Koh Kapik, part of the Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary in Koh Kong Province, covers approximately 13,500 hectares and represents one of the largest and most intact mangrove systems along Cambodia’s coastline. The site comprises extensive mangrove forests, intertidal mudflats, coastal forests, and nearshore seagrass beds shaped by tidal dynamics and freshwater inflows from the Cardamom Mountains. These habitats support high biodiversity, including globally significant concentrations of migratory shorebirds such as the Spotted Greenshank and Great Knot, as well as threatened species such as the Fishing Cat and a range of marine and estuarine fauna, making Koh Kapik a priority coastal wetland of international importance.

 

The mangrove–estuary system provides essential ecosystem services, particularly coastal fisheries production, storm and erosion protection, and carbon storage, supporting the livelihoods of more than 3,200 people across three villages who depend largely on fishing and shellfish harvesting. However, unsustainable fishing practices, mangrove clearance, pollution, and limited management capacity pose growing risks to ecosystem integrity. Strengthening site management and enforcement, restoring degraded mangroves, improving sustainable fisheries co‑management, and developing low‑impact nature‑based tourism present key opportunities to enhance coastal resilience while safeguarding biodiversity and sustaining community livelihoods.