 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thai Version Click Here
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
6th - 7th February 2006, West Thungyai tiger research team started to extend the patrol area from Maharaja to Tikong on southern. Our target for the 14th mission is to patch up wildlife tracks on both areas. We started from Tikong to Maharaja wildlife protection station. We started from the same track as the survey team of WCS Hornbill project previously walk along in evergreen forest which states western of Tikong station. Along the track and nearby, we found ungulates footprint scattered around but no any permanent nor obvious track found. This recalled my memory to the past that this area used to be an economic site for a logging concession. Although it was not totally destroyed but selected for some high economic value trunks, the legal deforestation activity strongly affected wildlife inhabitant. After cancellation of the concession, it would take a long time to recover itself. We decided to walk down along ridge of deep complex hill evergreen forest which made us lost and took some time to find the way out to mix deciduous forest. When we walk down to a stream at the bottom hill, we found a sign that made us happy, relieved from all exhaust. It was a puddle with signs of a large wild boar soaked in, small tracks of guar, and footprints of samba and muntjac around. And, these are a good sign of natural recovery on the deforested area. Several wildlife species returned permanently, especially on grass field landscape, in bamboo forest hill, and along mix deciduous forest ridge which covered by shrubbery with grass in between. There, we found wildlife clues of tracking and eating, scattering around the area.
The first night of the mission we spent beside Du-Ngae stream. Although it was dry season, there was enough water for our dinner and bath. Whiffing wind blew away heat of the day, wheedling us by cool. But only in late night the wind wheedled us so strong that we had to get down from hammock and get warmth from bonfire. The next morning, we happily walked along the obvious track with several byway, crossing through a thicket, up to bamboo forest hill, or even up hilltop with dry high temperature. Even though we realized it was too high expectation and nearly impossible, we had made decision since the beginning not to prepare any meal for lunch but would have it at our destination; Maharaja. Eventually, we could have lunch at Maharaja as our target although it was pass 1 pm. Though this mission was a short survey, the finding revealed that by serious site protection and without any complicated management to be taken, the deforestation area can naturally recovered itself and revived area usage of wildlife somehow. By further study in the future, we may get some answer of the natural revival which shall be applied to advantage of other sites.
Pandanus sp., symbol of wetland, we found on mountain hill. Not very far away, there was a tiny puddle of wild boar which still wet even in dry season. Surrounded clues of a wild boar told us that it recently left the puddle, just before we came.
Wild Walker 1 / reported
Mission of Wildlife Track Survey
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Thai Version Click Here
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About WFCC Activities Wildlife Sanctuary Bird Photo Gallery Support Projects Main Page
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
