On March 26, 2024, Dr. Kobsak Chutikul, Chairman and Board Member of the WWF Foundation, attended the book launch and exhibition “Red Cow… Breath of the Lowland Forest”, which was attended by WWF Thailand, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and the Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, along with
Nine other network organizations have collaborated to produce the book and exhibition at the auditorium and hall on the 5th floor of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.
The Javan cattle ( Bos javanicus ) is a symbol of Southeast Asia, with its beautiful and unique appearance. Today, the Javan cattle have a near-identical status.
Extinct on the IUCN Red List due to hunting, especially for the collection of red cow antlers, as well as loss of lowland deciduous forest habitats, including:
Deciduous forest or open forest These factors have caused the red cow population to be fragmented into small groups and their numbers are declining at an alarming rate.
The banteng is a species that has received a great deal of attention in conservation work, as it helps create a balance in the food chain, maintains biodiversity in the ecosystem, and is a representative of the conservation of lowland forests, which benefits the survival of various species of wildlife. From the importance of the banteng as mentioned, there has been cooperation between the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation , Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, and WWF Thailand, to organize a workshop.
‘Assessment of the status of the population and distribution of red cattle in Thailand’ on May 16, 2023. The assessment found that the red cattle population in nature in Thailand is 761-1,086 animals, while the global red cattle population is estimated to be no more than 8,000 animals.
The results of the meeting, including the direction of the management of the red cattle population in Thailand, have been compiled into a book with cooperation from various parties.
Another 9 organizations include Mahidol University, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand under royal patronage, the National Museum-Science Organization, Seub Nakhasathien Foundation, the National Parks Association, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Thailand, Panthera Southeast and South Asia (Panthera), and IUCN-Thailand Programme (IUCN). The book launch and photo exhibition “Red Gaurs… Breath of the Lowland Forest” are hoped to be
Dissemination of knowledge on the conservation of red cattle to the public and interested persons in general, in order to create awareness and see the value of the importance of red cattle in the ecosystem, as the red cattle scattered in many protected areas of Thailand are in critical condition and tend to continually decline. Within the event there is a discussion forum, moderated by Mr. Sathaporn Dankhuntod from 3D News, and with Dr. Robert Steinmetz, Conservation Biologist from WWF Thailand, shares the importance and approaches to the conservation of the banteng.
Including a forum for exchanging experiences from conservation photographers under the topic “Red Cows… Through the Lens”
