Thailand takes steps to fight tiger poaching following last month’s Bengal killings

Thai authorities taking steps to end the longstanding problem of tiger poaching. The move follows last month’s case where two Bengal tigers were killed at a national park in the western province of Kanchanaburi. Park officials found the pelts hung up at a camp and the tiger meat cooking on a grill.

The country’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation is now taking action to protect the wildcats. These steps include banning people from raising cows in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Southern parts of Western forests. They also include creating a joint committee with environmental organisations that will make 10-year plans to conserve wild tigers. Officials must submit reports about the numbers of cattle in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries within a month.

Last month, five people allegedly poached two Bengal tigers in Khao Laem national park in Kanchanaburi. The poachers said the tigers had eaten 20 cows that belonged to them and local farmers. All poachers had to leave their homes in the park within 30 days. If they didn’t comply, they had to pay a fine of between 400,000 and 2 million baht.

People who don’t comply with the new ban on raising cows in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries will be imprisoned for two years, or pay a maximum fine of 200,000 baht, or both. People may still raise cattle in some designated areas. A member of the International Union of the Conservation of Nature in Thailand says they will now use funds they originally planned to use for tiger conservation on the Thai-Myanmar border for tiger conservation in Kanchanaburi instead. The IUCN will try to get other funding from the Global Environmental Fund, she says.

Source: Thai PBS World