A major conservation group yesterday reiterated its support for a government plan to reintroduce tigers into the wild in Cambodia.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in a statement said that while Cambodia currently has no breeding tigers, “the government has an ambitious plan to reintroduce tigers that is supported by WWF”.

“We believe that the habitat and prey base can support tiger reintroduction in Mondulkiri Protected Forest in the Eastern Plains Landscape,” said Sam Ath Chhith, WWF’s country director.

“But we need to make sure that no development takes place within protected areas such as Mondulkiri – especially a planned border crossing and road that would hurt the chances of successful tiger reintroduction.”

A planned highway connecting the province to Vietnam was shelved earlier this year after concerns over its environmental impact were raised.

Tom Gray of WWF Greater Mekong said in the statement that the group hoped to “obtain high-level international support and funding” for the tiger reintroduction program.

According to WWF figures, there is a nearly $2 million budget for the project in 2015.