The critically endangered Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins have been attracting more domestic and foreign tourists to northeast Cambodia's Kratie province, generating substantial income for local communities, a tourist police official said.
Considered a national living treasure by the Cambodian government, the rare dolphins have been listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species since 2004.
It is estimated that currently, 111 dolphins are living along a 120-km main channel of the Mekong River in northeast Kratie and Stung Treng provinces.
Srey Sitha, a tourist police official at the Kampi Dolphin Resort in Kratie province, said the number of foreign tourists to the dolphin reserve has been on the rise in recent months, thanks to accessible roads and bridges built by China.
"China has helped construct good bridges and roads, and even tourists from Europe have admired nice roads when they traveled to this resort, and they are happy," he told Xinhua in a recent interview.
Sitha said the recently-completed Chinese-built road 377 has played a vital role in facilitating tourists' travel to the dolphin attraction.
"According to our daily statistics, there has been a high increase in the number of tourists in late October and early November," he told Xinhua in a recent interview.
"Every day, normally, there are 40 to 50 [foreign] tourists, but if tourists in two or three tour packages are arranged to visit, the number will increase up to 90 or 100 a day," he said.
Sitha said most of the tourists visiting the dolphins in this season are from France, Italy, Australia, Germany, Canada and the United States, among others.
"Also, Chinese tourists are visiting the dolphins in tour packages or on family excursions," he said.
He said in the dry season from December to May, tourists can sightsee the dolphins from the riverbank, but in the rainy season from June to November, they need to hire a boat and ride it to watch the dolphin habitat.
"Tourists' presence is crucial to supporting our conservation efforts and to improving the livelihoods of local residents," he said.
Nhem Mom, a 60-year-old domestic tourist from southern Cambodia's Takeo province, said it would be a regret if she had not seen dolphins at least once in her life.
"I travel to Kratie province to see dolphins because I have never seen them with my own eyes," she told Xinhua."I feel excited to see them. I feel that dolphins are smart, adorable, and fascinating."
Mom called on both national and international tourists to come and visit the dolphin reserve, saying that their presence is important to help raise income and reduce poverty for local people.
Pa Khlout, another 64-year-old domestic tourist from Takeo province, said dolphins are adorable because of their charismatic behaviors, unique gestures, and vocalizations.
Khlout said tourists' presence is essential to help safeguard and conserve these majestic creatures for generations to come.