Plan afoot to give gaur new home

Provincial authorities in Nakhon Ratchasima are to meet local farmers and experts to discuss possible ways of protecting gaur, with relocation of the wild beasts seen as a highly probable and practical option, according to the governor Wichian Chanthonnothai.

He said relocating gaur which roam the Khao Phaeng Ma National Park to the nearby Khao Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary would address the problem of the bovines intruding on local farmland.

The meeting next week was scheduled after three of the animals were killed in the Khao Phaeng Ma area earlier this month.

The first was shot dead by a local farmer at the beginning of the month after it raided his farm in search of food. The two others were found dead less than a week later; one was found shot probably by poachers and the other stripped of its meat.

Mr Wichian said yesterday that relocation would help prevent contact between the protected animals and villagers.

He said he expected next week's meeting will produce concrete measures. Having the animals relocated is "highly probable", the governor said.

The wildlife office has noted that the gaur population in the park in Wang Nam Khieo district has risen rapidly recently. A separate measure could also be implemented to curb their population, he said.

Mr Wichian said the likely relocation site, Khao Phu Luang, has just been declared a sanctuary and is in the same district.

The sanctuary is an ideal site as it encompasses the Lam Phra Phloeng Dam and has plenty of water and lush forest to provide a suitable habitat for the gaur, he added.

Mr Wichian, however, said the plan needs to thoroughly studied to assess the impacts on the animals.

Relevant agencies including the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and local residents would be invited to discuss the plan next week.

The discussion will zero in on approaches and routes to move the animals.

Mr Wichian said the park is eight kilometres from the sanctuary with villagers' farmland situated in the middle, so a way to move the animals through these fields must be figured out.

Measures are also in the works to address a similar problem with wild elephants in Khao Yai National Park, Mr Wichian said.