Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary

Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary
Name	Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary
Location	Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand
Area	1,560 km2
Established	1974
Governing body	Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary is a large protected area in Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand, located within the Khorat Plateau region. The sanctuary occupies a portion of the Southeast Asian Monsoon-influenced uplands and forms a landscape link between the Phi Pan Nam Range, the Phetchabun Mountains, and the Loei Province highlands. It is managed under Thailand’s national protected area framework and contributes to regional biodiversity networks involving neighboring protected areas such as Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary, Phu Kradueng National Park, and Khao Yai National Park.

Geography and Location

The sanctuary lies in the western part of Chaiyaphum Province and spans multiple districts including Kaset Sombun District and Noen Maprang District, bordering watersheds that feed tributaries of the Chi River and the Mekong River basin. Elevation ranges from lowland plateaus around the Khorat Plateau to upland ridges approaching the Phetchabun Mountains, producing altitudinal zonation similar to that seen in Doi Inthanon National Park and Kaeng Krachan National Park. The landscape includes mixed deciduous forest, dry evergreen forest, and patches of grassland; geology reflects sandstone and shale formations comparable to those in the Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve. The sanctuary’s position connects ecological corridors toward Phu Rua National Park and Nam Nao National Park, supporting gene flow for wide-ranging mammals across northeastern Thailand.

History and Establishment

Efforts to protect the area began amid broader conservation movements during the 1960s and 1970s in Thailand, influenced by international trends in protected area designation exemplified by organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and treaties like the Convention on Biological Diversity. Formal designation as a wildlife sanctuary occurred in 1974 under the authority that later became the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. Historical land use in surrounding districts involved shifting cultivation and settlement by communities connected to regional markets in Nong Bua Lamphu and Loei Province, prompting policy responses similar to those enacted in Khao Yai National Park and Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. Subsequent decades saw collaboration between national agencies, provincial administrations, and NGOs including actors from the Wildlife Conservation Society and academic partners from Chulalongkorn University and Kasetsart University.

Flora and Fauna

The sanctuary supports flora characteristic of seasonal tropical forests, with dominant tree genera comparable to those in Mo Singto Wildlife Sanctuary and Sakaerat, including species from the families Dipterocarpaceae and Fagaceae recorded across Phu Kradueng-region uplands. Understory and grassland patches provide habitat for endemic and regionally important plants that attract researchers from institutions like Mahidol University. Faunal assemblages include large mammals such as Banteng, Sambar deer, and populations of Asian elephant that range across northeastern corridors connecting to Khao Yai, while carnivores such as Indochinese tiger historical records parallel observations in Huai Kha Khaeng and Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is also important for smaller mammals including Siamang-like primates, various civet species, and a diversity of rodents found in Sakaerat. Avifauna is rich, with species comparable to those in Keang Krachan and Doi Inthanon, and herpetofauna includes montane amphibians and reptiles studied alongside collections from Chiang Mai and Bangkok museums.

Conservation and Management

Management falls under the national protected area system administered by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, with coordination involving provincial authorities in Chaiyaphum Province and conservation NGOs such as the Wildlife Conservation Society and international partners historically linked to United Nations Environment Programme initiatives. Strategies include anti-poaching patrols, habitat restoration similar to programs in Kaeng Krachan, and community engagement models inspired by projects in Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary. Challenges mirror those in other Southeast Asian reserves: illegal logging, agricultural encroachment, and wildlife trade networks connected to markets examined in studies by TRAFFIC and researchers at Mahidol University. Conservation planning integrates Thailand’s national biodiversity strategies and action plans and participates in regional corridor initiatives promoted by organizations like the Asian Development Bank.

Human Activities and Tourism

Local communities in districts such as Kaset Sombun District and adjacent townships maintain livelihoods based on agriculture, seasonal crop systems, and non-timber forest products, interacting with market centers in Chaiyaphum (town) and Nakhon Ratchasima Province. Tourism is modest compared with flagship parks like Khao Yai National Park; visitor activities emphasize wildlife viewing, birdwatching, and trekking along trails that echo routes used in Phu Kradueng National Park. Tourism management follows national park guidelines administered by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and coordinates with provincial tourism offices and community-based enterprises modeled after initiatives in Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary and Nam Nao National Park.

Research and Education

Research programs involve universities such as Kasetsart University, Chulalongkorn University, and Mahidol University, and international collaborations with institutions that have worked in Thailand conservation, including the Wildlife Conservation Society and regional biodiversity networks. Studies focus on biodiversity inventories, ecological monitoring techniques comparable to protocols in Sakaerat, and conservation biology research addressing species listed by IUCN and regional assessments from organizations like BirdLife International. Environmental education engages local schools, provincial education offices, and outreach modeled after programs in Phu Luang and Kaeng Krachan, promoting sustainable practices and community stewardship linked to national environmental policy frameworks.

Category:Protected areas of Thailand Category:Chaiyaphum Province