Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok National Park is a terrestrial national park that is located in the Suratthani province, Thailand

With 461,712.5 rai (or 738.74 sq.km) area coverage, including the Ratchaprapha Dam, with approximately 105,000 rai of flooding area with over 160 various sized islands occurring from the area blocking for the dam construction. Plant and wildlife species are abundant, including four preserved wildlife species such as the Muntiacus feae, Pardofelis Marmorato, Capricornis sumaatraensis, and Tapirus indicus. It was found that the AHP proposing park is the habitat of endemic species of Khaosokia caricoides. Impatiens sirindhorniae is located around the limestone within the Ratchaprapha Dam. Raffles Kerrii Meijer, which is the world’s largest flower and also is the Provincial Flower Representative, is also located there.

The park’s ecosystem comprises of evergreen forest, swamp forest, and limestone forest

Khao Sok National Park was declared as a national park in 1980. During Ratchaprapha Dam’s construction in 1982, some areas of the park were transformed into a reservoir area. Two hundred eighty-three local households were evacuated into the government’s land settlement cooperative, which was the last group of citizens whose life relied on the forest’s resources. They had their spirits bound with the existing area, where there used to be a village, a school, and a settlement memorial of ancestors and families.

The existing laws related to the forest do not support the biodiversity’s direct use, but most of the surrounding local citizens gain benefits directly and indirectly from the park biodiversity making their bond to protect the ecosystem in Khao Sok National Park important. In the circumstance, the establishment of conservation or ecotourism network for development rules, regulations, measures, control, and watching system occurred for the long term protection of biodiversity in Khao Sok National Park.

1.  Mammals: Of the 95 species 29 families 11 orders, the top found three families, such as 11 species of Viverridae, nine species of Muridae, and eight species of Sciuridae.  The first three most found are 27 kinds of Chiroptera, 25 types of Carnivora, and 21 kinds of Rodentia, which there are two critically endangered species (CR), such as Manis javanica, Panthera pardus and seven endangered species, such as Hipposideros turpis, Presbytis melalophos, Hylobates lar, Cuon alpinus, Viverra megaspilla, Elephas maximus, and Tapirus indicus, and

15 vulnerable species.

2.  Reptiles: Of the 96 species, 26 families, two orders, the most found families are 20 kinds of Colubridge, 14 kinds of Agamidae, and 11 kinds of Gekkonidae. There are two kinds of critically endangered species, such as Manouria emys and Indotestudo elangata and three kinds of endangered species, such as Heosemys spinosa, Hieremys annandalei, and Boiga sangsono. Moreover, there are seven kinds of vulnerable species.

3.  Amphibians: Of the 46 species, 24 genera, six families, two orders, the first most found of three families are 19 kinds of Ranidae, 11 kinds of Microhylidae, and seven kinds of Rhacophoridae. The most found of three genera are eight kinds of Rana, Microhyla, and Rhacophorus in five kinds of even and four kinds of Bufo. Only one kind of vulnerable species is Ingerana tasanae.

4.  Birds: Of the 296 species, 46 families, 15 orders, the top three families most found are 32 kinds of Sylviidae, 30 kinds of Muscicapidae, and 24 kinds of Accipitridae. The top three most found orders are 158 kinds of Passeriformes,
32 kinds of Ciconiformers, and 23 kinds of Piciformes. There are three critically endangered species, such as Buceros vigil, Alcedo euryzona, and Ichthyophoga ichthyaetus, with four kinds of endangered species, such as Acerus comatusm, Ciconia stormi, Pittat granatina, and Chioropsis sonnerati with four kinds of vulnerable species.

5.  Insects: In the group of beetles and butterflies, there are 73 species with 19 families. Most families found are the 19 kinds of Nymphalidae; most of the insects found have not been evaluated by IUCN. There were only five kinds of the least common in all groups of butterflies are they Cherritra freja, Cyrestis nivea, Ideopsis vulgaris, Pachliopta aristolochiae, and Eurema brigitta.

6.  Aquatic Animals: From the fish resources status survey in the wetland of Khao Sok National Park in four plots, there were 118 types from the 29 fish families. One critically endangered species was found, which is Pangasianodon gigas, and there are three endangered species, such as Scieropages formasus, Chitala topis, and Laubuca caeruleostigmata. Moreover, there are five kinds of vulnerable species, such as Cyclocheilchthys heteronema, vaillantella maassi,
 
Clarias bathrachus, Calrias macrocephalus, and Mystus multiradiatus. However, there were two kinds of near-threatened species, such as Cirrhinus molitorella and Channa marulius (“Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research,” 2015).