Cambodia & Environment: ACCB partners with SFS to study Tonle Sap watersnakes

The Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB) is working with The School for Field Studies (SFS) on the continuation of a 2019 study on Tonle Sap Watersnakes as fishing bycatch conducted at the end of the wet season.

According to the ACCB, researchers, with support from Provincial Department of Environment in Siem Reap and Battambang, and local authorities, are interviewing fisher people from villages in Chong Kneas, Kampong Phluk and Prek Toal to understand peak bycatch seasons, the diversity of bycatch, and the current state of the market for watersnakes

Researchers also examine watersnake specimens, identify species, measure weight and length, and look at diet composition of the Tonle Sap Water snake (Enhydris longicauda), pointed out the ACCB, stressing that the study aims to investigate changes in watersnake diversity, size, and count through the lens of seasonal variation and overall population declines due to unmonitored bycatch.

Besides, the source continued, the ACCB and SFS have also been collaborating to create a behavioural ethogram for the ACCB’s bachelor group of Indochinese Silvered Langurs (Trachypithecus germaini) and mixed aviary residents: Brahminy Kites (Haliastur indus), Crested Serpent Eagles (Spilornis Cheela) and Grey-headed Fish Eagle (Icthyophaga ichthyaetus).

“These two studies will provide invaluable insights into their behaviour, guiding us in developing effective ex-situ conservation strategies. By deepening our understanding of the species under our care, we aim to enhance our husbandry practices and ensure the highest standards of animal welfare,” said the ACCB recently.