Tigers flourishing in top sanctuary

[Lite Beer]

Tigers flourishing in top sanctuary
Akkarachai Kantamala,
Nattanut Wongpariyakul
The Nation on Sunday

The Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Uthai Thani is home to a large number of species.

UTHAI THANI: -- Known as the crown jewel of Thailand's forested terrain, Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary is home to an abundance of plants and wildlife.

However, an important step in preserving the sanctuary is to boost the area's tiger population, as this is a real indicator of the park's rich diversity, wildlife experts say.

"To preserve the tiger is to preserve the whole forest," said Saksit Simcharoen, chief of Huai Kha Khaeng Tigers Research Team. Since tigers are an indicator of the forest's diversity, preserving them means preserving the whole food chain of the sanctuary, he said.

According to Saksit, tigers are at the top of the food chain and the number present in the sanctuary also reveals the abundance and type of prey they hunt. So it was important, he said, to preserve the habitat in order to ensure their numbers were not at risk.

The current tiger population in Huai Kha Khaeng is approximately 240 to 250 - a relatively small number, Saksit said.

Huai Kha Khaeng, in Uthai Thani province, is also home to a large number of other species. A true haven barely touched by man, it serves as natural habitat for 150 species of mammal, 450 species of bird, 89 species of lizard, 40 species of frog, and 108 species of fish.

"We used to have only about 30 tigers in the Sanctuary," he said. "But we plan to increase the tiger population by up to 300 in a few years and to then keep this number stable." With the assistance of modern tracking technology, rangers and tiger specialists at Huai Kha Khaeng can track down tigers and study them effectively.

"We also need to do some research on the tigers' behaviour in order to ensure they have access to the right sources of prey," said Teerapat Prayulsit, deputy director of the Department of National Parks, adding that laws and regulations protecting wildlife in Thailand need to be taken more seriously.

In support of tiger conservation, True Corporation will hold a "Wildlife is Priceless, Forests Are Precious" photo contest. The contest aims to encourage awareness about the importance of preserving forests their wildlife.

"One photo can tell many stories", said Ard Taolanon, vice president of True Corporation.

The photo contest will be open to anyone who expresses an interest and will be divided into two main topics: forests and wildlife.

Those interested in taking part can submit their photographs up till the end of September. More information on the competition can be found at: Trueplookpanya.com.

-- The Nation 2013-06-23

[jpeg]

"We also need to do some research on the tigers' behaviour in order to ensure they have access to the right sources of prey," said Teerapat Prayulsit, deputy director of the Department of National Parks, adding that laws and regulations protecting wildlife in Thailand need to be taken more seriously.

The only way whatever laws exist in this country ostensibly covering everything from protection of wildlife habitats to corruption ad infinitum is when miscreants are seriously jailed. Or is it merely poor yabaa users and bar mat thieves taking up space in them?

[Spalpeen]

Great news. Almost everywhere in the world large animals are being pushed out by the exploding human population.

[Suradit69]

"We also need to do some research on the tigers' behaviour in order to ensure they have access to the right sources of prey," said Teerapat Prayulsit, deputy director of the Department of National Parks, adding that laws and regulations protecting wildlife in Thailand need to be taken more seriously.

The only way whatever laws exist in this country ostensibly covering everything from protection of wildlife habitats to corruption ad infinitum is when miscreants are seriously jailed. Or is it merely poor yabaa users and bar mat thieves taking up space in them?

So many "newbies," so much bitterness, so little perspective.

Edited June 23, 2013 by Suradit69

[SSSlongtime]

good help for the tiger if some counties banned fur coats ,start with France ,people got no shame wearing dead animals

[catmac]

So many "newbies", Suradit? I see only one newbie and a member who joined 3 years before you! Come to think of it, you've only been a member for some 18 months, hardly a veteran!

As to your other points, well, I think we are entitled to a little bitterness over the never-ending encroachment into National Parks, the blatant illegal logging, etc., etc., that we read about here on TV. Nobody ever seems to be punished for it, for the obvious reasons - the involvement of influential people in the encroachment, the Army suspected of involvement in much of the illegal logging and so on.

What is your "perspective" on this, then?

[lungmi]

When they take care of the Karen People living there in the same way as tigers I can accept.

