BANGKOK, 21 August 2012 – The Zoological Park Organization of Thailand has revealed its success in reintroducing Sarus cranes into the wild after 20 of the endangered birds have survived since their release in March.
According to Deputy Director of the Zoological Park Organization Veterinarian Wisit Wichasilp, the ZPO’s research team has inspected a flock of Sarus cranes after its reintroduction into natural habitat, a wetland in Buriram, earlier this year, and found that all of the bred birds are doing well in the area.
The success prompted the Organization to plan for a release of another 10 Sarus cranes next year.
Wisit said that if the released birds can breed naturally, the ZPO will propose to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation that it remove the cranes from the endangered species list.
He also disclosed a plan to breed R. e. siamensis (Thai Eld’s deer) that have become ‘extinct’ in the country for over 50 years; currently, there are only 40 left in breeding centers worldwide.
The ZPO will follow in the footsteps of Burmese Eld’s deer’s artificial insemination. If successful, the organization will make a huge progress in reintroducing another ‘extinct’ species into the wild.
