Wildlife
Thailand has 127 national parks, 22 of which are maritime. Each Thai national park is home to a unique biodiversity, from the temperate forests of the northern mountains to the vast plains of the centre and the mangroves of the south coast. It is here that you can observe wild animals, contemplate a luxuriant nature and admire imposing landscapes.
There are more than 285 different species of mammals and 1,071 different species of birds, both native and migratory, as well as dazzling aquatic fauna. If the elephant is the national animal, the prelate pheasant (Siamese fireback)
is the national bird. The Thai used to use the water buffalo for their work in the fields, but since the 1980s it has gradually been replaced by machines. Elephants used to work in logging, which was banned in 1989. Deforestation has led to the disappearance of some species such as the rhinoceros or the tapir. The marine fauna has suffered enormously from intensive fishing.Among the remarkable animals observable in their natural habitat: tigers, elephants, bears, monkeys (gibbons, macaques), pangolins, crocodiles, monitors, snakes (Royal Cobra, Malayan Viper, reticulated python)... And among the birds, thehornbill , kingfisher
, among others. For divers, a wide variety of fish, but also dolphins, manta rays, whale sharks... Several endemic or endangered species inhabit these parks, such as the clouded leopard, the marbled cat, the grey goral, the antigone crane, the leatherback turtle, the whale shark, or the dugong... These species are extremely rare, and to see one of these specimens is almost a miracle. A great variety of spiders has been recorded: Black widow spider, tarantula, Sparassidae, Salticidae... Finally, insects are present in large numbers on the territory. Mosquitoes, of course, but also beetles, ants, scorpions, crickets ... Silkworms have contributed to the success of the silk industry, very present in the country, especially in the North (regions of Chiang Mai, Isaan). You will often find all these insects on... the market stalls! Indeed, if they constitute a food of choice for the reptiles, like the varans, many Thai people are also fond of these delicacies. But the animal that you will probably meet the most every day is the gecko! These small lizards eat a lot of insects and, in particular, mosquitoes. The gecko's body is no bigger than a finger, and its transparent skin lets you guess all its veins. Not to be confused with its cousin the toukey, apparently more shy. These nice critters are hiding in every house: you can see them in the evening on the walls and up to the ceiling. They watch discreetly and occasionally swallow an insect attracted by the light of a light bulb.Flora
Just over thirty years ago, the forest still covered more than half of the country. Today, it covers 25% of the territory, which is insufficient for the self-sustainability of its ecosystem. The first nature park was opened in 1962 (Khao Yai), and there are now more than 100 parks covering some 45,000 square kilometres. This increase has been accompanied by a real ecological awareness on the part of the public authorities, who have increased the area of legal logging from 4,800 to 380 km² per year.
Thailand's vegetation is varied and can be classified into forest types whose specificities vary according to humidity levels, temperatures and varying altitudes. As in other Southeast Asian countries, bamboo, palm trees, rattan and many types of ferns can be found. There are more than 25,000 species of flowers in the country.
The Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
is one of the country's most beloved flowers, and for good reason, it is a symbol of purity in Buddhism. It is found in many temples, on murals, ornamental paintings, etc.. It can be found in its natural state in several regions of Thailand, especially in the northeast, but to rediscover the magic of lotus fields, the Thale Noi Waterfowl Reserve, near Phatthalung in the south of the country, is the perfect place.The porcelain rose (Etlingera elatior)
is one of the most surprising tropical flowers. It looks like a scarlet red artichoke.Bougainvillea
is found all over the country and brings touches of colour ranging from pink to intense purple.The Bird of Paradise (Heliconia rostrata)
has a surprising structure, its flowers, mostly red and yellow, fall on either side of the stem.But also the orchid, the frangipani tree
... In short, a trip to the land of smiles would not be complete without at least a visit to one of the many natural parks in the ancient kingdom of Siam. To visit these reserves, multiple agencies offer packages, from the nearest city, but also from much further away. You can for example book tours from Bangkok for almost everywhere! The prices will vary according to the chosen mode (private or group, with or without a guide, etc.), and it will often be necessary to include the entrance fee to these parks.Current issues
Ecological education is not a priority in Thailand, and the observation of some specimens becomes difficult even for scientists. If this continues, it will be enough to go to the zoo to discover the "wild" fauna of Thailand. And even in the zoos, the animals are not quiet: real circus acts are organized to attract customers. One can only hope that this country really gives itself the means to enforce the protection of endangered species, in accordance with the laws enacted.
Exploited elephants. If you see one of these young pachyderms wandering around with its master in rags, don't be surprised. They are sometimes seen in the big cities, but more so in Bangkok. During the day, their guardians hide them in the middle of the bush in the suburbs, but at night, they are taken to the streets to beg. These poor elephants have a very sad fate. Too young, they leave their native province to the pollution of the big cities. Once they arrive in the city, they are kept hidden in squalid corners and are forced to lead the same miserable life as their masters, in noise and smoke. Many elephant calves go mad, when they are not seriously injured by a car. Misery and stupidity combined: a real scandal! However, many tourist agencies and elephant sanctuaries have changed their offers. From now on, most of the sanctuaries recover, take care of and look after these elephants and offer visitors, no longer to ride them, but to spend the day in their company, to feed them, brush them, wash them..
Drugged tigers. This was the great attraction of some temples: to approach and be photographed with felines, supposedly drugged to be harmless. The best known of them is Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua, in Kanchanaburi, nicknamed the "Temple of the Tigers". Suspicions and accusations of mistreatment led the government to confiscate the tigers and gradually re-inject them into the national parks. In mid-September 2019, a news item iced the blood: 86 tigers, out of the 147 present at the temple, died, probably due to inbreeding. The temple practiced breeding tigers and baby tigers were even found in freezers ... The temple is suspected of breeding cats to sell them on the black market, especially in China, where prices are soaring ..
Wandering crocodiles. The floods of September and October are, every year, the occasion of a flowering of articles about crocodiles on farms. There are more than 100,000 of them in Thailand. The center of the country alone counts more than 55 000 specimens of fresh and salt water, installed in the cities and the villages which border the river Chao Phraya (in Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Thong, Nonthaburi or Prathum Thani). The "price of danger" is 8,000 baht when he is 2 months old, and more than 140,000 baht for a 15-year-old adult (4 m long!). Prices have plummeted in recent years, mainly due to competition from neighbouring countries. Badly liked, badly rated, the small critters thus take advantage of the floods to leave their basin. Beware of the calves if such an incident ever happens again!
The water buffalo. You will have more and more difficulty to meet this big cattle in a field, once an inseparable workmate of Thai farmers, domesticated more than 5,000 years ago in Southeast Asia. There are several reasons for this scarcity. The Asian buffalo is being replaced little by little by cheap mechanical machines, more "handy", and not requiring special maintenance unlike the animal. Sugar cane, rubber or cassava fields have gradually replaced less profitable rice fields and there are simply fewer and fewer farmers. Little by little, just like the elephant, the water buffalo is disappearing from the agricultural world to integrate the world of tourism. It parades and carries holidaymakers on carts and thus still justifies its existence. It is also a way to escape the mass slaughter of this animal, which is cheaper per kilo than beef. 90% of the meatballs that you will eat as skewers or soup in street markets or elsewhere are made with the meat of this majestic animal..
