Hornbills & Dusky Leaf Monkeys at Kang Krachan National Park
By Kawee Tanjararak (Daily News, June 10, 2008)
Actually I do not know a lot about "geography." For me, "Kang Krachan National Park" is only another Thailand's landmark that I used to have heard. If someone ask me about a forest in my mind, I wil answer quickly it is "Khao Yai National Park".
It is until I assume the role as Thailand's WWF ambassador that I had an opportunity to lead a group of youths to study the origin of rivers, trees, and wildlifes first-handedly at "Kang Krachan National Park". The Naitonal Park is the ASEAN heritage and is on the process to register as a World natural heritage. I now know that we have another well-preserved forest in Thailand .
On the day that I was to experience the greatness of Kang Krachan National Park, I woke up early at 5am. We gathered at the company, RS, before traveling to Petchburi province. I told myself that I did not get excited about this trip but I did not know why I felt very enthusiastic and woke up early without any hesitation. Once all of us were ready we started the trip. There were many people joining this trip, including RS artists Pop and Yui, Journalists, as well as the volunteering youths. Everyone has the same target in mind, "to preserve our nature".
When we got to the Park, the Park officials cordially greeted us. Then, they briefly introduced us about the history of the Park as well as its natural richness. The officials showed us the powerpoint slides containing several strange wildlife that I have never seen before. They also told us how huge the area this Park covers and how unique this Park is, as it homes to various wildlife found in Thailand and our neighbor country. Kang Krachan National Park is also the origin of an important river.
Uniquely, this river, Petch river, has the upward water current. Usually, river current is down from north to south, geographically. Petch river is the crucial river since the old days. In the past, this is the source of drinking water for the kings. Water from this river was also used in several royal ceremonies because this water has high degree of purity.
After the briefing, we started to travel into the jungle. The officials already scared us that the road way is very tough, and it is exactly what they told. Our travel was very hard. If we do not have a good driver and a good performance auto, it is almost impossible to travel into this jungle. Especially, we traveled during the time that the area got a lot of rain.
One WWF official told me that his truck just got struck recently and its axle was totally broken. His truck was almost unable to be fixed. Thus, I felt excited all the time during the travel. The remote village that we went to visit is called "Krang". It is the same meaning as "Karen" in our language. But, to call "Karen" here is considered impolite by the local. Krang people have lived in this Kang Krachan area for long time, even before the declaration of Kang Krachan as the National Park. Thus, they have lawful rights to live in the area.
Krang community separates into two villages and has two village headmen, which are actually brothers. The area of each village is indicated by Petch river. But, the people from both villages have very tight relationship. However, there are still certain problems, such as unlawful animal killings and tree cuttings. However, with the grateful generosity of His Majesty the King, the King suggested officials to provide knowledge and job training for Krang people. As a result, the problems of animal killing and tree destroying have gradually been decreased.
The officials also try to make a good relationship with both villages, thus they can have the community help oversee the unlawful forest destroying and widelife hunting. While I traveled, I attempted to look around for animal footprints because I thought that we might be able to see a big elephant since we were already in the deep forest. Finally, I saw a wild, but it was not an elephant. I was just a snake. But at least I found a widelife. The officials informed me that trees that I saw along the way are mostly new plants. This area is formerly under the government concessions for forest industry. Therefore, most wildlife were disappeared and the forest in this area turns to home to just seasonal plants.
We later arrived the the origin point of Petch river. We had lunch in very natural setting. We ate local foods, which use lotus leafs as containers. We sat to eat just next to the river and enjoyed the nature and fresh air that can hardly be found in Bangkok. After we were full, we started our first activity. We examined the water condition of Petch river by biomonitoring technique. (Actually, there are several methods to examine the water purity, but the biomonitoring is the easiest one to convey) By this technique, we examine the water purity through livings in the water, such as maggots and fingerings.
After examining, I found "mayfly nymph" which only lives in the highly purified water. Thus, we concluded that the water from the origin point of Petch river is very clean. At the end of this activity, we were no longer wonder why we previously saw Krang people drank water directly from the river.
In the next morning, I woke up to early to see the sunrise. I felt thankful to WWF officials. They brought me an opportunity to breath fresh air deeply, to listen to bird singings, and to witness the beautiful surroundings. After that, we proceeded to next activities. We went to see fog sea and watch for rare birds. The travel path was just like yesterday. But the different thing was that we traveled in early morning. Thus, we were able to enjoy seeing widelife, including jungle fowls, barking deers, and ten of thousands of butterflies as they looked for salt lick. Along the way, we also saw signs like "this is leopards' area" and "this is the area that widelife comes for consuming salt lick" .
Even though I did not see any leopard, I had a chance to touch the beautifulness of the fog sea. which is far more beautiful that I saw in the picture. When we arrived at the fog sea observation point, we saw two hornbills. They flew from one hilltop to another. They were very pretty thing to see, even we saw them from a distance. The officials told us that hornbill is the symbol of the richness of the jungle. The more we find hornbills inhabitating in the jungle, the more wealthy is the jungle.
After the impressive moment that we saw hornbills, we had witness another great impressions. We saw a group of dusky leaf monkeys, almost ten, came to look for foods and jumped across trees. Actually, we are hardly able to see dusky leaf monkeys, but on this trip we were lucky to see these rarely-found widelife. They are the icon of the richness of the forest. They probably came to tell us that we need to protect them, and rare animals, and preserve the forest, so we can inherit the nature to our next generations.
