Cambodia: Why Tonle Sap is world's most threatened lake

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With its rich and diverse ecosystem, Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake is often described as the beating heart of the country, supporting the livelihoods of more than one million people and attracting visitors from across the region.

Yet, climate change and man-made pressures are affecting the lake, resulting in a drastic reduction in its fish stocks and worrying low water levels.

Earlier this year, the Global Nature Fund designated it as the world's most "threatened" for 2016.

"In recent years, the water volume continuously declined with negative impacts on fish migration and the import of sediments," GNF said in a statement.

"In some places in the Tonle Sap Lake, the water level dropped more and more in the dry season and wetlands dried up permanently. Beyond that, illegal fishing methods, like poison, explosives and small-meshed nets are often used."

read more and watch VIDEO http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/07/cambodia-tonle-sap-world-threatened-lake-160729182522825.html