I wrote a report on it two years ago.
Superficially it looks ok.
But the cage sizes, and the total ignorance and lack of care for the animals psyco-social needs is appalling.
.
The orangatung boxing matches are not fighting,in fact the interaction is probably the high point in their day.
But for highly developed animals like this, their bare open compounds where they listlessly loll about with no natural stimulation - is just plain wrong. capital W.
Cruel, and introducing really bad ideas to Cambodians about the role of these wild animals.

My big concern - if they get big enough they will introduce dolphins.
Same operators had them in Koh Kong.
Threatened species, Illegally captured locally. Hundred died in the capture or shortly after.
(that is reason enough not to give them your $$$ and support, i reckon)
China now has about 60 (160?) dolphinariums, and i expect we will soon too.

Make your own judgement, but i strongly encourage people to boycott the place.
Phnom Tamao on the other hand, is fab.

Good on you Ira!!
So many people just don't care.

Check the otters at Phnom Tamao if you go there, the kids will be transfixed.

Gilmore wrote: ↑Wed Jul 18, 2018 7:47 am I visited Safari World several times with my kids, when it was located in Koh Kong. The orangutang living facilities were excellent, far superior to most zoos, and the animals seemed healthy and well adjusted. The boxing show was even less serious than WWE. The animals wore heavily padded gloves and no serious blows were landed. The bouts were staged purely for comedy.
I also watched tigers being trained for shows. What impressed me was that they were not using any form of punishment or threats; only food rewards. Don't be too quick to condemn. I've seen far worse in developed countries.

With due respect, Gilmore.
I note you used to be a travel writer.

- Is there any such thing as a travel journalist?
Or do you guys always just automatically cut and paste the biz promos?
That's how it always appears to me.
- Do travel writers have any responsibility to investigate deeper than that?
Any travel writing on animal attractions has a particular duty, IMO.

PS - i am astonished you could say that ^^^ about KK SW even at the most superficial glance.
Lost lonely animals in a stimulation dead zone. The death rate across the board was appalling (i did an undercover report on there too). But the dolphin history was exceptionally horrific.
Sorry, i know travel writers are deaf to this sort of stuff but i am speaking now to your readers. They rarely ever get hear the truth, or anything useful, from a travel writer.

I am not usually a captive animal activist, my field is in the wild, and i could hardly be call "activist".
But i took an interest in KKSW because of the permanent damage they did to two precious Cambodian populations of endangered inshore dolphin species in Koh Kong. (Irrawaddy and Indo-pacific humback, the sometimes pink ones).
And the possible threat that PP SW poses again if they decide to add this "attraction" to their big new circus.

(imo only and not personal)

I will not support a zoo or animal show that is not up to the regulations and accredation standards of the major zoos in the USA, and, which does not provide large suitable natural well designed enclosures for the critters. To me, the role of a zoo is primarily conservation and education, display second (admissions help support the conservation and education programs) so unless they are conserving and educating, then its nothing more than exploitation.

Oh and I am not a PETAPITA, and I happily eat meat and fish, I happily hunt and fish, and I wear fur, as long as I source the fur myself. Well I dont wear fur anymore because its too hot, but I did in the past:).

WildA wrote: ↑Sun Feb 16, 2020 8:00 am I will not support a zoo or animal show that is not up to the regulations and accredation standards of the major zoos in the USA, and, which does not provide large suitable natural well designed enclosures for the critters. To me, the role of a zoo is primarily conservation and education, display second (admissions help support the conservation and education programs) so unless they are conserving and educating, then its nothing more than exploitation.

Oh and I am not a PETAPITA, and I happily eat meat and fish, I happily hunt and fish, and I wear fur, as long as I source the fur myself. Well I dont wear fur anymore because its too hot, but I did in the past:).

I
Like most things here in Cambodia it's a business and its object is to make money , whether it be schools, hospitals or other.

Duncan wrote: ↑Sun Feb 16, 2020 8:28 am

WildA wrote: ↑Sun Feb 16, 2020 8:00 am I will not support a zoo or animal show that is not up to the regulations and accredation standards of the major zoos in the USA, and, which does not provide large suitable natural well designed enclosures for the critters. To me, the role of a zoo is primarily conservation and education, display second (admissions help support the conservation and education programs) so unless they are conserving and educating, then its nothing more than exploitation.

Oh and I am not a PETAPITA, and I happily eat meat and fish, I happily hunt and fish, and I wear fur, as long as I source the fur myself. Well I dont wear fur anymore because its too hot, but I did in the past:).

I
Like most things here in Cambodia it's a business and its object is to make money , whether it be schools, hospitals or other.

Well thats why any zoo here, or in Thailand, isnt getting mine.

I always wonder why people complain about animals
being locked up in unhuman cramped overcrowded conditions but we are blind when it comes to putting people in cages.
If an animal is dangerous or kills, or a person is dangerous and kills and puts others at risk, then I can see the point.



I visited a Cambodian girl on death row in Malaysia last Wednesday. Twenty minuets talking on a phone with a glass panel between us, then back to the cell until I visit in another six months time.

And today I wonder are the animals inside the cage or outside of the cage .

Yeah looks great. The Singapore "zoos". they really do.
Like this magnificent one
Underwater World, Sentosa
Truly world class - hard to find a word against it on Google.

Opened to great fanfare in 2012 with "over two dozen pink Indo-pacific Humpback dolphins" as its star attraction.
Five years of accolades before they went broke.

Nobody knew where the dolphins came from (my obvious guess is the Gulf)
but we know where four of them went - sold off to China.
All the others had died.

My detailed investigations of the Koh Kong captures for KK Safari Wank, including interviewing the boatmen involved, revealed a huge death toll during the capture exercise, and none of them lasted long once they hit the park.
Just because they are cute and pink, doesn't make them good at living in chlorinated swimming pools turning tricks for a living.

For this..


(ps, i do agree Singapore's various, massive, stocked to the eyeballs, animal circuses and flashy displays are better than most - but so much of the whole zoo business is just plain wrong in my book.