Source: Daily News
Written by: Kawee Tanjararak
Translated by: beamd2b.ning.com
Actually I do not know a lot about "geography." For me, "Kang Krachan National Park" is only another Thailand's landmark that I used to have heard. If someone ask me about a forest in my mind, I wil answer quickly it is "Khao Yai National Park".
It is until I assume the role as Thailand's WWF ambassador that I had an opportunity to lead a group of youths to study the origin of rivers, trees, and wildlifes first-handedly at "Kang Krachan National Park". The Naitonal Park is the ASEAN heritage and is on the process to register as a World natural heritage. I now know that we have another well-preserved forest in Thailand .
On the day that I was to experience the greatness of Kang Krachan National Park, I woke up early at 5am. We gathered at the company, RS, before traveling to Petchburi province. I told myself that I did not get excited about this trip but I did not know why I felt very enthusiastic and woke up early without any hesitation. Once all of us were ready we started the trip. There were many people joining this trip, including RS artists Pop and Yui, Journalists, as well as the volunteering youths. Everyone has the same target in mind, "to preserve our nature".
When we got to the Park, the Park officials cordially greeted us. Then, they briefly introduced us about the history of the Park as well as its natural richness. The officials showed us the powerpoint slides containing several strange wildlife that I have never seen before. They also told us how huge the area this Park covers and how unique this Park is, as it homes to various wildlife found in Thailand and our neighbor country. Kang Krachan National Park is also the origin of an important river.
Uniquely, this river, Petch river, has the upward water current. Usually, river current is down from north to south, geographically. Petch river is the crucial river since the old days. In the past, this is the source of drinking water for the kings. Water from this river was also used in several royal ceremonies because this water has high degree of purity.
After the briefing, we started to travel into the jungle. The officials already scared us that the road way is very tough, and it is exactly what they told. Our travel was very hard. If we do not have a good driver and a good performance auto, it is almost impossible to travel into this jungle. Especially, we traveled during the time that the area got a lot of rain.
One WWF official told me that his truck just got struck recently and its axle was totally broken. His truck was almost unable to be fixed. Thus, I felt excited all the time during the travel. The remote village that we went to visit is called "Krang". It is the same meaning as "Karen" in our language. But, to call "Karen" here is considered impolite by the local. Krang people have lived in this Kang Krachan area for long time, even before the declaration of Kang Krachan as the National Park. Thus, they have lawful rights to live in the area.
Krang community separates into two villages and has two village headmen, which are actually brothers. The area of each village is indicated by Petch river. But, the people from both villages have very tight relationship. However, there are still certain problems, such as unlawful animal killings and tree cuttings. However, with the grateful generosity of His Majesty the King, the King suggested officials to provide knowledge and job training for Krang people. As a result, the problems of animal killing and tree destroying have gradually been decreased.
The officials also try to make a good relationship with both villages, thus they can have the community help oversee the unlawful forest destroying and widelife hunting. While I traveled, I attempted to look around for animal footprints because I thought that we might be able to see a big elephant since we were already in the deep forest. Finally, I saw a wild, but it was not an elephant. I was just a snake. But at least I found a widelife. The officials informed me that trees that I saw along the way are mostly new plants. This area is formerly under the government concessions for forest industry. Therefore, most wildlife were disappeared and the forest in this area turns to home to just seasonal plants.
We later arrived the the origin point of Petch river. We had lunch in very natural setting. We ate local foods, which use lotus leafs as containers. We sat to eat just next to the river and enjoyed the nature and fresh air that can hardly be found in Bangkok. After we were full, we started our first activity. We examined the water condition of Petch river by biomonitoring technique. (Actually, there are several methods to examine the water purity, but the biomonitoring is the easiest one to convey) By this technique, we examine the water purity through livings in the water, such as maggots and fingerings.
After examining, I found "mayfly nymph" which only lives in the highly purified water. Thus, we concluded that the water from the origin point of Petch river is very clean. At the end of this activity, we were no longer wonder why we previously saw Krang people drank water directly from the river.
In the next morning, I woke up to early to see the sunrise. I felt thankful to WWF officials. They brought me an opportunity to breath fresh air deeply, to listen to bird singings, and to witness the beautiful surroundings. After that, we proceeded to next activities. We went to see fog sea and watch for rare birds. The travel path was just like yesterday. But the different thing was that we traveled in early morning. Thus, we were able to enjoy seeing widelife, including jungle fowls, barking deers, and ten of thousands of butterflies as they looked for salt lick. Along the way, we also saw signs like "this is leopards' area" and "this is the area that widelife comes for consuming salt lick" .
Even though I did not see any leopard, I had a chance to touch the beautifulness of the fog sea. which is far more beautiful that I saw in the picture. When we arrived at the fog sea observation point, we saw two hornbills. They flew from one hilltop to another. They were very pretty thing to see, even we saw them from a distance. The officials told us that hornbill is the symbol of the richness of the jungle. The more we find hornbills inhabitating in the jungle, the more wealthy is the jungle.
After the impressive moment that we saw hornbills, we had witness another great impressions. We saw a group of dusky leaf monkeys, almost ten, came to look for foods and jumped across trees. Actually, we are hardly able to see dusky leaf monkeys, but on this trip we were lucky to see these rarely-found widelife. They are the icon of the richness of the forest. They probably came to tell us that we need to protect them, and rare animals, and preserve the forest, so we can inherit the nature to our next generations.
Source: Daily News
Written by: Kawee Tanjararak
Translated by: beamd2b.ning.com
Tags: ambassador, beam, d2b, kawee, tanjararak, wwf, กวี, ฑูต, ดีทูบี, ตันจรารักษ์
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