Thailand

As the largest cat species, wild tigers embody the importance of big cats to their ecosystems. But with only about 4,500 remaining, coexisting with these carnivores is more important than ever. In this blog, Dr. Abishek Harihar, Panthera Tiger Program Director, details what we are doing to conserve the world’s largest big cat.

Late last year, Panthera and our partner researchers got a great bit of news from one of their motion-activated cameras located deep in the jungles of Thailand. A flash of light showed the presence of three tiger cubs, healthily walking alongside their mother. Read on to learn from Dr. Rattapan Pattanarangsan, Panthera Thailand Conservation Program Manager, about the importance of these three rare Indochinese tigers and what Panthera and our partners have accomplished in the region. 

Around the world, mammals, birds, fish and other species are disappearing before our very eyes. Habitat destruction, climate change, poaching, pollution and human-wildlife conflict are driving as many as three species to extinction every hour. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) manages a staggering list of over 44,000 species threatened with extinction. Five wild cats (one-eighth of all wild feline species) are officially listed as “Endangered”:

Since 2022, Panthera has been fitting fishing cats with GPS collars in the area in and around Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, Thailand. This important wildlife habitat is also highly fragmented by human developments, including fishponds and shrimp farms. Because of this, fishing cats here face challenges to their survival and are listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List.

Wild cats are notoriously difficult to study for numerous reasons, including the remote, rugged nature of their habitats that often expand across incredibly broad distributions, the rarity of certain species and their elusive nature. Despite these challenges, Panthera researchers traverse inhospitable terrain, from mountainous regions with waist-deep snow to dense tropical rainforests that can only be navigated on foot. 

The serene pattern of raindrops reverberates on a giant kapok tree while tiny droplets sift onto the shaded forest floor. Colorful macaws and playful spider monkeys frantically scurry about, seeking shelter from the gathering thunderstorm. At a distance, a jaguar remains watchful, observing the turmoil as the storm's crescendo reaches a thunderous roar. 

“I realize now that I am genuinely optimistic for the first time in my nearly three decades in tiger conservation. Tiger numbers are no longer plummeting range-wide; just as importantly, the conservation community has developed a proven model for tiger conservation.”

In every type of ecosystem — forest, grassland, tundra or desert —all species are linked to one another. Wild cats play an especially integral role because they help increase linkages between species and manage prey populations. For example, in the Santa Monica Mountains of California, pumas hunt deer, which may help prevent the overgrazing of vegetation. Local bobcats hunt rodents, which can help curb the spread of disease.

In a critically important forest in Southeast Asia, an endangered, powerful cat roams silently: the Indochinese tiger. The largest population of Indochinese tigers resides in the Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM) of Thailand. Due to the dire nature of their conservation status, the area has been under intense patrol. Subsequently, and most fortunately, tiger numbers have been increasing, and their populations are dispersing to nearby protected areas. It is in this region that Panthera conducts critical research to understand their requirements and protect this vital species.

Learn more about Dr. Laurel Serieys' travels to Thailand to conduct research on the livelihoods of fishing cats alongside our team.