Maenam Pachi Wildlife Sanctuary established in 1978. It covers 489.31 km² and is located in Rat Buri province approximately 135 km to the west of Bangkok. It is contiguous with the international border with Burma to the west and to Kaeng Krachan National Park (2915 square kilometers) to the south. The nearest major town is Rat Buri, some 60km to the east.

Physical Features. The topography of the area is primarily dry hills of 300-1500 m. A number of streams flow north to an irrigation dam near Kanchanaburi (Round, 1985; Sayer, 1981).

Climate. The climate is subtropical with a distinct December to April dry season. Mean annual rainfall is about 1500mm and mean annual temperature is about 28 degree C.

Vegetation. Semi-evergreen and dry evergreen forests predominate, with dry dipterocarp and mixed deciduous formations occrring where soils are poor and shallow and widespread bamboo where forests have been impacted by selective logging and other activities over the last 50 years. Commercially valuable tree species include Diptercarpus alatus, Hopea odorata, Afzelia xylocarpa, Pterocarpus macrocarpus, Xylia kerii, Shorea obtusa and Pentacme suavis (Sayer, 1981).

Fauna. In 1985, elephant Elephas maximus numbers were estimated at between 25 and 75 individuals. Shortly thereafter, however, elephants were almost completely extirpated due to intensive tin mining at one localized site and general poaching pressure. Now a small herd is occasionally seen near the border with Kaeng Krachan NP. Other large mammals include tiger Panthera tigris (E), leopard P. pardus (V), sambar Cervus unicolor, Indian muntjac Muntiacus muntjak, gaur Bos gaurus, serow Capricornis sumatraensis and tapir Tapirus indicus (E) (Sayer, 1981). Although the bird community has not been thoroughly surveyed (Round, 1985), green peafowl Pavo muticus (V) are reported (Sayer, 1981).

Conservation Significance and Management. The Maenam Phachi Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaeng Krachan National Park complex is considered a key site for elephant conservation (Dobias, 1987). The sanctuary also protects a part of the Kaen Krachan Reservoir catchment (Sayer, 1981).

Threats/Management Constraints. Game poaching of smaller species in the Phu Nam Ron and Huay Thong Kin Chao areas near the border of Kaeng Krachan is heavy throughout the year. The same areas are burned annually during the dry season (Storer, 1981) and there has been significant insurgent occupation (Burmese rebel groups) up through 2003 when Thai military troops set up permanently manned stations along the Burmese border. Up until 20 years ago tin mining operations were active in the Huay Thong Kin Chao and Huay Nam Nak areas. Impacted forests have recovered somewhat since their closure, but are still threatened by annual fire.

References

Dobias, R. J. 1987. Elephants in Thailand: An overview of their status and conservation. TigerPaper 14:19-24.

Round, P. D. 1985. Status and conservation of resident birds in Thailand. Association for the Conservation of Wildlife. Bangkok. 143 pp. RFD (nd). Huay Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. Royal Forest Department. 1 pp. ISBN.

Sayer, J. A. 1981. A review of the nature conservation and policies of the Royal Forest Department, Thailand. FAO, Rome.