Huai Kha Khaeng Tiger Attacks Official: Second Case in 28 Years

Matichon•General•9d ago

Reader Briefing

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has closed Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary to capture a tiger that attacked a government employee.

•A tiger attacked and dragged a government employee at the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary office during the early morning.
•Director General Atthapol Charoenshunsa stated this is the second such incident in 28 years, following a 1998 attack at Khao Yai National Park.
•Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary is currently closed to allow officials to locate and capture the tiger for behavioral adjustment.

Overview

•A tiger attacked and dragged a government employee and forest ranger while the employee was resting in the early morning at a building within the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary office.
•Atthapol Charoenshunsa noted that tigers naturally avoid humans and hypothesized the attack occurred because the official was a stationary, non-combative target.
•Atthapol Charoenshunsa dismissed the theory that the tiger was hungry, citing the abundance of prey in Huai Kha Khaeng forest.
•A previous incident occurred on January 13, 1998, at Khao Yai National Park, where a female tiger attacked a staff member's arm.
•Officials are currently reviewing CCTV and camera traps to track the tiger's movements before and during the attack.
•Atthapol Charoenshunsa ordered the closure of the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary area and the suspension of all activities until the tiger is captured.
•The tiger must be captured for behavioral adjustment to prevent it from becoming accustomed to attacking humans, which would endanger officials and the public.
•Staff from Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary and tiger researchers from Khao Nang Ram Wildlife Research Station are working to identify the tiger.

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Key Quotes

Atthapol Charoenshunsa

"It is hypothesized that it may be because our official was a stationary target, not moving, and showed no sign of fighting back, which the tiger perceived as a weaker target."

สันนิษฐานว่า อาจจะเป็นเพราะเจ้าหน้าที่ของเรา เป็นเป้านิ่ง ไม่เคลื่อนไหว ไม่มีลักษณะจะต่อสู้ ซึ่งเสือคิดว่าเป็นเป้าที่อ่อนแอกว่า

Key Entities

Person

Atthapol Charoenshunsa(อรรถพล เจริญชันษา)

Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

Organization

Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation(กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติสัตว์ป่าและพันธุ์พืช)ℹ️

The government agency responsible for managing national parks and wildlife.

Khao Nang Ram Wildlife Research Station(สถานีวิจัยสัตว์ป่าเขานางรำ)

The research station providing tiger researchers to help locate the offending tiger.

Place

Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary(เขตรักษาพันธุ์สัตว์ป่าห้วยขาแข้ง)ℹ️

The wildlife sanctuary where a tiger attacked a government employee.

Khao Yai National Park(อุทยานแห่งชาติเขาใหญ่)ℹ️

The location of a tiger attack on January 13, 1998.