27 April 2003

CONSERVATION

The last group of goral, one of Thailand's rarest animals, inhabiting Doi Inthanon national park, are being hunted to the point of extinction, said park chief Surachai Tuamsomboon.

A wildlife expert blamed it on the government's emphasis on tourism promotion in national parks that drew park officials' attention away from forest and wildlife protection.

The park recently launched a so-called ``Goral Protection Mission'', carried out by around 80 forestry officers to save the lives of a dozen known goral, a small antelope-type creature native to mountainous areas, from being hunted by poachers.

Mr Surachai said hunting was still active in several northern national parks because it was part of the hilltribe tradition. ``It is likely that some hilltribe villagers living in the park are poachers. We have agreed to offer an reward of up to 10,000 baht to local villagers who help forestry officials arrest poachers,'' said Mr Surachai.

More than 30 hilltribe communities lived in the park boundary. Poachers had also harmed Doi Inthanon forest because they often set fire to the forest to force wild animals out from hiding.

``These hunters sell goral's organs to wildlife traders, who used them as medicine,'' he said.

Goral bone is used in some Asian medicines. The skull is boiled for oil and used as a remedy for human bone ailments.

``Goral inhabits mountain tops and are able to move sure-footedly on high cliffs. That makes some people believe that eating the creature's organs will make them stronger,'' said wildlife expert Sompote Srikosamart, of Mahidol University. No more than 100 goral survive in protected forests nationwide.

Mr Sompote said animal poaching was widespread in several protected forests because forestry officials spent their time on tourism promotion and tourist services in line with the government's policy to boost tourism in national parks.