Cambodian bear population threatened

26/04/2007
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

International wildlife experts are in Cambodia this week conducting the first-ever training to monitor the country's threatened bear population.

The Bear Sign Survey course, which aims to teach Cambodian park rangers to collect accurate data, is also being observed by officials from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand with a view to replicating it in other countries.

The Free the Bears Fund says the course brings together the region's most experienced bear experts to train local rangers to collect valuable information about bears in the wild.

It is the first time this kind of training course has ever been held in Asia.

Bears continue to be hunted in large numbers throughout Southeast Asia amid growing demand for their body parts which are used in traditional medicine.

Training by Free the Bears Fund to help protect wild Sun bears

Khouy Pisei, a Cambodian staff of Australia-based Free the Bears Fund, holds 9-week-old Pom Poy, a rescued sun bear, at her office in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, April 26, 2007. Two dozens Cambodian park rangers are receiving a training to survey wild bears in a new effort to help protect the animal from being hunted for use in traditional medicines in neighboring countries, a conservationist said Thursday. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Shoelace, a 14-week-old rescued male sun bear cub, is seen at the office of Australia-based Free the Bears Fund in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, April 26, 2007. Two dozens Cambodian park rangers are receiving a training to survey wild bears in a new effort to help protect the animal from being hunted for use in traditional medicines in neighboring countries, a conservationist said Thursday. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Pom Poy, a 9-week old female sun bear cub recently rescued from traffickers, sticks her tongue at Matt Hunt, Southeast Asia Program Manager of Australia-based Free the Bears Fund, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, April 26, 2007. Two dozens Cambodian park rangers are receiving a training to survey wild bears in a new effort to help protect the animal from being hunted for use in traditional medicines in neighboring countries, Hunt said Thursday. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Two recently rescued sun bear cubs are shown at the office of Australia-based Free the Bears Fund in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, April 26, 2007. Two dozens Cambodian park rangers are receiving a training to survey wild bears in a new effort to help protect the animal from being hunted for use in traditional medicines in neighboring countries, a conservationist said Thursday. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)