Thai National Park Yields Surprising Number Of Tigers

[webfact]

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

Jungle masks surprise rise in tigers

By Jonathan Watts

The Guardian,

Hidden cameras catch images, but threat of poachers cloud new hope

Armed forest rangers trek through the jungle to confirm some rare good news: the discovery of a wild tiger population in an area of Thap Lan national park previously written off by wildlife experts.

Working with foreign conservationists, the rangers have been gathering evidence from camera traps over the past two years that suggests this national park in Thailand may have more tigers than China.

Thap Lan, with its spectacular forest of sawbladed plan palms, is an oasis of biodiversity. Elephants, clouded leopards, spotted linsang, boar and deer thrive below the canopy, which is filled with the song of myna, lapwings, laughing thrushes and other exotic birds.

Locals have long insisted that tigers prowl in this area, and camera traps, triggered by heat and movement, have been left strapped to trees for a month. Some have been destroyed by wild elephants or infested by nesting ants, but the memory cards inside have yielded a trove of images of bears, leopards, itinerant monks, as well as tigers and - worryingly - armed poachers.

More than half the park still has to be checked, but rangers have already confirmed eight tigers. This is not enough to be classified as a sustainable population, but park managers are optimistic.

"I'm very happy as this is beyond expectations," Thap Lan's superintendent, Taywin Meesat, said. "There are areas deeper inside where we haven't placed cameras yet. Given the results so far, there could be 20 to 50 tigers here."

The conservation group that provided much of the training and equipment for the operation said the results showed a gap in understanding and the need to invest more in research and protection.

Tim Redford of Freeland, a Bangkokbased group that helps rangers in Southeast Asia, said: "This place was supposed to be devoid of tigers. But we did a course here and were surprised to find signs of tigers. The more we looked, the more we found. That led me to believe the forest must have tigers throughout and there is a big gap in our knowledge of where they live."

He called for further studies across countries where other small populations may have been missed.

The difficulty of measuring tiger numbers was evident when India increased its estimate by 10 per cent compared with a 2008 survey.

The discovery comes amid a fresh global push to reverse a precipitous decline in the numbers of wild tigers, down 97 per cent compared to a century ago. At the St Petersburg tiger summit last year, participants, including the World Bank, NGOs and range states, pledged US$329 million (Bt9.96 billion) to help double the predators' numbers in the wild from the current level of about 3,200.

However, the newfound hope in Thap Lan is mixed with old fears. Thailand is thought to be home to 250 to 300 wild tigers, but they are vulnerable. The biggest threat is a loss of habitat. Although nominally protected, Thailand's national parks are being encroached upon by human development, particularly monoculture plantations, roads and second homes for the Bangkok rich.

Many people also subsidise their incomes by poaching and illegally logging aloe and tropical hardwood. Park managers and police are worried that poachers would target the tigers once news gets out about their numbers.

Rangers mount night patrols and public education campaigns to halt these activities, but it can be dangerous work. A Thap Lan ranger was killed in a gun battle with poachers three years ago. In Cambodia, forest protectors have been murdered in hand grenade attacks.

The stakes are high. According to conservationists and police, poachers are paid Bt7,000 to 15,000 per kilogram for a tiger carcass. Middlemen then sell the animals for about 10 times that amount, mostly to customers in China and Vietnam, where the animal's bones and penis are used in tonics and aphrodisiacs. Yet penalties for wildlife offences remain absurdly low, with fines ranging from Bt500 to Bt40,000.

Thailand has much to protect. The country is home to some of the most biodiverse tropical forests in Southeast Asia. Just two hours from Bangkok, the Guardian's car almost ran over a King Cobra, which expressed its indignation by rearing up angrily and flickering its tongue. Yet, despite this ecological wealth, wildlife crime was a low priority for law enforcement authorities for many years. But there are signs that things might be changing. Customs officials have made several highprofile arrests in the past two years, including that of a woman who attempted to smuggle a live baby tiger cub through Bangkok airport in a case full of stuffed animal toys.

A sting operation last week apprehended a United Arab Emirates citizen whose belongings concealed two leopards, two panthers, an Asiatic black bear and two macaque monkeys.

More impressive was an undercover operation this year that exposed a large tigertrading syndicate. Its ringleader, a woman known as "J", remains at large, partly because her husband is a police officer, but investigators said they were closing in.

