Sponsor a Smooth-Coated Otter Family

With all three river otters species native to Cambodia listed as Vulnerable or Endangered on the IUCN Red List, numbers continue to drop due habitat loss and hunting. Increasing demand from the pet trade driven by social media adds to the plight.

With all three river otters species native to Cambodia listed as Vulnerable or Endangered on the IUCN Red List, numbers continue to drop due habitat loss and hunting. Increasing demand from the pet trade driven by social media adds to the plight.

Sponsor Jimmy and Lenny Leng

Meet Jimmy and Lenny Leng

Jimmy and Lenny Leng are one of our smooth coated otter family units at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre. Lenny was born at Phnom Tamao in 2014 to parents who we believe were victims of the wildlife trade after coming into competition with fishermen. Jimmy was kept as a family pet and was donated in 2017, however unfortunately was too humanized for release. She is still unable to catch her own fish and has no fear of humans.

The pair had their first successful litter in 2018, with a subsequent one in 2019 and now have four happy and healthy pups. Lenny’s brother and father were released in early 2020 and we’re hoping some of the Leng offspring will go on to have similar fates, repopulating the species in the wild.

Smooth-Coated Otters Globally

Smooth coated otters are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. In Cambodia they are persecuted near fish farms for eating the fish and either killed, or caught as pups to be sold into the pet trade. Suitable habitats are also in decline as rivers are dammed and wetlands polluted.

How you can help the Leng Family

By sponsoring the Leng family today you can help to provide excellent daily care, vet treatment when necessary and plenty of enrichment to keep their active minds busy. You will also be supporting the future of the species in the wild!