Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary
The Wildlife Reserve Huai Kha Khaeng ( Thai: เขต รักษา พันธุ์ สัตว์ ป่า ห้วย ขา แข้ง, pronunciation: [ k ʰ et rák - să ː p ʰ at - SAT -pa ː Huay -k ʰ ă ː k ʰ Äng ] ) is a wildlife refuge in the provinces ( Changwat ) Kanchanaburi, Tak and Uthai Thani in Northern Thailand. It was included in the list of World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991. The reserve hosts, along with adjacent areas such as Thung Yai, the world's largest population of the critically endangered Indochinese tiger. In addition, it is one of the most important refuges for numerous other endangered large animal species. Among Asian elephants, clouded leopards, water buffalo, banteng, Gaure and tapirs.
Location
The Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Reserve is located in the Tenasserim mountain range along the western border of Thailand to Myanmar, on the southern end of the mountain heights of Dao Na.
With the adjacent but separate managed Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the largest protected areas in Southeast Asia. Together with other protected areas form the two reserves the Western Forest Complex, the largest contiguous protected area of mainland Southeast Asia.
Topography
The designated area of today Wildlife area is 257 464 hectares, after it had been expanded in 1986.
The terrain is generally hilly and has year-round and seasonal waters on. The altitude ranges from 250 meters to 1,678 meters.
Fauna and Flora
The game reserve is mainly covered with forests, the mountain slopes have evergreen rain forest or evergreen dry forest on. In the wetlands and along the watercourses there are also evergreen gallery forest with numerous types of climbing plants and epiphytes. Also rare in Southeast Asia wing fruit plants can be found here.
The size of the game reserve, which goes even into neighboring areas Thung Yai Naresuan and the Wildlife Reserve Umphang, leads to a number of larger mammal species are already rare or disappeared in the rest of Thailand, still occur here. Among the endangered species of the protected area include the Indochinese tiger, found in its largest population in the national park complex. Living here and in the surrounding protected areas about 154 tigers. Other endangered species are leopards (the black form is here about as often as the spotted ), clouded leopard, Asian wild dogs, tapirs, Asian elephant ( about 150-200 animals), Gaure, banteng, Tenasserim muntjac, hog deer (rare) and the Sumatran serow. In addition, there are about 24-40 Wild water buffalo, the only population of Thailand before. However, there are doubts as to the purity of breeding these animals, as they may have become mixed with domestic water buffaloes. Since 1965, unconfirmed is the presence of the Siamese lyre deer, as two of these animals were shot. Also extinct Sumatran rhino, which no longer exists in Thailand today.
At least two otter species were detected, the clawed otter and the soft coated otter. In the reserve you will find all five occurring in Thailand species of macaques, the Rhesus monkey, the Long-tailed Macaque, the Pig- Northern, the Assam Macaque and the Bärenmakak. Other monkey species of the area include Silver Haubenlanguren, Phayre - Brillenlanguren and white-handed gibbons.
Numerous bird species have been recorded, including rare species such as the Green Peafowl, the bald -headed Vulture and the Kalij - pheasant. Among the reptiles want to be called, especially the stately Bengalenwaran.
Overall, the UNESCO report lists 120 mammals, 400 birds, 96 reptiles, 43 amphibians and 113 species of freshwater fish.
Climate
The climate is tropical and semi- tropical monsunal up. The rainy season starts in May or June and lasts until October. Then it is dry and relatively cool, and then to become very hot during March to May.
The average annual rainfall is in the west at 2000-2400 mm, to the east a little lower ( 1600-2000 mm). About 80 % of the annual rainfall is brought by the strong southwest monsoon.
The average temperatures are:
Season Minimum Maximum Rainy season, 20 ° C 33 ° C cool 10 ° C 29 ° C hot 15 ° C 35 ° C The absolute temperatures between 7 and 40 ° C.
History
Huai Kha Khaeng was reported on August 26, 1972 together with the adjoining Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary as. Then in 1991, the company was registered on the list of World Natural Heritage of Humanity.
Close Sporadic finds after the area has been inhabited since the Pleistocene, but there is a detailed investigation pending. Today, some members of the hill tribes of Thailand living ( here Hmong and Karen ), most have already been resettled in the province of Tak.