"I believe she may have been selling 100 tigers per year for 10 years," said Colonel Kittipong Khawsamang, deputy head of the wildlife crime division. "We know she is a big trader and have been collecting evidence, but we don't have enough for prosecution."

Kittipong said recent raids show that Thailand has become a hub of tiger trade due to its location between other buying nations and China, the main market. Many tiger farms around the nation, some of which claim to be zoos while covertly breeding animals for sale, also supply the business. The most notorious is the Sri Racha zoo, which police have raided on several occasions, confiscating hundreds of animals.

Tourists still flock to watch the farmbred tigers jump through flaming hoops, suckle at pigs and walk around on their hind legs. Police and conservationists believe "zoos" encourage poaching both as a source of breeding stock and sustaining the market for tiger products.

Commander of the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division, General Misakawan Buara, said: "The problem is, we can only check permits and the inventory, but we can't check which tigers are going in and out because we are police, not animal experts. We need more DNA checks, implanted chips or a tagging system so we can verify the origins of the tigers."

That - like training and equipping rangers - does not come cheap.

But little of the money pledged at St Petersberg summit is evident yet at the grass roots, where the budgets for rangers and wildlife police are unchanged "Tiger conservation at the top and the bottom are two different worlds. The people who are highpaid researchers and biologists jetset around the world," Freeland's Redford said. "The rangers are paid almost nothing. They get $50 to $200 a month to go and have to face armed poachers. We need to give them every support we can if we expect to keep tigers into the future. There is not a shortage of money, we just have to get it focused in the right places."

Tiger numbers

There are believed to be about 3,200 tigers left in the wild and more than 13,000 in captivity - half of them in China.

Assessing populations in the wild is notoriously difficult, given the remoteness of the habitat and the animals' tendency to avoid human contact. It is believed numbers have fallen by 97 per cent over the past century, but several revisions have taken place in recent years.

l In March, India unveiled a new census that put the total number of wild tigers in the country close to 1,550 - 10 per cent up on 2008.

l In Indonesia, camera traps recently caught images of 12 Sumatran tigers. A recent study conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society said the estimated population of 400 could be much larger.

l About 350 adult Siberian or Amur tigers - physically, the largest subspecies - are left in the wild, with 95 per cent inhabiting the far east

-- The Nation 2011-05-18

[krangeek]

Let's keep this one high profile can we? And not buried down on page 6 or 7 after a day or two. I'm pretty sure there are individuals who are concerned about the way this country (yes, I know there are others, but this forum is about Thailand) treats it's rapidly depleting natural flora and fauna) and all and any publicity should be all to the good.

I'd start by recruiting more park rangers and paying them a decent living wage, taking into account the perilous nature of their work.

I'd then throw every poacher/encroacher, including 'Mrs J' into the Sri Racha zoo tiger pen in front of a live audience. I'm sure it'd be a sell out.

That should make the world's press sit up and take notice, favourably bringing aforesaid recommendations re rangers higher up the Thai government's list of priorities.

[Thai at Heart]

Let's keep this one high profile can we? And not buried down on page 6 or 7 after a day or two. I'm pretty sure there are individuals who are concerned about the way this country (yes, I know there are others, but this forum is about Thailand) treats it's rapidly depleting natural flora and fauna) and all and any publicity should be all to the good.

I'd start by recruiting more park rangers and paying them a decent living wage, taking into account the perilous nature of their work.

I'd then throw every poacher/encroacher, including 'Mrs J' into the Sri Racha zoo tiger pen in front of a live audience. I'm sure it'd be a sell out.

That should make the world's press sit up and take notice, favourably bringing aforesaid recommendations re rangers higher up the Thai government's list of priorities.

I would think printing even the most obtuse references to where these tigers have been found, is precisely the type of high profile that they shouldn't be wanting. Do you reckon a ranger on 10k per month won't help the poachers if they offer him a million?

[IanForbes]

The availability of Viagra and Cialis has had the side affect of helping out the wild animals who are slaughtered for their parts that supposedly make old men potent again. It is wonderful news that wild tigers are still surviving and there actually are people who are trying to help them.

[krangeek]

Let's keep this one high profile can we? And not buried down on page 6 or 7 after a day or two. I'm pretty sure there are individuals who are concerned about the way this country (yes, I know there are others, but this forum is about Thailand) treats it's rapidly depleting natural flora and fauna) and all and any publicity should be all to the good.

