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Operation Training
of Thungyai(w) Tiger Research Team On 21st April - 9th May 2006, the tiger research team of Thungyai steps into another level of learning. It is the first field operational tiger training by experts from Khao Nang Rum (KNR) Wildlife Research Station. I'm now in the field operation training, writing this report on May 4th.
By the first night after we finished our first dinner, we suddenly started learning how to put in batteries, also we learned to set timer and other functions on several kinds of tracking camera. Everyone paid much concentration on what he was learning. Somebody tried to put in and off batteries, as well as tried to reset its complicated functions several times to get familiar with them whereas somebody noted down step by step to remind how to cope with those functions. Mr. Phoach and Mr. Yang, the teachers and assistants of KNR were very kind. They helped repeating the constructions and let us practice as much as we wanted. That night, we finally had altogether over 10 trapping cameras in function, readily for used. April 22, 2006. The tiger research team was separated into two groups; the first was assigned to install trapping camera, and the second was to survey positions along wildlife tracks for the installation. I joined the second. Since early morning, we; Rod, Sri, Krerk and me started travelling across to west bank of Huai Khakhaeng stream. Underneath our steps were several signs of wildlife. We considered those footprints of wild water buffalo, wild elephants, sambar, and even peacock feather. Then we walked up north along mountain ridge, headed to where we assumed wildlife may choose as their track and where also shall be our appropriate position for the camera. After a while of walking, Mr. Rod the leader took a sudden stop and turned back to tell the others "Guar!!" For sure, by the time he turned back, he found nobody behind since all already ran away from the track. We hiding, crawled to see and found it was a boar instead. The boar stamped noisily and blew by his nose before ran away downhill as he sensed of us. We continued walking until reached our destination at the right track where some signs of tiger found; scratches and sprays (The details will be provided on this report afterward). We chose a suitable tree for the camera installation, and had a record of its geographical position. Then, we continued to the second location by waking back to southern. After few steps, again Mr. Rod stopped suddenly. "Black Bear!!", Sri identified. "Run!!", He decided for the others who had already gone before he said. Mr. Rod whose even previously walk the third, in such that accident he stated the last taking care of the others while Mr. Krerk the long-legs runner already gone far away. Do not ask me whether I could catch any shot of the bear. Only in my memory displays its huge, walking to our way in such a dangerous distance that someone shall be in an extreme thrill if it chases us. "Luckily, it returned.", Mr. Rod said. We took a rest for a while before continued following plan.
After lunch break beside the stream, we walked following mountain ridge. Along bamboo forest we walked, there came sounds of broken bamboos on the track. Absolutely, it was wild elephant, but we did not yet run since it must be the foolish decision. We firstly considered its position and number of them. Firstly, we thought it was a single. Then we heard they were two. But, at last, we found it came in herd horizontally in line to our destination. We decided to keep away, returned to the bank we had stopped for lunch but quite far away. However, the situation got worse when we found their signs that just walked up from the stream. And, the worst was they have kids which absolutely made them wilder than usual. The only route for us to get out for our destination from here is to follow their route. Luckily, we could keep away at last.
It was our fortune again that we then found a recent spray and footprints of a wild buffalo. Also the very narrow track made us frighten every time when a herd of otter and monitor lizard sensed us and no way out but jumped away on to the stream. We decided to walk up hill to the 2nd destination. However, no track found as we had expected. So, for other location, we walked out to the mouth of the stream where Khakhaeng stream meet.
"Mr. Panthera" Krerk who walked the last whispered. I saw some movement of dried leaves underneath a shrub of water lemongrass ahead. "Is that at the hanging leaves over there?", I asked. "Yes.", he answered. "Which kind of Panthera?" "It is tiger, Panthera Tigris", he answered firmly. As its signs of laying habit and footprints could be identified it was actually a tiger. There found several laying clues around, signing it was waiting or looking after something. While the others were busying on keeping all the record, I volunteered to find carcass of its prey. Finally, we found corpse of a guar which was just be eaten for a time. It was our great lucky to find such this wonderful location for trapping camera. We hurriedly kept record and went away as we did not want to do much disturbance to the tiger.
The day passed successfully, we reported our discovery and the nice positions to the assistants, as well as the installation team had learnt a lot around driving track how to install the camera. Tonight, we will set up the camera system to be installed on tomorrow.
Pranuch / reported
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