 "International Tiger Day: What is behind the stunning comeback of Thailand’s tiger population?")
As the world celebrates International Tiger Day, Thailand’s efforts in tiger conservation offer a beacon of hope. The nation’s tiger population has witnessed a remarkable resurgence, especially in the Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM), where years of dedicated conservation work are paying off.
The WEFCOM, covering 18,000 square kilometres and including 11 national parks and six wildlife sanctuaries, has seen its tiger population more than triple from 41 in 2007 to 143 in 2023.
This recovery, detailed in a study by Thailand’s Department of National Parks (DNP) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), was published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation.
The resurgence is attributed to effective management and long-term conservation efforts, particularly in the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. A related study revealed that populations of threatened ungulate species, which are primary prey for tigers, have doubled in Huai Kha Khaeng.
“This increase reflects more effective management of the forest and is the result of more than a decade of conservation interventions,” CNN quoted Pornkamol Jornburom, director of WCS Thailand.
What is the current tiger population in Thailand?
According to the DNP, Thailand’s wild tiger population now stands at an estimated 179 to 223 adults, up from 148 to 189 in 2022. WEFCOM holds the majority of these tigers, with the potential to support up to 2,000 tigers, given effective protection, prey availability, and community engagement.
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More Shorts“We also need more technology to help and support the rangers on the ground,” Jornburom noted, expressing optimism about future growth with continued patrols and funding.
Despite Thailand’s success, the overall regional outlook remains grim. Tigers have become extinct in several Southeast Asian countries, leaving small, isolated populations vulnerable to poaching and habitat loss. Stuart Chapman, leader of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative, stressed the importance of continued interventions.
“Every tiger counts, particularly when populations get to such low levels that recovery then depends on no additional threats coming in that can potentially wipe them out,” Chapman told CNN. He praised Thailand’s efforts, describing the results as “extraordinary.”
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Effective patrolling and technological interventions have been crucial in combating poaching. According to Jornburom, the introduction of GPS technology for patrols and standardised reporting forms for data collection has been instrumental. Camera traps installed in 2007 helped build a comprehensive data set for assessing tiger populations.
“When we conserve tigers, it actually leads to conserving many other species: not only the prey, but also the habitat,” Jornburom stated.
Why are the conservation efforts necessary?
Thailand is the final stronghold of the Indochinese tiger, which has been extirpated from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam due to poaching and habitat loss. Markets for tiger parts in China and Vietnam drive illegal trade, posing the main threat to these big cats.
Anak Pattanavibool, study co-author and Thailand country director at WCS, spoke to California-based Mongabay conservation news outlet and highlighted the significance of systematic ranger patrols and efforts to boost prey populations. “Conservation success takes time. At the beginning, we didn’t have much confidence that it would be possible [to recover tiger numbers], but we’ve been patient,” he said.
Effective law enforcement has been crucial in reducing poaching. Pattanavibool recounted the arrest and prosecution of several tiger-poaching gangs in 2012 as a turning point. Since 2013, no tiger poaching incidents have been detected in the HKK-TY part of WEFCOM, though isolated incidents have occurred in peripheral areas.
“The important point is to maintain the quality of the protection system,” Pattanavibool asserted. He estimated that around 20,000 patrol staff guard Thailand’s protected areas, with 52 ranger stations in the HKK-TY landscape alone.
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Thailand employs the SMART (Spatial Monitoring And Reporting Tool) system for wildlife monitoring and anti-poaching patrols, enhancing the ability to pinpoint threats and adapt protection measures. This system, initially developed for elephant monitoring, is now implemented nationwide.
“The good thing about Thailand is that the government invests a big budget on forest protection and park rangers,” Pattanavibool said.
What can be done to further tiger conservation?
Prior research links tiger recovery to the presence of their prey species, such as sambar deer, banteng, and gaur. A separate study found that populations of these prey species have more than doubled in Huai Kha Khaeng due to anti-poaching efforts and habitat restoration.
“When we started this work in 2005, it was very hard to see banteng. But now, you can see herds of 30 or 40 of them in Huai Kha Khaeng,” Pattanavibool noted.
Sustaining tiger recovery will depend on their ability to repopulate nearby areas from where they’ve disappeared. Tigers need extensive, connected forests to maximise genetic diversity and adaptability.
Conservation actions at a sociopolitical level are necessary to boost connectivity.
Also Read: Why is the Malayan Tiger, Malaysia's national symbol, on the verge of extinction?
Pattanavibool hopes to see the tiger population density in WEFCOM rise to 5 tigers per 100 square kilometers, which would mean about 350 tigers in the core part of WEFCOM. This increase could potentially enable tigers from Thailand to repopulate suitable forests in Myanmar.
“In reality, it will be the opposite situation, that tigers from here might be able to recover the tiger populations in Myanmar if the situation allows,” Pattanavibool concluded.
With inputs from agencies
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