Khao Yai Experiences
Stories from Thailand’s World Heritage ParkArchive for Working with Wildlife
Can a wider highway be safer for Khao Yai’s animals?
Thailand’s Department of Highways is considering ways to improve the road transportion link between Nakhon Ratchasima and Prachin Buri, by expanding the existing two lane, single carriageway that cuts through the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex.
Running down a clearing roughly between Khao Yai and Thap Lan National Parks, Highway 304 is a shortcut between the Northeast and East through protected areas that stretch to the Cambodian border.
The existing road presents a hazard for crossing wildlife and some conservationists are concerned the envisaged six-lane highway upgrade will further fragment this World Heritage listed corridor.
At a recent consultation meeting attended by FREELAND staff, the Department of Highways presented proposals to mitigate the impact of the upgrade and possibly even improve safety for wildlife.
Five options are being considered:
- Mountainous Highway Tunnel
- Elevated Highway
- Cut and Cover Tunnel or Shallow Tunnel
- Wildlife Overpass and Underpass Crossing
- Wildlife Overpass Crossing at Specific Locations
The effectiveness of each option in facilitating safe passage for wildlife appears to vary, as does the impact on the immediate environment and project costs.
The Department of Highways is consulting broadly with the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, NGOs, local community groups and university research departments. A final project proposal is expected to be presented to UNESCO this year.
Wildlife trafficking PSA filmed at Khao Yai
The opening of this confronting public service announcement (PSA) about wildlife trafficking from FREELAND was filmed at Khao Yai National Park’s stunning Haew Suwat Waterfall (location of a breathtaking scene in Danny Boyle’s The Beach).
The PSA’s star is a Slow Loris, an animal commonly poached from protected areas to be sold into the illicit pet trade. Listed as vulnerable to endangered on the IUCN Redlist of Threatened Species, these cute little creatures are in more demand than Leonardo DiCaprio, but have a tough time surviving outside their natural habitat.
Produced by AsiaWorks Television Bangkok and featuring music specially composed by Damien Rice, this FREELAND PSA is designed to alert everyone to the fact that:
“Thousands of wild animals are trafficked through airports every day.”
These animals belong in the wild. Please share this message with your friends.
UPDATE: View ‘behind-the-scenes’ footage, who said working with kids and animals wasn’t fun?
…and Bears might fly
This year, FREELAND conservation staff have witnessed something new, a flying bear over Khao Yai National Park!
The Bear had earlier attacked one of the park buildings in search of food. For the safety of visitors, rangers decided to sedate the animal and remove it to an isolated location.
Khao Yai’s helicopter was employed to airlift the heavy sleeping beast, which snoozed happily through the entire event.
Kangaroo Island to Khao Yai
Australian volunteer Laura Mitchell has been helping the Surviving Together team monitor wildlife in protected areas.
Working closely with field staff and local rangers, our Aussie volunteer recorded signs of numerous indigenous wildlife by examining tracks and setting camera traps deep inside the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, in protected areas such as Thap Lan National Park.
According to Laura, wildlife conservation in Thailand is an interesting and challenging change from her last job – working with koalas on Australia’s Kangaroo Island, where poaching is non-existent.
When not trapping unsuspecting wildlife on film, Laura found time to visit FREELAND’s community outreach projects in the villages around Khao Yai to see how small-scale agriculture can provide sustainable incomes for former poachers.
Other exciting highlights included the day of the weird white moths, bogged jeeps, ant-riddled camera traps, and encounters that can only be related over a cold Aussie beer.
Laura’s volunteer work for wildlife conservation was made possible by the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development Program, an Australian Government initiative assigning young people to support sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.
FREELAND’s staff wish Laura all the best in her future travels and hope she’ll come back to visit soon.
Smaller wild cats under the microscope
The Zoological Park Organisation, Kasetsart University’s Faculty of Forestry and IUCN have announced a new survey of the smaller species of wild cats will be carried out across four major forests in Thailand, including Khao Yai.
Thailand’s forests are home to nine species of wild cats, including the Asian golden cat, the fishing cat, the flat-headed cat, the jungle cat, the marbled cat, the leopard cat, the clouded leopard, the leopard, and the tiger. In the past, less attention has been given to the study and conservation of the smaller members of this family.
Poaching of wild cats has also been described as “rampant” in Thailand and neighboring countries, and conservationists are particularly worried about the number of fishing cats remaining in the wild.
The new initiative was announced during a mini-summit of the world’s leading wild cat experts held in Bangkok late last month, and attended by FREELAND staff.
Other forests to be included in the study are Huai Kha Khaeng, Khao Ang Rue Nai and Phu Khiew.
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Khao Yai Sustainable Visitor's Guide (PDF 275kb)
