THE KINGDOM OF WONDER
I remember reading the Cambodian news in English on my phone at The Elephant Bar. Among the daily reporting of traffic, weather, local politics, and a dozen other things of little interest, one article caught my attention:
Man-Eating Tiger Terrorizes Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary, Authorities Launch Hunt
In a series of devastating attacks on small communities near the Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary, a ferocious predator has earned the grim reputation of a “man-eater,” prompting local authorities to mobilize a massive search party. A tiger’s reign of terror has left seven people dead, including a mother and child, sparking fear and panic among the villagers.
Local authorities, fearing for human safety, have issued a “shoot on sight order,” empowering a search party of 200 officials to track down and neutralize the predator. The forestry department, tasked with safeguarding the sanctuary’s ecosystem, has spearheaded efforts to locate the animal and bring an end to the string of attacks.
However, the decision to pursue lethal action has faced opposition from tiger enthusiasts in urban areas who advocate for the capture of the feline rather than its demise. These advocates have urged the government to prioritize conservation and explore non-lethal methods to address the situation.
Despite these pleas, capturing the elusive predator has proven to be a formidable challenge due to complicated protocols and logistical hurdles. The authorities’ intricate plans to safely apprehend the tiger have hampered their ability to execute a successful capture, leaving them with limited options.
As tensions escalate among the local villagers and the threat remains at large, the authorities have been compelled to make a difficult choice. Ultimately, it has been decided that hunting down and killing the beast is the most viable solution to safeguard human lives.
The circumstances leading up to the attacks remain shrouded in uncertainty. It is unclear whether any provoking factors incited the tiger’s aggression, or if the animal suffered from an underlying medical condition contributing to its heightened hostility.
As the hunt for the man-eating tiger continues, the elusive creature has managed to evade capture, eluding the search party’s efforts. The stakes are high, and the authorities are intensifying their pursuit in hopes of neutralizing the threat posed by this ruthless predator. Local communities anxiously await news of the beast’s capture or elimination, desperate to reclaim a sense of security shattered by its deadly presence.
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Lucille wasn’t the type to read the news, but she liked to catch up with her friends and family from back home in Canada. I could tell she was missing them, including her little chihuahua Zilla – that’s short for Godzilla – that stayed with her mom.
I started to read the article about the tiger to Lucille, who was sitting across from me. On sunny days, we’d walk to our favourite expat café in Phnom Penh, The Elephant Bar, order coffee, connect our phones to wifi and catch up with news or message relatives. This was the extent of our days lately in the Khmer capital city. If something, in particular, caught our interest, we’d bat opinions for a while.
