Thread: Thailand Aims for Biggest Tiger Population in Southeast Asia by 2034

BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand is aiming to become the leading Southeast Asian nation in terms of the size of its tiger population by 2034.


During an event commemorating International Tiger Day on Friday (29 July), Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said the kingdom was praised by neighboring countries at the 4th Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation for its efficient wildlife conservation efforts. He added that the achievement in protecting these big cats was the result of the National Strategy for Tiger Conservation 2010-2022, which helped the nation have the highest number of wild tigers in Southeast Asia.


According to the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, the tiger population in the Thungyai and Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuaries increased from 42 in 2012 to 100 in 2022 as a result of a smart patrol system and technology certified by international standards. These innovations have been installed in 213 protected forest parks to provide safety for wildlife.


Thailand currently has an estimated 148-149 wild tigers in its national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, the most numerous in Southeast Asia. India remains the nation with the biggest tiger population in the world at nearly 3,000.

Thailand Aims for Biggest Tiger Population in Southeast Asia by 2034

...bigger tiger population=more bones for sale to Chinese: smart business move...

Originally Posted by tomcat

...bigger tiger population=more bones for sale to Chinese: smart business move...

Cynic.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Cynic.

...indeed. But just wait...

. . . TC's not wrong, though.

Absolutely, a healthy cynicism born of knowledge.

So these numbers doubled over the last ten years, but they're looking to multiply that number by 20 over the next twelve years.

Circa 3,000 tigers in an industrialising country the size of Thailand.

Hmmm.

Do you know anyone who has ever seen a tiger in the wild in Thailand?

I know of one person during a night safari in Khao Yai years ago.

It makes me wonder how on earth they manage to have even a rough estimate of their population, nevermind being as precise as increasing by 42 etc etc.

Camera traps, paw prints and tiger scat.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Camera traps, paw prints and tiger scat.

How would any of those things tell you whether you had 149 or 152 tigers around?

Surely they establish numbers by catching, tagging and recording. Not looking for fkin tiger .

Originally Posted by cyrille

Surely they establish numbers by catching, tagging and recording.

Scat observations tell a lot. They can calculate how much scat a tiger produces, adult or juvenile and therefore calculate the size of the population. They can also see what they've been eating, how healthy they are or are not.

Trappng and tagging animals is only one method, and is a sampling method meaning they do not catch and tag all of them.

Originally Posted by hallelujah

Do you know anyone who has ever seen a tiger in the wild in Thailand?

I know of one person during a night safari in Khao Yai years ago.

It makes me wonder how on earth they manage to have even a rough estimate of their population, nevermind being as precise as increasing by 42 etc etc.

We think we heard one in a cave at Krok E Dok west Khao Yai

Originally Posted by cyrille

Not sure why you’d try to ascertain population size by looking at poop when you could just tag them and keep count.

Originally Posted by cyrille

But you’d think the population had risen every time one of them ate the equivalent of a biryani.

You want to learn or just be troll away?

It is not so easy (or cost beneficial) to capture and tag every individual.