It's been two years now that I first saw Nepenthes bokorensis on Phnom Bokor. Having returned in Cambodia a few weeks ago, I couldn't miss the chance to return to see that species in the wild. It is quite special to me as you can quite understand, I think. I was quite worried of the species conservation status. A few months after I first visit Phnom Bokor, a well known private company, Sokimex, started works on the hill. despite Phnom Bokor being part of a National pak (the Bokor NP also called Preah Monivong NP), the Cambodia governement had leased the hill for 99 years to the Sokimex society whose intention is to build a vast touristic resort including international hotels, casino, restaurant, gulf course, landing area for helicopters... the first step being the construction of a large road leading to the top of the flat plateau.
Most of the N. bokorensis I saw in 2007 grow on the road side. "Road" isn't an accurate word as it was rather a large jungle trail enabling one car to pass at the time... Bulldozers wreak havoc here and carved plants, animals and trees...
I couldn't barely imagine what's been lost. Bokor Hill has hardly been surveyed by botanists and other biologist and there are, arguably, many species to be described there...
I would say that 80% of the populations I found have been wiped out.
By chance or by irony, I found the very first plants of N. bokorensis that I encountered in july 2007. It was gorgeous as ever. They are growing in a spot where works have not been undertaken...yet.
I reached the top of the Bokor plateau which is often surrounded by clouds. On the way, I saw that the Drosera peltata populations I admired two years ago had also disappeared...
I found four Utricularia species (the subject of another thread) up there and I had the chance to have a glimpse of Bokor Hill's "bright future" ;-( :
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