Cambodian Journal of Natural History, December 2013 issue.

Here is a short presentation of the last issue of the Cambodian Journal of Natural History (CJNH), a journal that I regularly read as you might expect from me. The whole issue can be freely download from the following link:

http://www.fauna-flora.org/publications/cambodian-journal-of-natural-history/

The topics range from herpetology to coral reef management, bat observations, studies of Cambodian species of cranes or agroforestry systems.

The contents is eclectic and CJNH might indeed be renamed Cambodian Journal of the Environment as suggested in the editorial by Dr Nicolas Souter, the brand new Project Manager of the Phnom Penh University Capacity Building Project (UCBP) with Fauna & Flora International in Cambodia.

The most consistent article of this CJNH issue, written by  Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend and Jeremy Ironsid, focuses on communities and biodiversity in Cambodia. An interesting read that sadly, shows how what we refer to as 'local people' are often excluded of the ongoing developement of their country including the lands that they have traditionally managed. Both authors wrote a plea to encourage ICCA recognition: Indigenous Peoples and Community Conserved Territories and Areas.

Two of the highlights of this issue to me were, first, the taxonomic paper on Megophryids frogs written by Neang Thy, Chhin Sophea, Meang Moeun and Hun Seiha. I think all nature enthusiast have already read or seen that type of amazing frogs that use to hide in litter. Many species of that group develop some strange appendices on the forehead that look like horns:

Second highlight was the paper on Cambodian bats, presenting four new coutry records by Chheang Sarak, Paul J.J. Bates, Katherine Boughey, Gabor Csorba, Ben Hayes, Ith Saveng, Alistair Mould, Phauk Sophany and Neil M. Furey.

Coelops frithii, one of the four new species recorded from Cambodia.

It's amazing to read that 70 species bat species are now confirmed from Cambodia while less than half of that number was known in 2000 a time when Cambodia was described as 'one of the least explored countries' in terms of its bat fauna. This shows how poorly researched Cambodia biodiversity was until recently.