alcoholism and out of control gambling are all evident.
Looking in the eyes of the villagers I could see the sadness. Some preferred to look away. Life for some of them must seem so hopeless…. so difficult. Yet, with the efforts of people like Chris and her incredible team of volunteers and staff, many children are finding hope and opportunity for a future. A future that does not include prostitution but instead includes employment and an enriching contribution to society.
But as Chris points out, she is just one of many who volunteer in Cambodia for Destiny Rescue. Her friend Rhonda, an accomplished professional also from Australia, has used much of her holiday time to come help and although is heading home soon, already has plans to come back again. And the Project Manager at Kampong Cham, Cambodia gave up a real estate business and moved his wife and 4 children to do this work. Thank you Chris, Rhonda and everyone at Destiny Rescue for what you do! You inspire me.
To learn more about Destiny Rescue check out this link: www.destinyrescue.org
Boat Used for Dolphin Viewing on the Mekong River, Cambodia
It seems that no matter where we go on Earth today there are species at risk of extinction. Asiatic Lions and Tigers in India and Giant Pandas in China get most of the press, but the International Union for the Conservation of Nature estimates that there are thousands of species (most not so charismatic) on the verge of disappearing from planet Earth.
And yes, Cambodia has species at risk as well.
Irrawaddy Dolphins on the Mekong River, Cambodia
A number of years ago the Baiji or Chinese River Dolphin, a freshwater species found in the waters of the Yangtze River, was the species often cited as the most endangered marine mammal in the world. Today, the Baiji is considered extinct as none have been seen in the past 5 years or so.
Another rare species that can be seen on a 190km stretch of the Mekong River between Cambodia and Laos is the Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris). The species is primarily found in Southeast Asia and inhabits estuaries and mangrove areas as well as river systems. There are an estimated 6000 Irrawaddy Dolphins in the world today but the distribution of the species is patchy and small isolated populations are becoming very much at risk.
The population in Kalimantan in Indonesia may be as low as 34 animals while the Mekong River Irrawaddy Dolphin population is estimated at less than 100.
I left Siem Reap by bus to get to Kratie, a small town on the shores of the Mekong famous for gorgeous sunsets and also for being the best place in Cambodia to see the Irrawaddy Dolphin. This small population, like many of the other sub-populations, is severely threatened by fisheries bycatch and habitat degradation.
In Kratie I met a local guide who offered to not only take me to see the dolphins but also to show me around the Kratie area (on both sides of the river) and even invited me for lunch at his family home.
Irrawaddy Dolphin, Mekong River, Cambodia
We planned the day to arrive in Kampi, the small community north of Kratie where the dolphins seem to spend much of their time, in the afternoon which is apparently the best time to see them. The dolphins are visible in this section of river particularly in the dry season when waters are low, due to the deep pools in the river.
I was the only tourist when we arrived so I paid my fee and hopped in a small boat and went out to see if I could spot a dolphin or two. I was not disappointed. Not long after pushing off from shore I heard the ‘pffffffft’ of a dolphin coming to the surface for a breath of air. Then another… and another. They were tough to get photos of but I saw many.
Irrawaddy Dolphins Feeding in the Mekong River, Cambodia
Probably the highlight was when a small group of dolphins was feeding. There was a major splashing at the surface and then I saw a fish come whizzing out of the river flying horizontally through the air at high velocity apparently having been thrown (head flip I guess) by a dolphin. Amazing!
It was magical to spend time on the Mighty Mekong listening to the dolphins surfacing periodically while fishermen and others went about their business. What a fabulous afternoon. I hope other people will be able to enjoy the same experience for years to come.
Sign in Local Village Explaining to Fishermen about the Irrawaddy Dolphins
After Angkor Wat the number 2 destination for visitors to northern Cambodia has to be the floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake. The way it was described in the guidebook didn’t make it sound appealing at all and I almost gave it a miss, but I am so glad that I made the effort to check it out.
Tonle Sap Lake is the biological heart of Cambodia. Its waters are amongst the most productive (in terms of fish production) on the planet which has to do with its connection to the mighty Mekong River.
Most regions of Asia have a dry season and a wet. During the dry season Tonle Sap Lake is low while in the wet it can be VERY VERY high (and that is why many homes adjacent to the river are built on stilts)! This is due to the swelling of the waters of the Mekong which as the river expands in volume the waters push up into the Tonle Sap River where they meet, in fact reversing the flow of the river, and eventually into Tonle Sap Lake bringing with it tons of sediment and nutrients which feed into the lake and contribute to its incredible productivity.
