How Birds Deepen Our Consciousness of Nature: Interview With Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok

By Carolyn Cowan

Thailand is dwelling to greater than 1,100 species of birds and is a vital stopover location on international hen migration routes.
Nonetheless, the nation’s protected space system focuses on mountainous forests, which dangers overlooking the conservation of many different habitats, corresponding to wetlands, mudflats and open farmlands which might be nonetheless vital for birds.
Whereas hen conservation efforts are nicely underway in lots of of those habitats, threats from searching, wildlife commerce and fast improvement abound.
Mongabay just lately spoke with Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok, a hen conservationist, photographer and creator, about what he perceives as probably the most urgent hen conservation points in Thailand.

Rising up in northern Thailand, Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok would sketch and paint the birds he noticed throughout household outings. These early creative pursuits quickly fledged right into a lifelong ardour for avian lifeforms.

Over the previous 20 years, Ayuwat has photographed and noticed the range of Thailand’s hen life all through the nation’s forests, wetlands, mudflats, salt pans, limestone crags and agricultural fields. This physique of labor just lately culminated in his new ebook, The Birds of Thailand. Geared toward vacationers and newbie bird-watchers, the ebook particulars the traits of frequent and rarer species alike, alongside details about a few of their favourite haunts.

After beginning out as a sustainability researcher, Ayuwat spent a few years working with the Chicken Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST), the native affiliate of BirdLife Worldwide. His focus there was on the conservation of flagship species, corresponding to helmeted hornbills (Rhinoplax vigil) and spoon-billed sandpipers (Calidris pygmaea). At this time, he dedicates his time to writing and main hen excursions.

Whereas Ayuwat notes the threats to birds from searching, the wildlife commerce and Southeast Asia’s fast improvement, he says he’s buoyed by a rising public curiosity in birds in Thailand and stays cautiously optimistic about Thailand’s means to protect its spectacular vary of hen species.

Mongabay’s Carolyn Cowan just lately spoke with Ayuwat in regards to the work that went into compiling his newest ebook and what he perceives as probably the most urgent hen conservation points in Thailand. The next interview has been frivolously edited for size.

Mongabay: Inform me about your ebook, The Birds of Thailand. You can solely embrace about 400 of the roughly 1,100 species present in Thailand. How did you slim it down?

Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok: Because the ebook is principally meant for newbie bird-watchers and other people visiting Thailand for the primary time, I chosen the species you’ll see most frequently, just like the commoner species you may see round Bangkok. I additionally included some species whose populations in Thailand are globally vital, just like the spoon-billed sandpiper, regardless that they’re maybe tougher to search out.

The spoon-billed sandpiper is a migratory shore hen that migrates to Thailand each winter. Solely about 10 birds overwinter in Thailand, however contemplating there are regarded as between 400 and 600 left globally, it’s vital. Thailand’s BCST places in a number of effort to preserve them, particularly at Pak Thale Nature Reserve in Phetchaburi province.

Different uncommon species within the ebook embrace the rufous limestone-babbler [Gypsophila calcicola], which is endemic to Thailand and will be discovered solely in limestone mountains in a really small space round Saraburi, Lopburi and Nakhon Ratchasima provinces. It’s extremely threatened by habitat loss since that space is a serious manufacturing hub for the cement trade.

Mongabay: How vital is Thailand for migratory birds? It’s one of many international locations alongside the migratory route often called the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, proper?

Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok: Sure, lots of the migratory species that overwinter in Thailand breed within the far northern elements of Siberia through the summer season months, then fly south alongside the East Asia shoreline from August onwards. By September, an enormous variety of them have already arrived in Thailand. Some keep right here for winter, and a few migrate additional south all the best way to Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia earlier than flying again as much as the North Pole once more the next spring.

The spoon-billed sandpiper is certainly one of these migratory species, together with many different globally threatened migrants, particularly shorebirds like Nordmann’s greenshank [Tringa guttifer] — a good portion of the world’s inhabitants of that species overwinters in Thailand.

Thailand can be the primary wintering floor for the yellow-breasted bunting [Emberiza aureola], a small, sparrow-sized hen. It was once probably the most ample birds on this planet, however as a result of they migrate in large flocks — the entire international inhabitants on the transfer without delay — individuals would catch them for meals in massive nets in China, Thailand and Vietnam. Over the previous few a long time, the worldwide inhabitants has declined by round 90%. So it went from being probably the most ample birds on this planet to probably the most endangered species. It’s a tragic story, but it surely’s now probably the most well-protected species in China, and there’s conservation tasks targeted on the species in Thailand too. So I feel the state of affairs will hopefully get higher for them.

Mongabay: What different threats are birds dealing with in Thailand, and what conservation efforts are underway to assist them?

Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok: Thailand has fairly progressive wildlife safety legal guidelines, partly because of the work of Dr. Boonsong Lekagul, who was one of many first conservationists in Thailand. So roughly 90% of the birds in Thailand are protected species, which is sort of totally different from many different international locations within the area.

The BCST has a conservation technique of specializing in flagship species in order that many species that folks don’t actually find out about are being protected underneath these kinds of umbrellas. The helmeted hornbill is a flagship species for forests, and conservation efforts for the spoon-billed sandpiper will profit all the opposite birds that reside inside the similar coastal habitat.

