Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Seized ivory to be displayed

Seized ivory to be displayed

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Elephant tusks seized at Phnom Penh Autonomous Port last year. Photo supplied

Seized ivory to be displayed

The Ministry of Environment is looking at places to display seized elephant ivory and other illegal exotic items to highlight the “brutality” of people, despite international conservation organisation Wildlife Alliance calling for them to be destroyed.

Ministry of Environment spokesman Neth Pheaktra told The Post that some of the ivory seized at Phnom Penh port in a significant case in 2016 was currently in the hands of the courts, with the rest impounded in safe locations.

The haul included elephant ivory and pangolin scales.

“Relevant authorities should look at possible [display] locations. The goal of the government is to keep seized ivory, rhinoceros horns and other rare specimens to show to the public and for research purposes."

“We will consider how best to put the items on display for safekeeping and allow the public to view them and researchers to study,” Pheaktra said.

The Ministry, he said, had not yet set a date for the completion of the project.

Prime Minister Hun Sen disagreed with a request by Wildlife Alliance to destroy the more than one tonne of ivory seized in the 2016 case, calling instead for it to be put on display.

“Why should the ivory be destroyed? This would be like the destruction of evidence. We will put the ivory and rhinoceros horns on display,” Hun Sen said.

Chan Vichet, Save Cambodia’s Wildlife (SCW) programme manager, said the ivory should be put on display as dinosaur bones were.

“We will keep what we have confiscated from offenders. It is not us who take part in the destruction of wildlife. When we catch offenders, the Ministry of Environment will put their traps on display so people can see the brutality of those who use such equipment to kill animals in this way.

“If we destroyed the traps and wildlife specimens, there would be no evidence of this brutality for the younger generation to learn from,” Vichet said.

Suwanna Gauntlett, the director of Wildlife Alliance, could not be reached for comment.

On December 15, 2016, authorities discovered more than a tonne of ivory, as well as elephant tails, tiger bones and pangolin scales, at Phnom Penh port when they opened two shipping containers being transported from Preah Sihanouk province.

In the operation, the authorities found 640 elephant tusks weighing 1.3 tonnes, 137.6kg of pangolin scales, more than 82kg of tiger bones and nearly 5kg of elephant tails hidden under timber.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom