Wildlife Alliance Survey Reveals Success of Minor Hotels’ 18,000-Hectare Forest Conservation Effort

(IN SHORT) A two-month survey by Wildlife Alliance and the Dhole Conservation Fund has confirmed the success of Minor Hotels’ protected forest concession in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains. The survey revealed the continued presence of the endangered dhole and the first sighting of female and juvenile elephants in the concession, highlighting the area’s critical role as a wildlife sanctuary.

(PRESS RELEASE) BANGKOK, 2025-May-8 — /Travel PR News/ — A groundbreaking two-month camera-trap survey conducted by Wildlife Alliance and sponsored by the Dhole Conservation Fund has revealed the ongoing success of Minor Hotels‘ public-private conservation model. The survey captured significant wildlife activity within the 18,000-hectare forest concession in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains, an area Minor Hotels has leased and protected since 2014.

The survey’s findings confirm that the endangered dhole (Asiatic wild dog) still roams the protected forest, and for the first time, a breeding herd of Asian elephants was observed in the concession, highlighting its importance as a critical wildlife haven. Deployed from February to March 2025, 60 motion-sensitive cameras captured images of dhole packs across seven camera sites, confirming the species’ continued presence in the region. The dhole is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remaining worldwide.

Equally important, the survey captured female and juvenile elephants for the first time in the concession. Cambodia is home to only three remaining breeding populations of elephants, making the sanctuary role of Minor Hotels’ concession even more vital for the species’ survival.

Other notable wildlife sightings in the survey included a mother sun bear with her cub, Sunda pangolin, clouded leopards, and various species of cats, monkeys, and deer. These results underscore the rich biodiversity and healthy ecosystem fostered by the concession’s protection efforts.

John Roberts, Group Director of Sustainability & Conservation at Minor Hotels, expressed his excitement about the findings, saying, “I am thrilled to see young and female elephants using the forest as a nursery. These results reflect the tremendous efforts of our rangers, who have patrolled thousands of kilometres to remove snares and ensure the forest remains safe and poacher-free for these endangered species.”

The forest concession, once slated for clear-cutting, now serves as the core protection zone surrounding the Cardamom Tented Camp. This partnership between Minor Hotels, Wildlife Alliance, and YAANA Ventures channels eco-tourism revenue and donations from the Minor Hotels-run Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF) directly into forest law enforcement. In 2024 alone, rangers completed over 27,000 kilometres of patrols and removed 1,175 snares and traps, ensuring the safety of the area’s wildlife.

Suwanna Gauntlett, Founder & CEO of Wildlife Alliance, praised the efforts of the partnership: “This camera-trap survey shows what happens when the private sector steps up. This land, once slated for deforestation, has become a sanctuary that now funds ranger operations, empowers community projects, and shelters endangered species like the dhole and one of Cambodia’s last breeding elephant herds.”

Cardamom Tented Camp is one of several conservation initiatives led by Minor Hotels worldwide, alongside projects in Thailand and Zimbabwe. The group is committed to becoming a net-zero organization by 2050, further demonstrating its dedication to global sustainability and conservation.

Media contacts:

Marion Walsh-Hedouin
Global Head of PR & Communications
mwalsh@minor.com

Mark Thomson
Group Director of PR and Communications
mthomson@minor.com
+66 (0)2 365 7678

Dane Halpin
Director of PR & Communications
dhalpin@minor.com
+66 (0) 630 829 647

SOURCE: Minor Hotels