Cambodia plans tiger reintroduction with Bengal Tigers from India, but challenges remain

Nearly a decade after tigers were officially declared extinct in Cambodia, the country is preparing for an ambitious conservation effort that could see Bengal tigers from India introduced into the forests of the Cardamom Mountains.

The initiative follows Cambodia’s approval of a national Tiger Action Plan in 2016 and a 2022 agreement between India and Cambodia aimed at restoring a tiger population in the Southeast Asian nation. If successful, the project would mark the return of an apex predator that disappeared from Cambodia after decades of poaching and wildlife trade.

Cambodia’s last confirmed tiger sighting was recorded by a camera trap in 2007. In the 1990s, the country was estimated to support hundreds of wild Indochinese tigers, but intense hunting pressure and poaching led to a dramatic decline. In 2016, tigers were formally declared extinct in Cambodia.

Under current plans, Bengal tigers from India would be released into Kravanh National Park, part of the protected forest network that spans the Cardamom Mountains. Reports indicate that the initial founder population could consist of several animals, although the exact number remains unclear.

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The proposal has attracted attention from conservationists because it seeks to restore a species that once played a key ecological role in Cambodia’s forests. However, questions remain about whether the conditions that caused the tiger’s disappearance have been adequately addressed.

Can the Cardamom Mountains support tigers?

One of the most significant issues is whether the Cardamom Mountains contain enough prey to sustain a viable tiger population.

A study published in Conservation Science and Practice in 2020 examined the feasibility of tiger reintroduction in Cambodia. The research concluded that the risk of insufficient prey was high and estimated less than a 25% probability that the proposed release area could support 25 adult tigers. The study found a higher probability that the landscape could support a much smaller population of approximately five tigers, but small populations are vulnerable to inbreeding and long-term instability.

Researchers have also highlighted uncertainty surrounding prey composition. Wild pigs are expected to make up a large portion of the diet of any reintroduced tigers. Other potential prey species, including gaur, sambar deer and serow, are present in the region, but experts continue to debate whether prey numbers are sufficient to support a growing tiger population.

Another area of discussion concerns the tigers themselves. Cambodia historically hosted Indochinese tigers, while the animals proposed for translocation are Bengal tigers from India.

Scientific debate continues over tiger classification. Some studies have argued that mainland Asian tiger populations belong to a single subspecies, while other research recognises Bengal and Indochinese tigers as distinct subspecies. Researchers have noted that Bengal tigers could potentially function in Cambodia’s ecosystems, although they are not identical to the animals that historically inhabited the country.

Conservations meets local concerns

Conservationists have also raised concerns about the broader challenges facing tiger recovery.

Poaching remains a significant issue in Cambodia. Wildlife experts cited in reporting on the project have argued that many of the threats responsible for the country's tiger decline continue to affect wildlife today. Snaring, targeted hunting and illegal wildlife trade remain concerns across parts of Southeast Asia.

Habitat protection presents another challenge. Cambodia lost more than 93,000 hectares of forest in 2024, according to figures cited in reporting on the project. Within the Cardamom Mountains, logging activities and the construction of multiple hydropower dams have raised questions about future habitat quality and connectivity.

Scientific research has found that hydropower development can result in habitat loss and fragmentation, potentially affecting large predators that require extensive territories. Road construction associated with infrastructure projects can also increase access for poachers and illegal loggers.

The tiger reintroduction programme itself remains a work in progress. Although the 2022 agreement between India and Cambodia envisioned tiger transfers by the end of 2025, no animals had been moved at the time of reporting. Cambodian authorities have continued seeking funding for the initiative, which is estimated to cost US $43 million over its first five years.

A soft-release strategy is planned, with tigers expected to spend time in a large enclosure before being released into the wider landscape. Authorities have also proposed community outreach programmes, awareness campaigns and compensation measures for livestock losses as part of efforts to reduce potential human-wildlife conflict.

The project represents one of the most ambitious wildlife restoration efforts currently being considered in Southeast Asia. Supporters view it as an opportunity to restore an iconic species to a landscape where it once played an important ecological role. Critics, however, argue that long-term success will depend on prey recovery, habitat protection, effective law enforcement and sustained conservation funding.

Whether Bengal tigers will once again roam freely through Cambodia’s forests remains uncertain. What is clear is that the success of the project will depend on addressing the ecological and conservation challenges that contributed to the species’ disappearance in the first place.