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Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary
Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary
เขตรักษาพันธุ์สัตว์ป่าห้วยขาแข้ง
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)
	Location in Thailand
Location	Kanchanaburi, Tak and Uthai Thani Provinces, Thailand
Nearest city	Tak
Coordinates	15°25′05″N 99°13′57″E / 15.41806°N 99.23250°E
Area	2780 km² (after 1992)
Established	1972
Governing body	Wildlife Conservation Office
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries
Type	Natural
Criteria	vii, ix, x
Designated	1991 (15th session)
Reference no.	591
Region	Asia-Pacific

The Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary (Thai: เขตรักษาพันธุ์สัตว์ป่าห้วยขาแข้ง, pronounced [kʰèːt rák.sǎː pʰān sàt pàː hûaj kʰǎː kʰɛ̂ŋ]) is in Uthai Thani and Tak Provinces, Thailand. The park was established in 1974, and is part of the largest intact seasonal tropical forest complex in Mainland Southeast Asia. It, coupled with the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1991.^[3] Together, the two sanctuaries occupy 622,200 hectares. As of 2014^[update] it still contained viable populations of large mammals, including gibbons, bears, elephants and Indochinese tigers, although like all other sites in mainland Southeast Asia, some species (e.g., rhinoceroses) have disappeared or have experienced severe declines.^[4]

History

After the establishment of the wildlife sanctuary on 4 September 1972, it covered an area of 1,019,375 rai ~ 1,631 km² (630 sq mi). The wildlife sanctuary was then expanded twice, first on 21 May 1986 to 1,609,150 rai ~ 2,574 km² (994 sq mi), an increase of 589,775 rai ~ 943 km² (364 sq mi) and on 30 December 1992 to 1,737,587 rai ~ 2,780 km² (1,070 sq mi) an increase of 718,212 rai ~ 1,149 km² (444 sq mi).^[5] Until 1976 there were Karen villages within the wildlife sanctuary. Today the wildlife sanctuary no longer has any known human population living in the area. Some Karen villages were moved in 1976 from the southernmost area to Ban Rai District to the southeast. A Hmong village in the west was moved after 1986.^[6]

Wildlife

A large number of the animal and plant life diversity can be found nowhere else, with species such as the Sino-Himalayan, Indo-Burmese, Sundaic, and Indo-Chinese affinities, living in the wildlife sanctuary. Species present at the wildlife sanctuary are usually rare, endangered, or local. Roughly one-third of Southeast Asia's mammals are said to be thriving within the wildlife sanctuary. The wildlife sanctuary is responsible for three of the National Reserved Wildlife Species of Thailand: wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee), mainland serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), and Indian hog deer (Hyelaphus porcinus). Many species of birds, reptiles, and amphibians have also been reported. Sighting of 355 bird species have been recorded in the wildlife sanctuary, a lot of these species are now rare in Thailand and some are considered endangered.^[6] There are currently 90 wild Indochinese tigers within the sanctuary.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]

Visitor and scientific research facilities

The wildlife sanctuary receives most visitors during the summer or the "dry season". Some sections of the sanctuary are not open to the public without permission. The Conservation Office in Bangkok and the chief of Huai Kha Khaeng are responsible for granting permission to those who wish to visit prohibited areas.