Man hit with severe penalties for shocking act in protected wildlife sanctuary

A Thai man has been sentenced to four years in prison for setting fire to 856 acres of protected forest, according to the Pattaya Mail. The jail time would have been eight years had he not pleaded guilty. He also faces nearly $4 million in fines with 5% interest accrued each year.

The fire took place in a mountain range called Khao Noi-Khao Pradu, an area in the northern province of Phitsanulok, Thailand. The arsonist was arrested May 6, 2024. The protected forest covers 50 square miles, or 32,000 acres. Nearby urban center Chiang Mai has recently suffered significant smoke issues due to recent forest fires, per The Thaiger, and major ecosystem damage.

Some of the animals in the protected area include the rhesus macaque and the sunda pangolin, which have historically been the target of smuggling.

Protection measures have helped other species native to the area, including the Asiatic golden cat, rebound. Thailand's iconic elephants remain on the road to recovery, but limited habitat has pushed them into more dangerous interactions with humans. This has led to the use of birth control to slow elephant population growth, The Guardian revealed.

No motive for the arson was provided, but agriculture is a regular reason for forest fires. Brazil's Amazon rainforest has been subjected to fires by farmers seeking to increase the amount of land they can use. Others are interested in illegal logging in Thai forests.

Rainforests are vital in filtering heat-trapping carbon pollution from the air, regulating global temperatures, preventing soil erosion, and providing a foundation for biodiversity. Strong enforcement measures promise to deter bad actors from destroying these precious resources humans depend on.