Animals in Cambodia: What You Can Spot, Learn, and Collect
Cambodia wildlife guide: giant ibis in the northern plains, Tonle Sap's stork colonies at Prek Toal, Irrawaddy dolphins at Kratie, Angkor macaques, Mondulkiri elephants.
Quick answer
Start with the direct answer, then use the sections below to see why the location matters and which animals are actually realistic to spot there.
Cambodia is Southeast Asia's great waterbird country and its last refuge for several huge, odd birds: the giant ibis, the greater adjutant and the sarus crane all hang on in the northern plains and the Tonle Sap floodplain. Prek Toal on the lake has Asia's largest stork and pelican colonies, Kratie has the Mekong's Irrawaddy dolphins, Angkor's temples have macaques in the ruins, Mondulkiri has elephant sanctuaries and the Cardamom mountains hold Siamese crocodiles and fishing cats.
The Tonle Sap is the engine of Cambodian wildlife. The lake swells five times each monsoon and shrinks back, and that pulse feeds the fish, the birds and the people. Prek Toal, a flooded forest on its northwest shore, holds the biggest breeding colonies of storks, pelicans and ibises left in Southeast Asia.
North of the lake, the dry deciduous forests of Preah Vihear and the Kulen Promtep sanctuary are where the giant ibis survives, found by the village guides of Tmatboey. Add the Mekong's dolphins at Kratie, the macaques and bats of Angkor and the Cardamoms' rediscovered fishing cats, and Cambodia is a far better wildlife destination than most visitors realise.
Why this location matters
Good location pages explain why the place is worth your time, not just which names belong on a destination checklist.
The giant ibis is Cambodia's national bird and has perhaps 200 individuals left, nearly all here. The Tmatboey ecotourism model, where village guides are paid when visitors see the bird, is one of the clearest success stories in Asian conservation.
Cambodia's Irrawaddy dolphins number fewer than 100 in the Mekong, and Phnom Tamao outside Phnom Penh holds thousands of animals seized from the wildlife trade. Seeing both shows what the country is fighting for and against.
Where to look
Wildlife map of Cambodia
This guide covers the region shown below. Zoom in to get your bearings before planning a trip.
Positions are geocoded from OpenStreetMap. Habitat access and opening times change — check locally before travelling.
Animals to spot
These are intentionally practical species picks, balancing accessibility, excitement, and what travelers can realistically notice in the location.
Giant IbisB
Cambodia's national bird, with most of the world's remaining 200 birds in the dry forests of Kulen Promtep, found with Tmatboey's village guides at forest pools before dawn.
Spotting note: Reliable at Tmatboey with guides between December and April; the only other birds are a handful in southern Laos.
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Greater AdjutantB
The huge bald-headed stork breeds at Prek Toal on the Tonle Sap, one of only a handful of breeding populations left in the world.
Spotting note: Regular at Prek Toal from December to March.
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Painted StorkC
Thousands nest in the flooded forest at Prek Toal, pink-and-white against the drowned trees, the colony's most numerous large bird.
Spotting note: Abundant at Prek Toal in the dry season.
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Lesser Adjutant StorkB
Breeds at Prek Toal alongside the greater adjutant and feeds across the Tonle Sap's receding floodplain.
Spotting note: Common on the lake in the dry season.
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Sarus CraneB
Southeast Asia's largest crane population winters at Ang Trapeang Thmor reservoir near Siem Reap and in the Mekong delta's Boeung Prek Lapouv.
Spotting note: Reliable at Ang Trapeang Thmor from January to April.
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DolphinB
Irrawaddy dolphins live in the deep Mekong pools at Kampi near Kratie, where boats go out morning and evening, with fewer than 100 left in the river.
Spotting note: Regular at Kampi; sightings are of rolling backs and blows, not leaps.
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Asian ElephantA
Mondulkiri's Elephant Valley Project and Mondulkiri Project let retired working elephants roam forest while visitors walk with them, and wild herds persist in Keo Seima and the Cardamoms.
Spotting note: Guaranteed at the Mondulkiri sanctuaries; wild sightings are rare.
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BantengA
Cambodia's eastern plains hold the world's largest remaining banteng population, grazing the dry forest of Srepok and Phnom Prich wildlife sanctuaries.
Spotting note: Regular on dawn drives at Srepok's safari camp in the dry season.
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Long-tailed MacaqueC
Troops roam the Angkor Thom causeway and Bayon ruins, picking through offerings and tourists' bags.
Spotting note: Guaranteed at Angkor.
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Northern Pig-tailed MacaqueC
Stockier macaques forage in the forest around Ta Prohm and Angkor's less-visited temples, alongside the long-tails.
Spotting note: Regular in Angkor's forest at the quieter temples.
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Siamese CrocodileA
The Cardamom mountains hold the largest wild population of this critically endangered crocodile, and Fauna & Flora's breeding programme releases young into the Areng valley.
