Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries, Wildlife sanctuaries in western Thailand.
Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries comprise two combined nature reserves spanning approximately 622,200 hectares across Kanchanaburi, Tak, and Uthai Thani provinces in western Thailand. Together they form the country's Western Forest Complex bordering Myanmar and protect large mammals along with a diverse array of plant and animal species.
The designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 marked a turning point in Thailand's commitment to protecting large mammals and their habitats. This recognition helped secure the forest from further destruction and brought international attention to the ecological importance of this region.
Local communities have long relied on the forest resources and today participate directly in conservation work within these protected areas. This relationship between people and the natural environment shapes daily life in the surrounding region and demonstrates how residents contribute to protecting the land.
Visiting requires advance permits that must be arranged through local authorities, and travelers need an experienced guide to access the designated observation points safely. The dry season offers the best conditions for visits, when trails are more accessible and wildlife sightings are more frequent.
The reserves contain species from four distinct biogeographic zones: Sundaic, Indo-Chinese, Indo-Burmese, and Sino-Himalayan regions. This overlap creates an exceptional concentration of biodiversity found rarely in a single location.
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