Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Sunday cancelled a controversial satellite-city development around a wildlife sanctuary and zoo near the capital following growing online appeals to halt the project. Conservationists and locals began voicing their concerns and objections when the development plan around the Phnom Tamao zoo and wildlife rescue centre came to light several months ago. /tripadvisor/

Developers last week started razing privatised areas around the more than 2,000-hectare Phnom Tamao forest area, an hour drive from capital Phnom Penh, and home to many rare and endangered wildlife including sambar deer at the zoo. Officials defended the development saying the area’s land was too sandy for trees and wild pigs destroyed farmers’ crops. /wildlifeallianceblog/

“I order… all permits for land swap and development be cancelled,” Hun Sen said in a post on his official Facebook page. He said that the forest around the zoo must be preserved, ordering the companies to replant trees on dozens of hectares of land they have already cleared. /toursbyjeeps/

Wildlife Alliance rescue and care programme director Nick Marx, who has been working at Phnom Tamao for some 20 years, said Hun Sen’s decision “demonstrates Cambodia’s desire to conserve wildlife.” /toursbyjeeps/