Monday December 16, 2024
Bernama TV —
The growing conflict between humans and water snakes in Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake – a vital ecosystem and the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia – has reached a critical point, threatening the lake’s biodiversity.
The slithery water snakes are falling victim to bycatch and the rising commercial demand, from human consumption to feeding crocodiles, is slowly depleting the snakes in Tonle Sap, known for its rich marine ecosystem.
Marine conservationists say water snakes are critical to the lake’s biodiversity, serving as prey for predators, helping regulate aquatic species and providing resources for local communities.
Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity Country Director Christel Griffioen told Bernama the Tonle Sap Lake’s water snake population is under serious threat and the current rate of catching them is not sustainable.