I'd start by recruiting more park rangers and paying them a decent living wage, taking into account the perilous nature of their work.

I'd then throw every poacher/encroacher, including 'Mrs J' into the Sri Racha zoo tiger pen in front of a live audience. I'm sure it'd be a sell out.

That should make the world's press sit up and take notice, favourably bringing aforesaid recommendations re rangers higher up the Thai government's list of priorities.

I would think printing even the most obtuse references to where these tigers have been found, is precisely the type of high profile that they shouldn't be wanting. Do you reckon a ranger on 10k per month won't help the poachers if they offer him a million?

I take your point. My heart sank when I saw this large headline, complete with photo, on the front page of the newspaper concerned. But the fact is that as it is already out there, the wider the exposure the better. Such as that given to the Urang Utang and many species worldwide, notably South America, who seem to have more concern, NOW, for their environment than each and every Thai government has shown for their's.

Cat's (no pun intended) already out of the bag. Let's let these miscreants know they're being watched and hope the government step up measures to protect this country's wildlife.

I see this thread is sliding rapidly down the forum anyway. As per.

Edited May 18, 2011 by krangeek

[trisailer]

Anyone know which orgainazation is trying to protect this wonderful resource?

[ginjag]

Let's keep this one high profile can we? And not buried down on page 6 or 7 after a day or two. I'm pretty sure there are individuals who are concerned about the way this country (yes, I know there are others, but this forum is about Thailand) treats it's rapidly depleting natural flora and fauna) and all and any publicity should be all to the good.

I'd start by recruiting more park rangers and paying them a decent living wage, taking into account the perilous nature of their work.

I'd then throw every poacher/encroacher, including 'Mrs J' into the Sri Racha zoo tiger pen in front of a live audience. I'm sure it'd be a sell out.

That should make the world's press sit up and take notice, favourably bringing aforesaid recommendations re rangers higher up the Thai government's list of priorities.

I would think printing even the most obtuse references to where these tigers have been found, is precisely the type of high profile that they shouldn't be wanting. Do you reckon a ranger on 10k per month won't help the poachers if they offer him a million?

The Thai army have just got 100,000 added to it's force---SO give them the jungle training --YES they have to have it, they could be the ones to give more protection. Their role =tiger protection==survival techniques -any seconders?? .

[krangeek]

Let's keep this one high profile can we? And not buried down on page 6 or 7 after a day or two. I'm pretty sure there are individuals who are concerned about the way this country (yes, I know there are others, but this forum is about Thailand) treats it's rapidly depleting natural flora and fauna) and all and any publicity should be all to the good.

I'd start by recruiting more park rangers and paying them a decent living wage, taking into account the perilous nature of their work.

I'd then throw every poacher/encroacher, including 'Mrs J' into the Sri Racha zoo tiger pen in front of a live audience. I'm sure it'd be a sell out.

That should make the world's press sit up and take notice, favourably bringing aforesaid recommendations re rangers higher up the Thai government's list of priorities.

I would think printing even the most obtuse references to where these tigers have been found, is precisely the type of high profile that they shouldn't be wanting. Do you reckon a ranger on 10k per month won't help the poachers if they offer him a million?

The Thai army have just got 100,000 added to it's force---SO give them the jungle training --YES they have to have it, they could be the ones to give more protection. Their role =tiger protection==survival techniques -any seconders?? .

Not being facetious, but they may very well use them as target practice. And how much does the average serviceman earn? Wouldn't have thought much more than the average Park Ranger. Given that they're conscripts anyway.

Edited May 18, 2011 by krangeek

[krangeek]

Anyone know which orgainazation is trying to protect this wonderful resource?

Tim Redford of Freeland, a Bangkokbased group that helps rangers in Southeast Asia ...

[krangeek]

And here's a link to their Organisation http://www.freeland.org/eng/

[ginjag]

Let's keep this one high profile can we? And not buried down on page 6 or 7 after a day or two. I'm pretty sure there are individuals who are concerned about the way this country (yes, I know there are others, but this forum is about Thailand) treats it's rapidly depleting natural flora and fauna) and all and any publicity should be all to the good.

I'd start by recruiting more park rangers and paying them a decent living wage, taking into account the perilous nature of their work.

I'd then throw every poacher/encroacher, including 'Mrs J' into the Sri Racha zoo tiger pen in front of a live audience. I'm sure it'd be a sell out.