The songbird commerce is certainly a giant risk. One of the crucial widespread cage birds in Thailand is the red-whiskered bulbul [Pycnonotus jocosus], and there’s at the moment a marketing campaign to attempt to take away it from the nationwide protected species record. There are high-profile singing competitions targeted on that species, particularly in provinces within the south. It’s a giant enterprise and has the help of some highly effective individuals. So it’s not wanting good for that species. As of late, the wild inhabitants of red-whiskered bulbuls is mainly extinct within the south of Thailand as a result of they had been all caught.

One other risk is the usage of mist nets, however that is one other sophisticated subject. For those who go into rice fields round Thailand, you may see these nets with lifeless birds hanging in them. The nets are sometimes so skinny you may barely see them. Farmers say they should put up the nets to guard their crops, and the web itself just isn’t unlawful, however the birds which might be caught are protected by legislation. So it’s one thing we’re making an attempt to alter. If we will push for mist nets to be extra of a managed product, or to be banned, it could assist rather a lot, as a result of the mist nets solely have one operate: to catch birds.

Mongabay: What about birds nesting alongside the shores of the Mekong River in northern Thailand? They appear to be more and more impacted by water-level fluctuations attributable to giant dam operations. Do you could have any hope of these points being resolved?

Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok: Speaking in regards to the Mekong River is sort of miserable really, as a result of it’s simply going to worsen and so little will be carried out. The waterbirds nesting alongside the Mekong River are undoubtedly closely declining. The Lanna Chicken Membership in Chiang Mai has been monitoring the waterbirds alongside the Mekong River in Chiang Rai for a number of a long time, 20-30 years. So I feel individuals are conscious of the decline, however nothing’s going to alter until all of the governments of all of the international locations alongside the Mekong River take motion. Particularly in China, which is upriver.

Mongabay: A lot of Thailand’s remaining intact forests are managed as protected areas and are recognized to be vital for birds. Are there every other sorts of habitats in Thailand that you simply assume want extra consideration and analysis?

Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok: I feel we nonetheless want a number of conservation efforts in agricultural land like rice fields and likewise in salt pans, limestone karst and coastal areas. These are the primary habitats that teams just like the BCST focuses on for the reason that authorities already takes care of all of the protected areas in Thailand. Tasks specializing in yellow-breasted buntings in rice fields and shorebirds alongside the coast and in salt pans contain conservation work on personal properties, so we attempt to work with the landowners, native communities and native governments to protect these areas that aren’t legally protected.

For instance, salt pans are actually vital for the spoon-billed sandpiper, so we attempt to assist salt producers get extra from their land by creating value-added merchandise like cleaning soap and sweetness merchandise to present them a greater revenue and encourage them to keep up the habitat for the birds.

Equally, in northeast Thailand, along with the Zoological Park Group, we encourage farmers to modify from utilizing chemical substances of their rice manufacturing to natural strategies that profit nesting sarus cranes [Grus antigone]. To help this, we got here up with the thought of branding it as Sarus rice, which will increase the worth of the product to encourage extra bird-friendly practices.

Mongabay: Through the years that you simply’ve been finding out, photographing and drawing birds in Thailand, have you ever observed any modifications in individuals’s consciousness about them? Are individuals rising extra involved in birds?

Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok: Sure, on the brilliant facet, I feel the birding group is certainly rising in Thailand, particularly inside the previous 10 years. I feel it’s most likely due to new digicam know-how that enables individuals to take images so simply. Lots of people who exit birding as of late really began by taking images of them. I’ve additionally observed extra younger individuals attending public hen walks in and round Bangkok. So due to that, I feel there can be extra younger individuals who perceive the significance of birds and nature in Thailand. That offers me hope that folks could have environmental consciousness sooner or later.

Mongabay: Why is it vital for individuals to have the ability to inform the distinction between hen species and perceive what they’re seeing?

Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok: I feel understanding the species is a vital first step that results in extra understanding about nature. Folks see birds each day, however they don’t actually take into consideration them. However as soon as you understand the species, you understand their names, you understand their habitat preferences, it makes you perceive how all this stuff are associated.

For instance, as soon as you understand the spoon-billed sandpiper, then you understand the place to search out it. You need to go to the salt pans. However you then discover the salt pans are disappearing as a result of the salt producers do not make a number of revenue and they also’re giving up and promoting the land to be developed. So with the ability to determine the species leads you to extra understanding about environmental points. You won’t consider these elements for those who hadn’t recognized the hen.

Mongabay: Do you could have any recommendation for individuals on be conscientious bird-watchers, to make sure the birds aren’t harassed?

Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok: The simplest option to begin bird-watching is by becoming a member of native hen walks run by native hen golf equipment or the BCST in Thailand. At these occasions, there’ll be somebody main who can level out the birds, provide you with details about them and clarify moral practices. Normally, you need to be quiet in order to not disturb the birds, since they’re very delicate to noises. You must also take particular care to not unsettle them once they’re nesting. In different phrases, simply respect the birds and their habitats. Whether or not you need to simply watch them or take images, the birds have to come back first, that’s a very powerful factor.

The Birds of Thailand by Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok is now accessible in bookstores.

Banner picture: A yellow-breasted bunting. As soon as ample, the worldwide inhabitants plummeted resulting from wild seize alongside its migration route by way of Asia. Picture courtesy of Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok.

Carolyn Cowan is a workers author for Mongabay.

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