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Thailand: Princess urges control over illegal hunting of wildlife(Thai Press Reports Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Section: General News - A noted conservationist and member of the Royal Family has urged the state environmental agency to implement stricter wildlife protection and investigate the beheading of three gaurs in Kui Buri National Park last year, The Nation reports. Princess Rangsri Noppadol Yukala said she found it unacceptable that the problem of wildlife hunting existed in a national park where His Majesty the King had initiated a project on forest rehabilitation. She fears that if the problem persists, elephants will once again become victims of poachers and ivory traders. The princess said the situation had not improved, despite informing local forest officials about the hunting on many occasions. She said she would contact the director-general of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Variety Conservation Department direct and ask for an investigation into the problem - particularly the beheading of the three gaurs - and that he report back to her. The heads of three gaurs were found at different times in deep jungle in Kui Buri National Park. Poachers usually only take their horns and flesh for sale. Chollathorn Chamnarnkid, the park's superintendent, said the hunting had taken place before he took up the position. However, he added, park rangers had been assigned to patrol more frequency, particularly during the dry season which is a good time for hunting. About 30 gaurs live in the forest, he said. Boonlue Poonpinit, former head of the park, said there were many routes for poachers to enter and leave the forest, making it difficult for forest officials to catch them. Pol Maj-General Sopon Pisuttjiwong, commander of Prachuap Khiri Khan provincial police, said the police investigation had showed that the hunters were from Baan Yang Chum, a village close to the park. However, there is no concrete evidence with which to charge them, he said. |