CHAIYAPHUM, Aug 29 (TNA) – The minister of natural resources and environment officially launched a project to return animals to the wild at the Thung Kramang field in the Phu Khiao Wildlife Sanctuary in this northeastern province.
Minister Varawut Silpa-archa kicked off the project that was aimed at conserving and diversifying indigenous wildlife in the sanctuary.
The project will now see the release of 360 animals comprising seven brow-antlered deer, 20 hog deer, 10 barking deer, 23 peacocks, 200 Siamese fireback pheasants and 100 silver pheasants. Healthy animals of the species were selected from the Phu Khiao Wildlife Breeding Center. They were tagged and prepared for their life in the wild.
Thanya Netithammakul, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said the Phu Khiao Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum province was one of pristine forests in the country and the habitat of a wide range of wild animals including the animals that were born in the wild and released captive animals.
He said the release of animals in the wildlife sanctuary had actually started in 1983 to increase the populations of endangered animals and support ecological restoration. (TNA)
