Thailand is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries.  Ranked 18th in the world, Thailand has an astounding list of species in all groups of animals.  With some 344 or so mammal species Thailand is a mammal watcher’s paradise!  While seeing mammals in Thailand is very possible and fun, it can take a bit more effort than some locations due to many factors; animals can be relatively shy due to hunting pressure and human encroachment; the nature of the habitats here make it relatively easy for animals to hide or simply be out of view; many of the best mammal watching locations are not open to public visitation in many cases and special permission is required and can be difficult to get.

Now that I have lived here a bit more than ten years, I have seen and documented about at third of the species Thailand claims (110 species).  I have a long way to go to see even half, but I am trying! Many of the species I have yet to claim on my list are rodents and chiropterans and can be a challenge to see well enough to identify.  Slowly but surely…. I have often thought of doing a trip report for Thailand but with so many roadtrips now, I wouldn’t even know where to begin unless I were to simply write a book! I don’t think I have enough knowledge for such an undertaking… So as a compromise, here is a simple collection of images that have location data that can start someone’s search for information to design an expedition.

Thailand has done a remarkable job preserving many different habitats and natural areas considering the obstacles to conservation. And when compard to Thailand’s other ASEAN neighbors, Thailand stands out as being far more proactive and has higher degrees of success. With nearly 20% of its land area officially protected, Thailand has allowed for habitat for many of its rare and endangered species.  Perhaps the most impressive achievement is Thailand’s Western Forest Complex which is an assemblage of 19 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.  (Link to info on Western Forest Complex).

Although there are many serious issues facing Thailand’s wildlife, and there have been some conservation failures such as the Gurney’s Pitta extinction, there are some areas of positive trends.  Currently Thailand is home to approximately 189 tigers with habitat and prey base to allow for more with continued strong conservation measures.

For more excellent information on Thailand’s national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, log on to Thailand’s National Parks, one of the best sources of information on these special places.

My own explorations have taken me to most of Thailand’s national parks and reserves over the years.  The image gallery below shows the mammals I have managed to document in my travels throughout Thailand.  I have labelled the images as to species and location. With the exception of the Malayan Tapir, all images were taken inside Thailand’s borders.  If you note any mistakes on my image identifications, please feel free to let me know!  Each image is linked to larger galleries highlighting the species in question.

 National Park Maps for Thailand