| Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary | |
| Alt Name: | เขตรักษาพันธุ์สัตว์ป่าห้วยขาแข้ง |
| Iucn Category: | Ia |
| Iucn Ref: | [1] |
| Map: | Thailand |
| Location: | Kanchanaburi, Tak and Uthai Thani Provinces, Thailand |
| Nearest City: | Tak |
| Coordinates: | 15.4181°N 99.2325°W |
| Area: | 2780 km² (after 1992) |
| Established: | 1972 |
| Governing Body: | Wildlife Conservation Office |
The Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary (th|เขตรักษาพันธุ์สัตว์ป่าห้วยขาแข้ง, pronounced as /th/) is in Uthai Thani and Tak Provinces, Thailand. The park was established in 1974, and is part of the largest intact seasonal tropical forest complex in Mainland Southeast Asia. It, coupled with the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1991.[2] Together, the two sanctuaries occupy 622,200 hectares. it still contained viable populations of large mammals, including gibbons, bears, elephants and Indochinese tigers, although like all other sites in mainland Southeast Asia, some species (e.g., rhinoceroses) have disappeared or have experienced severe declines.[3]
After the establishment of the wildlife sanctuary on 4 September 1972, it covered an area of 1,019,375 rai ~ 1631km2. The wildlife sanctuary was then expanded twice, first on 21 May 1986 to 1,609,150 rai ~ 2574km2, an increase of 589,775 rai ~ 943km2 and on 30 December 1992 to 1,737,587 rai ~ 2780km2 an increase of 718,212 rai ~ 1149km2.[4] Until 1976 there were Karen villages within the wildlife sanctuary. Today the wildlife sanctuary no longer has any known human population living in the area. Some Karen villages were moved in 1976 from the southernmost area to Ban Rai District to the southeast. A Hmong village in the west was moved after 1986.[5]
A large number of the animal and plant life diversity can be found nowhere else, with species such as the Sino-Himalayan, Indo-Burmese, Sundaic, and Indo-Chinese affinities, living in the wildlife sanctuary. Species present at the wildlife sanctuary are usually rare, endangered, or local. Roughly one-third of Southeast Asia's mammals are said to be thriving within the wildlife sanctuary. The wildlife sanctuary is responsible for three of the National Reserved Wildlife Species of Thailand: wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee), mainland serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), and Indian hog deer (Hyelaphus porcinus). Many species of birds, reptiles, and amphibians have also been reported. Sighting of 355 bird species have been recorded in the wildlife sanctuary, a lot of these species are now rare in Thailand and some are considered endangered. There are currently 90 wild Indochinese tigers within the sanctuary.[6] [7] [8] [9]
The wildlife sanctuary receives most visitors during the summer or the "dry season". Some sections of the sanctuary are not open to the public without permission. The Conservation Office in Bangkok and the chief of Huai Kha Khaeng are responsible for granting permission to those who wish to visit prohibited areas.
| Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in overview PARO 12 (Nakhon Sawan) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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