Angelina Jolie Turned Poachers into Wildlife Protectors

When Angelina Jolie adopted her son Maddox from Cambodia in 2002, she developed a deep connection to the country. By 2003, she'd taken that bond to extraordinary lengths—purchasing 60,000 hectares (148,000 acres) of threatened rainforest in northwestern Cambodia's Samlout region and transforming it into a protected wildlife sanctuary.

But here's where it gets really interesting: some of the very people who had been illegally hunting the area's wildlife were offered jobs as the reserve's protectors.

From Poachers to Protectors

The Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation didn't just fence off the land and walk away. By 2007, the project employed 72 staff members, including former poachers who knew the terrain better than anyone. These rangers now patrol the same forests they once hunted, monitoring for illegal logging and poaching activity.

It's a brilliant conservation strategy: who better to catch poachers than someone who knows all their tricks? The foundation pays rangers $150-$200 extra per month depending on rank, plus food during patrols and bonuses when they successfully apprehend criminals in the forest.

Why This Area Matters

Samlout Multiple Use Area is the last remaining tropical rainforest in northwestern Cambodia, straddling Battambang and Pailin provinces near the Thai border. The Cambodian government designated it a protected area in 1993, but enforcement was minimal until Jolie's intervention.

Recent surveys commissioned by the foundation have documented the payoff: roughly 140 bird species, 30 mammal species, 15 bat species, and 50 orchid varieties now thrive in what researchers call a "wildlife treasure." This biodiversity exists because the land is actively protected rather than just legally designated.

More Than Just Wildlife

The Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation's work extends beyond ranger patrols. The organization:

• Works with local schools to educate children about environmental protection
• Supports approximately 6,000 villagers who live in and around the reserve
• Partners with Cambodia's Ministry of Environment for law enforcement
• Funds ongoing biodiversity research through organizations like Fauna & Flora

Jolie purchased a traditional Cambodian home in the area to help Maddox connect with his heritage. Learning about the environmental threats facing the region inspired her conservation commitment—turning what could have been a simple real estate purchase into a two-decade conservation legacy.

The reserve stands as proof that conservation works best when it includes local communities rather than excluding them. Former poachers now have legal income, endangered species have protection, and one of Cambodia's last rainforests has a fighting chance.