Welcome to the verdant frontier of Chumphon’s Tanao Sri Mountain Range, where enigmatic stripes decorate the lush canvas of the Thai-Myanmar borderlands. Here, through the watchful eyes of trap cameras, a trio of tigers is caught gallivanting in this forested theatre—a remarkable sight hinting at a more extensive narrative of wildlife wandering without regard for geopolitical boundaries.
Imagine, if you will, the sun-dappled underbrush rustling gently, as three magnificent big cats meander amid the mysteries of the Tanao Sri, making their majestic presence known within the realms of Duang Charoen, Nern Thong, and the evocatively named Chong Kamew forests of tambon Song Pee Noing in Ta Sae district. Herein lies a tale of fluid borders and roaming predators, as majestic as the stripes adorning their fur. The intrepid experts from Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) collaborate with minds like those from the Freeland Foundation, striving to peel back the layers of this wild saga.
Among the splendor of bi-national forests, cameras – silent sentinels – stand guard. They’re not just mechanical tourists; they’re scientific detectives, armed with infrared eyes, capturing shots more precious than any trophy. Their reels tell us that between 2020 and 2022, the presence of tigers was confirmed—not through fleeting glimpses, but through the solid proof of footprints and the dazzling divergence of their unique stripes.
Now, thanks to the dedication of DNP Chief Attapon Charoenchansa and his team, the stage is set for a grand examination. The Wildlife Conservation Office prepares to delve into the lives of these three tigers, their cross-border escapades, their territorial tales, their paws leaving prints in two nations, undetected in previous counts and censuses—unsung numbers in the Thai tiger tally.
The vibrant tapestry of Thailand’s wilderness weaves in stories of an estimated 148-189 tigers, playing out their lives under the dense canopy—with Thung Yai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary playing host to the majority. But it’s not all about numbers. It’s about the pulse of the wild, the silent padding of paws, the heartbeats in hidden clearings, and the thrum of life that courses through this rich ecosystem.
And what of that pulse, you might wonder? Listen to it reverberate in the words of Freeland’s own Steve Galster, as he dives deeper in the Bangkok Post’s podcast, ‘Deeper Dive’, conveying a passion for protection, a call for conservation, and a riveting account of existence at the edge of two nations—a frontier shared not by humans but by the true emblems of the wild: the roaming tigers of Tanao Sri.
Come, let this narrative envelop you. Let the majesty of hidden roars and unseen streaks of black and gold across dense greenery entice your imagination. As we tune our senses to the rhythm of this wild, enchanting world, perhaps we will understand the true essence of conservation—the pursuit of knowledge, the protection of nature’s wonders, and the celebration of life that thrives, unfettered and free, between Thailand and Myanmar.
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