Tonle Sap Lake in late May (now) is low (despite daily rains) but there is still a hive of activity of boats, fishers, tourists, villagers etc. In fact the water was so low when I went out to see the lake the other day that boat captains needed to follow very narrow channels in the canal that leads to the village otherwise they would get stuck (which many did!).
At the floating village there was a school, fish farms, crocodile farms, and dozens and dozens of floating homes. The residents include native Cambodians but there also are many from nearby Vietnam.
As we were exploring the floating village a boat paddled up with a mom and a few kids. I couldn’t see what they were doing at first but as the boat approached I saw that two of the children had snakes draped around their necks. To be honest I was hesitant to take any photos as I would much prefer the snakes to be in the wild rather than kept in a box to show to tourists. Seeing the beautiful kids tugged at my heart strings and I did succumb. As soon as they left the snakes were put away and the kids grabbed their Barbie dolls.
The vast majority of visitors to Siem Reap, Cambodia go there because of Angkor Wat. But, there is much more to see than just the incredible temples. On the city’s outskirts are some outstanding areas of high biological diversity. In fact very close to Siem Reap is the Prek Toel Bird Sanctuary which is the Core Area of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve.
I wanted to visit the Prek Toel Bird Sanctuary but I wasn’t able to find anyone to join me to share the costs of travel (it is low season at the moment and also the end of the dry season which is not the ideal time to visit … and to boot it is quite expensive to get there). As an alternative I booked a morning birding excursion through the Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation an organization associated with the internationally recognized Wildlife Conservation Society. The Sam Veasna Center is committed to responsible tourism and I was pleased to know that 20% of my fee goes to conservation projects and community development.
I crawled out of bed at 5am, jumped in a tuk tuk and joined my guide to visit some of the wetlands and agricultural lands just outside of town.
I enjoy getting out and exploring new areas to see new birds. It is also a good reminder for me that identification can be difficult when seeing species for the very first time. In the ecology class I teach at BCIT students are required to learn to identify BC’s fish, mammals and birds (including the vocalizations of about 40 species of songbird). Visiting a new place with new species puts me in their shoes for a bit ... which I think is good learning!
It also makes a huge difference when you are able to find someone who really knows their birds. The guide from the Sam Veasna Center was great and we had a very productive morning tallying about 40 species in 3 hours (many of which were brand new for me). Some of the highlights included: Peaceful Dove, Open-billed Stork, Little Green Bee-eater, Oriental Darter, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Cinnamon Bittern and the Indian Roller!
What I did not get was some good photos of these species as I could not get close to many of them. My guess is that perhaps they are hunted... so they keep a safe distance (even from my 400mm lens!).
I did though get some nice shots of the Lotus flowers (Nelumbo nucifera) that were abundant in the wetlands.
China has the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors, India has the Taj Mahal and Cambodia has Angkor Wat. All are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and each site draws millions of visitors from around the world every year. The Terracotta Warriors defend the tomb of the 1st Emperor of China, while the Taj Mahal is the burial place of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Shah Jahan. What is Angkor Wat?
Angkor Wat (and associated temples) is one of the largest religious sites on the planet (if not the largest) covering an area of about 400 square kilometres. It is also one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. The Angkor Archaeological Park includes the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. Angkor Wat is just one of many temples. Angkor Thom is also amazing and has the Bayon Temple with its outstanding sculptural decorations.
Originally a Hindu temple when it was first started Angkor Wat gradually shifted from Hindu to Buddhist use. There is so much history associated with the site it is tough to keep it all straight (at least for me!).
As you can imagine many of the temples have fallen into disrepair (which is to be expected as many are over 1000 years old) yet restoration work has been underway for many years. Cambodia is a poor country and would never be able to fund the restoration on its own, but many countries around the world (eg. Czech Republic, Japan, France) have contributed funds for the work to continue.
You can spend days visiting all of the temples and because they are so spread out a tuk tuk is recommended although some visitors do explore by bicycle (I went the tuk tuk route).
On my last day of temple exploring I walked up to the top of the 'mountain' to get to Phnom Bakheng to watch the sunset. Unfortunately a large cloud got in the way of the setting sun. Oh well, there’s always next time!
