Cambodian police have been ordered to capture dozens of buffaloes and cows roaming in the Angkor Wat heritage zone because of the dung they are leaving among the ruins, an officer said on Wednesday.
Colonel Tan Chay, commissioner of police for the World Heritage-listed area, complained that at least 30 buffaloes and 10 cows have been regularly meandering through the ruins, seeking food and leaving a mess behind.
“I have ordered my police to catch the buffaloes and cows. Then we will ask their owners to pay a fine,” he said. “The area needs to be kept as a nice place for the tourists.”
He said that half a dozen police officers had spent about six hours on Wednesday trying to catch buffaloes bathing at Sras Srang, or the pool of ablutions, but only managed to seize one.
“I have appealed to the people in the area many times not to release their cows and buffaloes into the Angkor area. Most of them understand but a few are going against regulations.”
The police commissioner said grazing animals have been a long-running problem at Angkor, particularly during the dry season when villagers traditionally let them roam free to eat and sleep wherever they like.
The ancient Angkor temples, the kingdom’s premier tourist attraction, represent the pinnacle of Khmer art. — AFP