Sponsor an Animal at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center Today
Animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trafficking trade that are unsuitable for release due to physical or psychological injuries are offered a permanent home at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center. The center is home to over 1200 resident animals that are cared for by veterinary staff and animal care experts. You can support their care by sponsoring an ambassador animal of one of nine different species that call Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center home!
Animals currently available to sponsor include:
Sponsor – Pangolin
Lucy
Pangolin: The most heavily trafficked mammal in the world, pangolins are taken from the forest for use as delicacies and traditional medicines. Lucy came to Phnom Tamao Wildlfie Rescue Center after losing two limbs to snares. Her wounds tended to, she was paired with a resident male pangolin, and together they had a pup, Luke. Lucy and Luke were taken to Wildlife Release Station (WRS) in Koh Kong, where their diet of ants and termites could be more easily provided. Luke has since been released successfully back into the protected forests of the Southern Cardamom National Park and Lucy has been paired with another male donated by a concerned local who found him for sale in a market. She has mothered three pangolins that have since been released during her time at WRS!
Sponsor – Tiger
Araeng
Tiger: The largest species of feline in the world, tiger populations are suffering due to the high demand for tiger parts in traditional medicines. Araeng is one of the few animals born at PTWRC that had to be hand-raised as his mother had arrived shortly before he was born and extremely nervous and unable to care for him at that time. Most of the animals at PTWRC raise their own young, which is a testament to the excellent care they receive. Araeng had to be hand-raised by Wildlife Programs Director, Nick Marx, until he was able to return to the tiger enclosure as an adolescent. Now an adult, Araeng is very playful but can be shy among strangers and only trusts his keeper, Mr. Rong, and Nick, who raised him.
Sponsor – Elephant
Chhouk
Asian Elephant`: Young male elephant, Chhouk was found as a baby, wandering alone in the forest in northeastern Cambodia. He had lost a foot to a poachers’ snare, was gravely ill from an infection in his wound, and was severely under-nourished. After caring for him for two weeks in the forest and gaining his trust, he was transported to PTWRC to heal his wounds. Unfortunately, his foot was gone for good, so we partnered with the Cambodian School of Prosthetics and Orthotics to provide him with a prosthesis, which has changed his life completely. He can now walk normally and has avoided any serious skeletal deformities. He is the first elephant in Cambodia to receive a prosthesis and is a celebrated rescue success story.
Sponsor – Bengal Slow Loris
Pey
Bengal Slow Loris: Pey was rescued from a market on the outskirts of Phnom Penh by a well-meaning Cambodian who purchased her in an attempt to save her from a trader. She was found terrified, stressed, and in desperate need of medical attention.
Slow loris are the only venomous primates in the world, and can secrete a toxin from glands located on their elbows, which when mixed with their saliva, produces a toxic bite. In order to sell her as a pet, Pey’s teeth had been painfully clipped off. Unfortunately, this means that she will have to live at PTWRC so keepers can ensure she receives proper care and a sufficient diet, which would be impossible for her in the wild.
Sponsor – Clouded leopard
Popork
Clouded leopard: In 2006, a pair of clouded leopards were donated to us by Howlett’s Wild Animal Park in England. Although these cats are particularly difficult to breed in captivity, we had our first success in 2010 when they became the proud parents of our beautiful male Popork. In 2011, a potential new breeding partner for Popork was generously donated by Howlett’s. Thankfully, they get on well, though they are yet to have any cubs of their own for our release program!
Sponsor – Binturong
PoteLeen
Binturong: Pote Leen is a beautiful animal called a Binturong, which are affectionately called Binty’s and who’s natural scent reminds us of popcorn! They are rescued from the fur, pet and bush meat trades in Cambodia. We have a successful breeding program at Phnom Tamao and Pote Leen has been the proud father of several litters! We have released and tracked one family at our Wildlife Release Station in Koh Kong and will continue to release suitable families to help bolster native populations and prevent these unique animals from becoming endangered.
Sponsor – Pileated gibbon
Preah
Pileated gibbon: Often captured as babies for the pet trade, many gibbons at Phnom Tamao are too humanized to be released back into the wild. Preah was already living at Phnom Tamao when Wildlife Alliance joined in 2001. She has missing fur on one of her legs and marks around her neck that were mostly likely caused by a rope, and we suspect that she was likely kept as a pet before arriving at the Rescue Center. While wary of visitors, she is very trusting with our staff and loves affection, often presenting her back, head or feet for a grooming session and massage. Taken from the wild at a young age and raised by humans, sadly Preah cannot be paired with a male gibbon or released, instead she has a safe home at Phnom Tamao.
Sponsor – Great hornbill
Moh
Great hornbill: Moh Tom was rescued from a trader by rangers at the Stung Proat Station as a juvenile and was found with his feathers plucked. Thanks to our attentive staff, he is slowly recovering and is growing into a beautiful adult hornbill. Despite his size and strength, Moh Tom is a gentle giant and enjoys being hand-fed while the keepers check his feathers each day.We hope that his feathers will grow in correctly, so that he may one day be able to fly.
Sponsor – Smooth-coated otter family
Leng
Smooth-coated otter family: The parents were already living at Phnom Tamao when Wildlife Alliance joined in 2001. They were likely rescued from fish farms, where they are seen as competition for livelihoods and often killed. Now with a safe home at the Rescue Center, they had their first litter in 2014 and have been wonderful parents, teaching their four young how to swim and hunt live fish! With four resident smooth-coated otter families at Phnom Tamao, we hope to introduce unrelated young and release these captive born otter families back to the wild!
What your sponsorship support?
By sponsoring one of our ambassador animals, your donation will help provide on-going care of these animals and other permanent residence of the same species at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center. This includes specialised diets, professional veterinary care and treatment, enrichment feeds and items as well as enclosure modifications and improvements. Thank you for your support!
