Cambodia is exploring a plan to reintroduce tigers to the Cardamom Mountains, a protected rainforest region in the southwest of the country. Under the proposal, India would send several tigers—drawn from its population of more than 3,600 animals—to Cambodia’s Cardamom landscape. The move is framed around the idea of restoring a native apex predator in an area designated for conservation.
At the same time, accounts from people who have lived and worked in the forest highlight the risks that tigers can pose to nearby communities. One narrative describes a man recalling an incident in which a tiger attacked him while he and others were working in the rainforest, including activities such as tapping trees for resin. Such memories underscore the concerns that reintroduction could increase human-wildlife conflict if safety measures are not in place.
Overall, the reporting points to a tension between potential conservation benefits and the practical challenge of ensuring that reintroduced tigers do not threaten people who depend on or work in the same forest regions.