That should make the world's press sit up and take notice, favourably bringing aforesaid recommendations re rangers higher up the Thai government's list of priorities.

I would think printing even the most obtuse references to where these tigers have been found, is precisely the type of high profile that they shouldn't be wanting. Do you reckon a ranger on 10k per month won't help the poachers if they offer him a million?

The Thai army have just got 100,000 added to it's force---SO give them the jungle training --YES they have to have it, they could be the ones to give more protection. Their role =tiger protection==survival techniques -any seconders?? .

Not being facetious, but they may very well use them as target practice. And how much does the average serviceman earn? Wouldn't have thought much more than the average Park Ranger. Given that they're conscripts anyway.

target practice, you might have a point, but thinking again NO. My main point was for patrols exterior, so to prevent the poachers (or try) would be better than nothing-and let them be picked off to extinction. In no way could recruits be anyway near the reserve. BETTER to stop the poachers going in-rather than stop them coming out with dead tigers to sell.

The pay you mention is not in question, I'd trust the army boys with supervision to the police, at least their presence would be a deterrent. Surely better than what they have in place now.

[dunkin2012]

There are believed to be about 3,200 tigers left in the wild and more than 13,000 in captivity

more tigers in captivity than in the wild. It's sad, isn't it?

Only one bad thing 'bout The national Park is:

The road,3077 built straight in the middle of Kao Yai National Park has huge impact on these animals.

wouldn't it be a better alternative to build a road such as below ?

[ginjag]

There are believed to be about 3,200 tigers left in the wild and more than 13,000 in captivity

more tigers in captivity than in the wild. It's sad, isn't it?

Only one bad thing 'bout The national Park is:

The road,3077 built straight in the middle of Kao Yai National Park has huge impact on these animals.

wouldn't it be a better alternative to build a road such as below ?

Hey Dunkin how ya doin? Good Idea-apart from your photo's of the wildlife.

I wonder how many of the 13,000 thousand have been bred in captivity ??? Some zoos are good for breeding programs,

most of the others are an income-money only- We are giving the poachers easy access with main roads cutting across the parks. But as I said before, trying to prevent the poachers going in, rather than a big news like (poachers have been arrested) its the majority that are NOT caught.

[billd766]

I live near a national park and it is believed that there are tigers in there as well.

I have copied a small part of the original article which I find interesting.

snip>

But little of the money pledged at St Petersberg summit is evident yet at the grass roots, where the budgets for rangers and wildlife police are unchanged "Tiger conservation at the top and the bottom are two different worlds. The people who are highpaid researchers and biologists jetset around the world," Freeland's Redford said. "The rangers are paid almost nothing. They get $50 to $200 a month to go and have to face armed poachers. We need to give them every support we can if we expect to keep tigers into the future. There is not a shortage of money, we just have to get it focused in the right places."

snip>

I have a few friends who are park rangers and one of their biggest problems is that firstly the pay is low and secondly they sometimes go a month or two without being paid.

Sure it comes along a bit later most times but it doesn't help at the end of the month to get no salary.

The weapons they do have are old and short of ammunition and to be honest if I was armed with a shotgun and saw poachers armed with AK 47 automatic rifles I would turn a blind eye and bugger off.

If you want to keep the wild animals safe then pay more (and on time), recruit and train more rangers and perhaps turn a blind ear if a poacher doesn't come home from the forest.

[dunkin2012]

There are believed to be about 3,200 tigers left in the wild and more than 13,000 in captivity

more tigers in captivity than in the wild. It's sad, isn't it?

Only one bad thing 'bout The national Park is:

The road,3077 built straight in the middle of Kao Yai National Park has huge impact on these animals.

wouldn't it be a better alternative to build a road such as below ?

Hey Dunkin how ya doin? Good Idea-apart from your photo's of the wildlife.

I wonder how many of the 13,000 thousand have been bred in captivity ??? Some zoos are good for breeding programs,

most of the others are an income-money only- We are giving the poachers easy access with main roads cutting across the parks. But as I said before, trying to prevent the poachers going in, rather than a big news like (poachers have been arrested) its the majority that are NOT caught.

it's never been better , thanks.... How have ya been doin'? good to see ya here....though...

