Althrough KPT forest is home to a rich variety of fauna, we may not always see many of them during a trip. While walking along the nature-education trail, it is usual to hear various noises such as the sound
of something running on the ground then breaking into bushes. Another is the
sound of something cl ambering on a tree, escaping. Visitors might not see the origin
of these sounds, but what you would notice are pieces of bark and pebbles being
carried by the wind. Perhaps, you might hear a short, loud frightened noise, but the
maker may have already disappeared. The only thing you might see is the shaking
bushes. These sounds are made by wild animals, scared of humans. What ancestry and experience has made
them so scared?
Understandably, most wildlife is extremely wary of humans. Survival has depended on learning to avoid the most dangerous predator on the planet - people! Many species have long being preyed upon and continue to be hunted by poachers for sport, food, medicine, the pet trade, etc. At the first sounds of approaching humans, most animals will flee immediately, others may be designed to hide or may restrict their movements to hours of darkness.
A Bay owl (Phodilus badius) sleepy at day, and during a night trip the visitors would have a
higher chance
of finding
various species of
small creatures,
amphibians
and
reptiles,
such as the non-venomous Keeled slug snake (Pareas carinatus). (B0098 @Sayan Makong; R1000 @Suwit Punnadee)
Therefore it is not surprising that most people do not encounter a lot of wildlife during the daytime. Along the forest trail, even quiet and observant visitors may not see many animals for the reason explained above. However the ecologicalist lecturers will point out
and interpret any signs of wildlife such as vocalisations, calls, tracks, foraging clues, pieces of remaining food, stools, sleeping sites, nests, etc. Moreover the interested visitors could learn and understand more about the animal inhabitants of the forest, such as behavior, ecology, and their status especially a rare or threatened animal. The following headings provide links to information and photos depicting some examples of the diverse range of species that can be found in the Kha Phra Thaew forest.
