Country report on status of sea turtle in Cambodia

Abstract

Five species of turtles in Cambodia were found, namely olive ridely, hawksbill, loggerhead, green and leatherback. The major problems affecting the decline in turtle population in this country is the heavy fishing activities and egg collections. Many believed that sea turtles in Cambodia have been severely imposed on since several past decades, mainly due to the lack of control by relevant agencies on the indiscriminate use of fishing gears and human activities. Around 100 sea turtles were caught annually by fishermen and their eggs were also collected for consumption. The number of turtle nesting was also thought to have declined from about 100 nests in 1975 to about 28 nests in 1998.