I know Siracha Tiger Zoo is one of 'em. Though, I've not been there yet. Guess they make huge profits. I hope they can protect tigers from extinction.

have you heard of the tigers in Tara of the Dudhwa National Park on the border between India and Nepal?

They kill people as the food chain. I wonder if they tigers in Kao Yai National park can behave in such a way. So deadly!!!! It's the only place on earth that has man-eater tigers.

most of the time, we hear China about the environment destruction. Contrary in the NE, they have the biggest Siberian tiger breeding center, that is a nice program.

These poachers are around they live near its, the park vicinity. Not sure if some of the park rangers are some the local living near by too. That means they are the same set of people who know one another.

The park is so big its area stretches across 3 Provinces. I can imagine that it's pretty hard to be fully controlled. These poachers have no idea if the tigers are in danger of extinct. it doesn't make any different for them. Poor and under-educated. And then feel disgusting with those idiots that are wrongly in practice of eating their male organs and think that can make them feel tougher while in action......

Huh....Whatta fool!....

correct! Mrs, J should be closely monitored.

Really I prefer seein' them in the wild , not a zoo. But not from Dubhawa Park...

Edited May 18, 2011 by dunkin2012

[David006]

...so bloody hypercritical of mankind who have spent the last centuries killing Elephants, Tigers , Cougar Crocs etc etc in Asia , Africa and North America ++ for mere sport.. to prove how big there cahooners are and how clever they are at pointing firearms.....umbrella stands, piano keys, rugs etc....makes ya sick... The <deleted> Chinese or their employees are still killing bears in Canada and leaving carcases to rot but for a few internal organs....then there are the harp seals and the negligible population of Beaver....the list goes on.....nothing wrong with killing for food for survival probably,that's the way of the world but jesus h .....

....love the idea of putting the principles behind poaching naked in a cage with 'em!!!

[benbear]

Let's keep this one high profile can we? And not buried down on page 6 or 7 after a day or two. I'm pretty sure there are individuals who are concerned about the way this country (yes, I know there are others, but this forum is about Thailand) treats it's rapidly depleting natural flora and fauna) and all and any publicity should be all to the good.

I'd start by recruiting more park rangers and paying them a decent living wage, taking into account the perilous nature of their work.

I'd then throw every poacher/encroacher, including 'Mrs J' into the Sri Racha zoo tiger pen in front of a live audience. I'm sure it'd be a sell out.

That should make the world's press sit up and take notice, favourably bringing aforesaid recommendations re rangers higher up the Thai government's list of priorities.

I agree , save the tiger

[ginjag]

There are believed to be about 3,200 tigers left in the wild and more than 13,000 in captivity

more tigers in captivity than in the wild. It's sad, isn't it?

Only one bad thing 'bout The national Park is:

The road,3077 built straight in the middle of Kao Yai National Park has huge impact on these animals.

wouldn't it be a better alternative to build a road such as below ?

Hey Dunkin how ya doin? Good Idea-apart from your photo's of the wildlife.

I wonder how many of the 13,000 thousand have been bred in captivity ??? Some zoos are good for breeding programs,

most of the others are an income-money only- We are giving the poachers easy access with main roads cutting across the parks. But as I said before, trying to prevent the poachers going in, rather than a big news like (poachers have been arrested) its the majority that are NOT caught.

it's never been better , thanks.... How have ya been doin'? good to see ya here....though...

I know Siracha Tiger Zoo is one of 'em. Though, I've not been there yet. Guess they make huge profits. I hope they can protect tigers from extinction.

have you heard of the tigers in Tara of the Dudhwa National Park on the border between India and Nepal?

They kill people as the food chain. I wonder if they tigers in Kao Yai National park can behave in such a way. So deadly!!!! It's the only place on earth that has man-eater tigers.

most of the time, we hear China about the environment destruction. Contrary in the NE, they have the biggest Siberian tiger breeding center, that is a nice program.

These poachers are around they live near its, the park vicinity. Not sure if some of the park rangers are some the local living near by too. That means they are the same set of people who know one another.

The park is so big its area stretches across 3 Provinces. I can imagine that it's pretty hard to be fully controlled. These poachers have no idea if the tigers are in danger of extinct. it doesn't make any different for them. Poor and under-educated. And then feel disgusting with those idiots that are wrongly in practice of eating their male organs and think that can make them feel tougher while in action......

Huh....Whatta fool!....

correct! Mrs, J should be closely monitored.

