The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Wednesday responded to claims on social media that animals at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre (PTWRC) in Takeo province’s Bati district have become emaciated and are not being properly cared for.

Recently, a Facebook account named Slabpaka Apyeakroet posted photos of thin-looking animals and criticised the zoo’s animal keepers.

“Some animals are not being properly cared for or fed enough, and they have become emaciated and sick. What are the Phnom Tamao managers spending their budget on? How come they allow the animals to become like this?” the post asked.

In response, the ministry pointed out that PTWRC was run in partnership with environmental non-profit organisation Wildlife Alliance as well as conservation charity Fauna and Flora International and Australian charitable wildlife protection organisation Free the Bears Fund.

“If any animals become sick or thin, it is not the result of a shortage of food at PTWRC at all. Those animals have just been rescued from illegal hunters, and some were found in traps.

“Such animals need to be in the zoo to be treated and rehabilitated before being released back into the natural forest,” the ministry said.

It said that thanks to the cooperation of the three conservation organisations, PTWRC rescued 1,893 animals last year – including 54 species of birds, 41 mammalian species and 12 types of reptiles – while 1,484 animals were rehabilitated and released back into their natural environments.

In the first nine months of this year, the ministry said, the zoo has rescued 767 animals and was now caring for 1,625 animals – including 53 avian species, 41 types of mammal and 13 species of reptile – with 674 animals having been released into the wild following rehabilitation.

The ministry said to preserve and protect wild animals, it would continue to strengthen law enforcement and spread information about wildlife protection legislation so all kinds of animals were protected for future generations.

PTWRC director Nhek Ratanapich said local and international tourists assume that animals in the zoo should be bigger and stronger than those living in forests because they have ready access to food.

“So when people see any thin animals in the enclosures, people are perturbed and express criticism of our keepers and the zoo’s leadership.

“But they don’t see the real reason why the animals have become so thin. They have been put into special enclosures because they needed to be treated.

“I treat the animals like family, so I would never allow them to become emaciated or die through a lack of care,” he said.

According to Wildlife Alliance, more than 200,000 people visit PTWRC every year to see the rescued wildlife and learn about conservation efforts in Cambodia.

The centre was established in 1995 and, with an area of some 2,500ha of protected regenerating forest, it is the largest zoo in Cambodia.