the western forest complex of thailand - Wildlife Conservation Society

THE CASE FORCONSERVATIONWCS ENVISIONS a world in which people value and embrace the diversityof life, live sustainably with wildlife, and ensure the integrity of the naturalworld. We focus our conservation efforts on the best of the wild—landscapes andseascapes that are rich in biological diversity, and where long-term conservation ofwildlife and the natural processes they depend upon can be achieved. Our globalportfolio of 75 Best of the Wild sites, including the Western Forest Complex ofThailand, gives us a leading role in saving some of the wildest places that remainon Earth.The Western Forest Complex offers one of the planet’s greatest hopes forthe recovery of globally imperilled tigers. Two hundred tigers roam its largeblocks of forest today, but with additional protection the forest could support500 tigers due to its size and intactness. No other place in Asia can offer such asignificant contribution to tiger recovery. Also thriving here is a host of otherglobally threatened wildlife including Asian elephants, otters, gaur, and sixspecies of hornbills.This stronghold for wildlife and beacon for tiger recovery is a product of theforesight and commitment of the Thai government to create national parks andwildlife sanctuaries to protect the country’s natural heritage. Extending beyondthe border of Thailand into Myanmar, the full forest complex is one of the mostimportant transboundary terrestrial landscapes in Asia.The Wildlife Conservation Society’s investment in conservation of the WesternForest Complex has already laid the groundwork for success. Villages andgovernment take new pride in the globally significant wildlife and forest foundhere, science drives management, and innovative partnerships in law enforcementshow great promise for sustaining the Western Forest Complex as a majorstronghold for iconic Asian wildlife.Cover and inside cover: Rich withdiverse and intact habitats, theWestern Forest Complex gives usone of the best opportunities tosecure a large, and possibly thelargest, population of tigers in Asia.Previous page: This forest is hometo one of southeast Asia’s largestelephant populations, one that couldgrow significantly with protection.WESTERN FOREST COMPLEX | 3