Really I prefer seein' them in the wild , not a zoo. But not from Dubhawa Park...

Good to learn your an animal lover. Himalayan foothills tigers are getting short of habitat, because of our intrusion hence the hunger and aggression, they need to survive as they don't have 7-11s nearby.

MONEY is far more important to some people, these louts kill for it and nothing short of being shot themselves, will stop them. and I agree----there MUST be rangers and people who reside on the fringes that are involved, the problem here is law ENFORCEMENT no one is demanding it Apart from westerners and some very good Thai conservationists, the cats numbers have been dwindling. Most Thai people do not know they have tigers here, so how can you make people aware.

[richard10365]

I have read in the past that 98% of all species that have existed on planet Earth are now extinct. While I don't agree with what poachers are doing, what purpose would it serve to save the tiger? They are not a food source for humans but rather a threat as we are a food source for them. Evolution has made humans the dominant species on the planet. At this point we have decided what animals we will consume to sustain us. Through animal husbandry, we breed and raise livestock on a regular basis to feed our hunger. Tigers are not on our menu. If the tiger population grows signifanctly larger then humans will probably be tasked with making it smaller. Meanwhile the human population grows and grows. At the same time, we encroach on the tigers natural habitat....or....is it the tiger that is encroaching on our habitat? We are not alien to this world. Doesn't natural selection favor the strong over the weak? Will we begin to sacrifice humans in order to protect the tiger? Sure it is our ability to reason that makes us different. So using reason, why should we save the tiger?

[Greyman]

I have read in the past that 98% of all species that have existed on planet Earth are now extinct. While I don't agree with what poachers are doing, what purpose would it serve to save the tiger? They are not a food source for humans but rather a threat as we are a food source for them. Evolution has made humans the dominant species on the planet. At this point we have decided what animals we will consume to sustain us. Through animal husbandry, we breed and raise livestock on a regular basis to feed our hunger. Tigers are not on our menu. If the tiger population grows signifanctly larger then humans will probably be tasked with making it smaller. Meanwhile the human population grows and grows. At the same time, we encroach on the tigers natural habitat....or....is it the tiger that is encroaching on our habitat? We are not alien to this world. Doesn't natural selection favor the strong over the weak? Will we begin to sacrifice humans in order to protect the tiger? Sure it is our ability to reason that makes us different. So using reason, why should we save the tiger?

We are only a threat because we encroach on their habitat. We are the dominant species, yet we continue to slowly destroy the environment we live in.

I believe, one of the main reasons we are doing this, is because we are adding to the worlds population at an alarming rate.

Why do so many families have numerous children they can't support. Our ability to reason has created better medicine which can control birth rates, but due to religion, many cultures don't accept this as acceptable practice.

Maybe, we should leave the wild areas as they are, to thrive without our intervention, [with the exception of keeping guard over them.]

We should stay in the urban regions until we die out.

Nature will continue without us.

Unless one of our dominant species, pushes a button......

Great story. I hope we can see more like this.

[mccw]

Complaining about tiger farming? Seems to me farming would the best solution. There will always b a demand as long as Chinese have money; so better to farm them so price is so low it's not worth trekking in to deep jungle to catch one. All farmed tigers would be DNA catalogued and if a tiger was found without ID then owners servierly prosecuted. The taxes raised from sales and export could easily pay for the required projects i should think.

If it was out in the open and regulated like this it would not be worth taking your life in your hands when money could be made ligitimately. More better paid and armed rangers in conjuction with this.

[kdc1899]

I'd like to be able to explore a Thai national park without worrying about a tiger eating my kids.

What purpose does a wild tiger serve for nature? Can't be anything so complicated that humans cant replicate.

jmho

[Thongkorn]

sh.t my wife offten warned me about walking alone in the jungels , she said there where tigers and bears about , i just though she fell out of her tree that morning , I have been lucky then ,

Edited May 18, 2011 by Thongkorn

[Macmundi]

Protection of wildlife takes more than just imposing fines on poachers. They must be met with absolute life penalty. Shoot on sight is what some African countries use. On the other hand there must be ecologists and rangers studying the population of each species with respect to the amount of restricted parkland reserved only for wildlife. One million rai of land is good to sustain only a certain number of herbivores. This number which will be just under the food chain of omnivores and carnivores is only good enough to sustain the next level up the food chain. This is what balances the flora and fauna of Thailand's National Park. An increase in number of tigers does not necessarily mean good news. Further study is need to determine if a number of them should be relocated to other national parks or how the number of preys should be increased.

