This photo taken on Aug. 13, 2025 shows a view of the Phnom Sampov, a limestone mountain and religious site, in Battambang province, Cambodia. Cambodia's Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with Fauna & Flora-Cambodia Program, on Monday released guidelines for sustainable development and management of caves, the first of their kind for the country. The guidelines mark a significant step towards the protection and sustainable management of Cambodia's unique limestone karst ecosystems, said a joint press release. (Fauna & Flora-Cambodia Program/Handout via Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with Fauna & Flora-Cambodia Program, on Monday released guidelines for sustainable development and management of caves, the first of their kind for the country.

The guidelines mark a significant step towards the protection and sustainable management of Cambodia's unique limestone karst ecosystems, said a joint press release.

"The guidelines integrate international best practices with Cambodian context, providing practical measures to safeguard bat colonies, preserve rare and endemic cave biodiversity, promote sustainable guano harvesting, and ensure responsible tourism development," the press release said.

"They also emphasize the preservation of the unique cultural and archaeological heritage found in many of Cambodia's cave systems," it added.

Limestone caves are among Cambodia's most under-appreciated natural treasures, the press release said, adding that hidden within dramatic karst landscapes, they hold exceptional cultural, biological, and economic value.

"These ecosystems support unique and often irreplaceable lifeforms, preserve remnants of our ancient past, and sustain local livelihoods through tourism and guano collection," the press release said. "Yet despite their significance, Cambodian caves remain poorly understood, largely unregulated, and are increasingly threatened."

Designed as a comprehensive resource for local and sub-national authorities, protected area managers, and community stakeholders, the cave guidelines will equip stakeholders with the knowledge and tools needed to protect and sustainably manage limestone and cave ecosystems across Cambodia, the press release said. ■

This photo taken on March 8, 2025 shows a view of the Phnom Sampov, a limestone mountain and religious site, in Battambang province, Cambodia. Cambodia's Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with Fauna & Flora-Cambodia Program, on Monday released guidelines for sustainable development and management of caves, the first of their kind for the country.

The guidelines mark a significant step towards the protection and sustainable management of Cambodia's unique limestone karst ecosystems, said a joint press release. (Fauna & Flora-Cambodia Program/Handout via Xinhua)

This photo taken on Dec. 3, 2023 shows an interior view of the Phnom La'ang Kang Kep cave, which is used as a sacred site, in Battambang province, Cambodia. Cambodia's Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with Fauna & Flora-Cambodia Program, on Monday released guidelines for sustainable development and management of caves, the first of their kind for the country.

The guidelines mark a significant step towards the protection and sustainable management of Cambodia's unique limestone karst ecosystems, said a joint press release. (Fauna & Flora-Cambodia Program/Handout via Xinhua)