Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre
| Date opened | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Location | Takeo, Cambodia |
| Land area | 6,000 acres |
| No. of animals | 1200 |
| No. of species | 102 |
Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre (PTWRC) is a wildlife centre located roughly 25 miles (40 km) by road south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The centre was established in 1995 and with an area of over 6,000 acres of protected regenerating forest, this is the largest zoo in Cambodia. Since 2001, PTWRC has been run by the government institution of Cambodian Forestry Administration in partnership with an environmental non-profit organization called Wildlife Alliance. Wildlife Alliance animal husbandry specialists, veterinarians, and care takers assist in the feeding and care of animals and operations. PTWRC currently houses over 1,200 rescued animals from 102 species including endangered Asian elephants, tigers, Pileated gibbon, Siamese crocodile, Malayan sun bears, among many others. Many of the species are listed as Endangered or Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Rescued animals at Phnom Tamao can be seen through general park admission, through the wildlife tours organized by Wildlife Alliance, Free the Bears, and independent tour operators.
Phnom Tamao is home to the world's largest group of rescued Malayan sun bears together with a number of Moon bears or Asiatic black bears. The bear sanctuary covers an area of over 10 hectares and is home to more than 130 rescued bears which have been supported by Free the Bears since 1997. The bear sanctuary contains a dedicated classroom for visiting school groups "The Bear Den", a visitor centre and number of education zones for general visitors "The Bear Discovery Centre" and "The Bear Discovery Trail", a children's play area "The Home of the Wild Things" and a dedicated research facility "The Field Station" for student researchers undertaking projects aimed at improving the welfare of captive bears or promoting conservation of wild bears. Visitors wishing to spend time helping with the care of the bears and seeing behind the scenes of the world's biggest sanctuary for the world's smallest bear can join either the one-day Bear Care Tour (http://www.freethebears.org/index.php/help-the-bears/bear-care-tour) or Free the Bears volunteer programme for longer stays of 1-12 weeks (http://www.freethebears.org/index.php/help-the-bears/volunteer)
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