[Mrjlh]

I'd like to be able to explore a Thai national park without worrying about a tiger eating my kids.

What purpose does a wild tiger serve for nature? Can't be anything so complicated that humans cant replicate.

jmho

Keeps a balance in nature, eats the weaker, sick or injured animals in the jungle including ignorant humanoids and their offspring who happen along their way. But not to worry they are more afraid of us than we are of them today. So I doubt you'll see one.

And you mean you wouldn't want to see one of these majestic animals?

Use to see these all the time in Khao Yai. But ignorant humanoids went and built nicely paved roads and which allows them to drive like racing car enthusiasts. Most miss seeing the animals that abound there.

[richard10365]

Complaining about tiger farming? Seems to me farming would the best solution. There will always b a demand as long as Chinese have money; so better to farm them so price is so low it's not worth trekking in to deep jungle to catch one. All farmed tigers would be DNA catalogued and if a tiger was found without ID then owners servierly prosecuted. The taxes raised from sales and export could easily pay for the required projects i should think.

If it was out in the open and regulated like this it would not be worth taking your life in your hands when money could be made ligitimately. More better paid and armed rangers in conjuction with this.

While this sounds bad, it is probably the most logical solution. But can you imagine being a cowboy on a tiger farm? It sounds a bit more risky than working with cattle. Would we treat the tigers better than we treat cattle in a slaughter house? Eliminate the tigers from the jungle and families will be able to explore the jungle in relative safety. What animals would the tigers normally eat in the jungle that man could not regulate easier in the jungle than a tiger could. I don't think it would upset the current food chain much at all. Like the dinosaur, evolution is slowly claiming another victim. The strong, man-kind, will bring to extinction the weak, which in this case is the tiger.

[homeslice]

I'd like to be able to explore a Thai national park without worrying about a tiger eating my kids.

What purpose does a wild tiger serve for nature? Can't be anything so complicated that humans cant replicate.

jmho

Keeps a balance in nature, eats the weaker, sick or injured animals in the jungle including ignorant humanoids and their offspring who happen along their way. But not to worry they are more afraid of us than we are of them today. So I doubt you'll see one.

And you mean you wouldn't want to see one of these majestic animals?

Use to see these all the time in Khao Yai. But ignorant humanoids went and built nicely paved roads and which allows them to drive like racing car enthusiasts. Most miss seeing the animals that abound there.

I'm glad you responded to timestamp. Had I weighed in I'm certain it would have been uuuuugggly.

I agree to the thoughts shared on this topic; we need to keep it in the forefront of the news.

I don't know how Thai law works but it would be great to make this a point for negotiation during the coming elections. Perhaps we can get a politician and a lawyer to draft a law making poaching a crime punishable by a mandatory, and lengthy, prison sentence. I wonder what the organization that is interested in tiger preservation would say about this idea. These beautiful animals need to be saved!

[kdc1899]

I'd like to be able to explore a Thai national park without worrying about a tiger eating my kids.

What purpose does a wild tiger serve for nature? Can't be anything so complicated that humans cant replicate.

jmho

Keeps a balance in nature, eats the weaker, sick or injured animals in the jungle including ignorant humanoids and their offspring who happen along their way.

Touche'

[Whale]

The photo with the article is not even in Thailand, its also a captive animal.

So the Guardian could not even source a photo of a wild Thai tiger to go with the article?

[Whale]

I'd like to be able to explore a Thai national park without worrying about a tiger eating my kids.

What purpose does a wild tiger serve for nature? Can't be anything so complicated that humans cant replicate.

jmho

Keeps a balance in nature, eats the weaker, sick or injured animals in the jungle including ignorant humanoids and their offspring who happen along their way. But not to worry they are more afraid of us than we are of them today. So I doubt you'll see one.

And you mean you wouldn't want to see one of these majestic animals?

Tiger On the Road.jpg

Use to see these all the time in Khao Yai. But ignorant humanoids went and built nicely paved roads and which allows them to drive like racing car enthusiasts. Most miss seeing the animals that abound there.

Wow Cool pic, is it Khao Yai? I have only ever seen one other photo of a tiger in Khao Yai by a great wildlife photographer called Smith Suthibut.