Spotting note: Rare in the wild; Phnom Tamao's rescue centre has them for certain.
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Fishing CatB
Rediscovered in the Peam Krasop mangroves near Koh Kong in 2015, where camera traps now record a small population hunting the tidal creeks.
Spotting note: Very rare; mangrove night boat trips from Koh Kong give a slim chance.
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Sun BearB
The Free the Bears sanctuary at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre outside Phnom Penh holds the world's largest group of rescued sun bears.
Spotting note: Guaranteed at Phnom Tamao.
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Tokay GeckoD
The tokay barks from Angkor's temple walls and every guesthouse roof in Siem Reap after dark.
Spotting note: Heard nightly; found with a torch.
Read species guideBest for
Use this section to decide whether the location fits your travel style, skill level, and AnimalDex goals.
- Birders: giant ibis, adjutants, cranes and the Prek Toal colonies in one trip
- Angkor visitors adding macaques, bats and the Tonle Sap's birds to the temples
- Ethical elephant walking at the Mondulkiri sanctuaries
- Mekong travelers seeing Irrawaddy dolphins at Kratie
Spotting tips
These tips are meant to make the page useful in the field, not just readable on the page.
- 01Book Tmatboey through the Sam Veasna Conservation Tours office in Siem Reap; the village guides stake out the ibis roost pools and you leave before 5 am.
- 02Prek Toal is a half-day boat trip from Siem Reap in the dry season (December to March); go with a Sam Veasna or Osmose guide who can enter the core colony area.
- 03At Kratie, take the Kampi dolphin boat in the last two hours of light when the river is calm and the dolphins surface close to the boats.
- 04Visit Angkor's quieter temples (Ta Nei, Preah Khan) at dawn for pig-tailed macaques, hornbills and the fruit bats leaving the big trees.
Virtual Wildlife Guides
Wildlife guides to Cambodia
AnimalDex builds virtual guides from explorers' own wild sightings: which animals they found, how rare they are, and when. A guide is advice from someone who has been there, not a tour. Buying one unlocks the author's notes for every animal, a chat with the author, and introductions to local people they met. Wildlife is never guaranteed.
Checking for virtual guides to Cambodia...
How to choose a local wildlife guide in Cambodia
- Ask what they usually find in the season you are visiting. A good guide gives an honest answer, not a promised sighting.
- Check how they treat animals: no baiting, calling in, handling, or close flash photography for a better shot.
- Confirm the meeting area, duration, group size, total price, and how you pay before the day, plus any permits or park fees the place requires.
Track the animals you find in Cambodia
Build your collection while you travel through Cambodia, from easy wins to the species worth planning around.
Related tier lists
These tier lists add broader context around the species that make this location interesting.
Rarest Animals in the World
A structured ranking of the rarest animals in the world, blending scarcity, vulnerability, and conservation pressure to answer the overlap between rarest and most endangered wildlife.
Read tier listBiggest Animals in the World
A structured ranking of the biggest animals in the world, using the AnimalDex size stat to compare body scale across sea, land, and air.
Read tier listRelated locations
Keep exploring with nearby or similar destinations that support the same kind of AnimalDex discovery.
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Read location guideLocation FAQ
Short direct answers to the questions travelers usually ask before choosing a wildlife destination or zoo day.
What wildlife is there in Cambodia?
Giant ibis, greater and lesser adjutants, painted storks, pelicans and sarus cranes in the northern plains and on the Tonle Sap; Irrawaddy dolphins at Kratie; elephants and banteng in the eastern plains; Siamese crocodiles and fishing cats in the Cardamoms and coastal mangroves; and macaques, bats and tokays at Angkor.
What animals can be found in Cambodia?
Around 130 mammals including elephant, banteng, gaur, leopard, dhole, sun bear, gibbons and silvered langurs, over 500 birds including some of the world's rarest waterbirds, and reptiles from Siamese crocodiles to pythons. Everyday species are macaques, geckos, mynas, egrets and paddy insects.
Where is the best birdwatching in Cambodia?
Prek Toal on the Tonle Sap for the stork and pelican colonies, Tmatboey for giant and white-shouldered ibis, and Ang Trapeang Thmor for sarus cranes, all within a few hours of Siem Reap and best from December to March.
Can you see dolphins in Cambodia?
Yes, at Kampi near Kratie on the Mekong, where small boats visit the deep pool the Irrawaddy dolphins use. Fewer than 100 remain in the river, so the trip is a privilege; morning and late afternoon are best.
How do I find a wildlife guide to Cambodia?
Check the Wildlife Guides section on this page or browse Wildlife Guides on AnimalDex. Each one is a virtual guide built from an explorer's own wild sightings around Cambodia: the animals they found, how rare they are, and when. It is advice from someone who has been there, not a tour. If you want someone with you on the day, compare local guides on wildlife knowledge, how they treat animals, and clear pricing before you go.