Janjira Pongrai
Daily Xpress
Published on January 20, 2009

To stem the illicit trade in pheasants, the Biodiversity-based Economy Development Office (BEDO) has joined forces with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry to promote the commercial raising of five Thai species.
For its pilot project, said BEDO director Apiwat Settharak, his office will raise 300 breeding birds taken from five Thai species: the Siamese Fireback, Silver pheasant, Crawfurds Kalij pheasant, Crested Fireback and Hume pheasant. Thirty farmers and businessmen have already shown interest in the project, he said, adding that a meeting on raising techniques, disease prevention and funding advice would be held this Thursday and Friday at the Royal Forest Department.

Pets, not barbecue

BEDO advisor Dr Chaval Thaphikorn said that a list of birds and buyers would be compiled and breeding pheasants would be tagged with tracking devices in an effort to stop smuggling. Breeding pheasants must be purchased at a restricted price from the Royal Forest Department, he said, and farmers could only sell birds from the second generation onwards.

The high demand for beautiful pheasants has caused a rise in the underground trade over the past five years, and so the BEDO has taken regulatory action in a bid to conserve the bird and raise farmers' incomes.

National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Depart-ment's Wildlife Conservation Office director Chatchawal Pidamkham said the regulations allowed the raising of pheasants for pets, but not as food.

He said that the BEDO had also raised the idea of regulating trades in other animals such as civets as their hormone glands were of high value, but the department insisted on studies to back up proposals first.

By Daily Xpress On 22 Jan 2009

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