SUCCESS STORIES

The Royal Government of Cambodia has awarded British conservationist Dr. Jenny Daltry the title of Officer of the Order of Sahametrei, given to foreigners for their “distinguished services to the King and to the Nation.”

Dr. Daltry was honored with the award for her wildlife conservation work within the Kingdom of Cambodia.

A Crocodile Story

The Royal Government of Cambodia could not help but notice that Dr. Daltry’s work through Fauna and Flora International was leaving its mark in the field of wildlife conservation in the country.

Similarly, the Conservation, Food and Health Foundation was among a handful of funders that became intrigued by her rediscovery in 2000 of the Siamese crocodile, which was previously thought to be extinct in the wild.

Dr. Daltry led a number of field expeditions that resulted in the increased protection of forested areas covering more than one million hectares in the Cardamom Mountains.

Moreover, she helped develop a pioneering community-based program to conserve the critically endangered Siamese crocodile.

The program helped establish the country’s first crocodile reserves where it trains local people to protect crocodiles from poachers and supports them in improving the management of their natural resources and farmland.

Increasing Local Scientific Capacity

Dr. Daltry also led an initiative to establish a new generation of Cambodian scientists. The country has an incredible diversity of wildlife and contains many of the richest habitats remaining in the Mekong Basin. Yet because the Pol Pot regime largely wiped out the educated classes, Cambodia lacks enough qualified practitioners to manage its wildlife and help it to develop sustainably.

Dr. Daltry helped create the first permanent Masters of Science program at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Over two thousand Cambodians have enrolled in the course so far.

She is also the founder and chief editor of the country’s first peer-reviewed scientific journal—the Cambodian Journal of Natural History—to encourage Cambodians to publish and share their knowledge of Cambodia’s wildlife and natural resources.

A New Era for Conservation

“For a conservationist to receive this rare honor does, I think, signify the importance that Cambodia places on its wildlife, forests, and protected areas,” said Dr. Daltry. Cambodia is changing fast, but economic development does not have to mean the loss of its wildlife or priceless environmental services. The achievement I feel most proud of is helping talented Cambodians, from the government ministries to villages, to become leaders in biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.”

The Order was presented to Dr. Daltry by H.E. Ty Sokhun, Head of Forestry Administration, during a formal ceremony on January 29, 2010. It was attended by senior government officials and international dignitaries.

Grantee: Fauna and Flora International
Project Location: Cambodia
Grantmaker: Conservation, Food and Health Foundation

For more Information Contact:
Prentice Zinn, Conservation, Food and Health Foundation, c/o GMA Foundations, 617-426-7080
Katie Frohardt, Executive Director (U.S. Office), Fauna and Flora International, 202-375-7766