I have been there in a Buddhist Wat with my kalyanamitta (spiritual father) in Lansak:

He moved in a Wat in the center of this "sanctuary". The UNESCO has been cheated by the Thai government

saying that here are no Humans living (o.k. Karen are not Humans for some Thai),

ignoring the solution proposed by the UNESCO in a case like this:

Give (for tigers and other living beings it is accepted) the same place to Humans, they know a lot about herbal medicine,

they can cultivate old Siamese culture, they can live together with tigers.

My abbot was forced to leave the forest Wat by the authorities.

[Spalpeen]

good help for the tiger if some counties banned fur coats ,start with France ,people got no shame wearing dead animals

What's France got to do with it? The big culprit as far as tigers are concerned is China. Have you noticed the number of "Tiger Zoos" in Thailand? No zoo needs over a hundred tigers just for people to look at.

[Whale]

For once an article that has good news in it regards wildlife.

Hopefully more to come.

[ginjag]

HEY CHOOKA, where are you,??? you hate cats-they stink/smell go and try to catch some of these.

[ginjag]

HEY CHOOKA, where are you,??? you hate cats-they stink/smell go and try to catch some of these.

This is super news, keep those pesky poachers out. keep it up-rangers.

[EyesWideOpen]

So many "newbies", Suradit? I see only one newbie and a member who joined 3 years before you! Come to think of it, you've only been a member for some 18 months, hardly a veteran!

As to your other points, well, I think we are entitled to a little bitterness over the never-ending encroachment into National Parks, the blatant illegal logging, etc., etc., that we read about here on TV. Nobody ever seems to be punished for it, for the obvious reasons - the involvement of influential people in the encroachment, the Army suspected of involvement in much of the illegal logging and so on.

What is your "perspective" on this, then?

Suradit69 represents the bitter "rose colored glasses brigade"

point of view. Sometimes amusing for his myopic vision of what

is going on in Thailand, but seldom worth a reply to...

Regarding the tigers, I find it hard to believe that that many

tigers could exist in that park. I would think that 250 tigers

would be eating a LOT of other animals in the park. But if so,

that is great news. In every story I have ever read about tiger

habitat, it always uses the word shrinking population when talking

about the tigers.

I was traveling in Khao Yai park on a motorcycle with my Thai

girlfriend on the back. We were in a remote part, and I wanted to

stop to take a piss. We came to a stop and I just started to get off

the bike. Suddenly she starts screaming for me to go and hits me on

the back. She had glanced over and had seen a sign put up by the park

warning about tigers crossing the road... :-)

[EyesWideOpen]

good help for the tiger if some counties banned fur coats ,start with France ,people got no shame wearing dead animals

What's France got to do with it? The big culprit as far as tigers are concerned is China. Have you noticed the number of "Tiger Zoos" in Thailand? No zoo needs over a hundred tigers just for people to look at.

Not tiger zoos , but rather tiger raising farms for China. A few years ago the Sri Racha tiger zoo got caught red handed in about a 80 tiger

"transfer" to China... :-(

Edited August 9, 2013 by EyesWideOpen

[ginjag]

So many "newbies", Suradit? I see only one newbie and a member who joined 3 years before you! Come to think of it, you've only been a member for some 18 months, hardly a veteran!

As to your other points, well, I think we are entitled to a little bitterness over the never-ending encroachment into National Parks, the blatant illegal logging, etc., etc., that we read about here on TV. Nobody ever seems to be punished for it, for the obvious reasons - the involvement of influential people in the encroachment, the Army suspected of involvement in much of the illegal logging and so on.

What is your "perspective" on this, then?

Suradit69 represents the bitter "rose colored glasses brigade"

point of view. Sometimes amusing for his myopic vision of what

is going on in Thailand, but seldom worth a reply to...

Regarding the tigers, I find it hard to believe that that many

tigers could exist in that park. I would think that 250 tigers

would be eating a LOT of other animals in the park. But if so,

that is great news. In every story I have ever read about tiger

habitat, it always uses the word shrinking population when talking

about the tigers.

I was traveling in Khao Yai park on a motorcycle with my Thai

girlfriend on the back. We were in a remote part, and I wanted to

stop to take a piss. We came to a stop and I just started to get off

the bike. Suddenly she starts screaming for me to go and hits me on

the back. She had glanced over and had seen a sign put up by the park

warning about tigers crossing the road... :-)

I think these are TAT figures, more and more tigers are visiting the national park.