PHNOM PENH: Local residents and authorities marked the annual anniversary ceremony of the ordination of Preah Vihear province’s Prey Preah Roka forest with a special memorial ceremony on March 2 and 3 for a mother elephant and her calf that were killed by shrapnel from Thai artillery rounds in last December’s fighting.
The event aimed to honour the value of forest resources and biodiversity while raising awareness about conservation.
The ceremonies were attended by around 200 participants, including community members, civil society organisations, monks and village elders.
Chhun Chheng, deputy director of the Preah Vihear Provincial Department of Environment, along with government officials and park rangers, joined members of the Prey Preah Roka forest network in a memorial dedicated to the spirits of the two elephants.
The ministry noted that unique ceremonies and forest ordination rituals are long-standing traditions among the indigenous communities living in protected forest areas.
The 2026 event marked the ninth anniversary of the ceremony, which aims to honour the value of forests and biodiversity, promote awareness and encourage public participation in protecting and conserving natural resources – valuable national assets for the Cambodian people and future generations.
This year’s ceremony through the incorporation of the memorial service for the two elephants, which succumbed to wounds caused by artillery shells fired into Cambodian territory in the Prey Preah Roka-Chheb Wildlife Sanctuary, at the O’Skach area in Preah Vihear province.
Specialist officials from the Ministry of Environment plan to preserve the elephants’ skeletons and document their story.
The population of wild elephants in the sanctuary is estimated at between 15 and 20 animals. The elephants move in groups and range across borders between Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
