Known for its pristine beaches and monthly full-moon parties, Ko Pha Ngan is one of the crown jewels of Thailand's crucial tourism industry. Hidden just out of the sight of the festivities are several important but elusive species that a recent study uncovered. Seeking to update "antiquated" records, researchers set up trail cameras to survey the island's wildlife. The results were astonishing.
As the Island Packet reports, 28 mammals were documented over the course of the two-year study, and 19 of those were new records. Some creatures are much more outgoing than others; the long-tailed macaque is well-known for its cheeky personality and sticky fingers.
The cameras also picked up more introverted primates like the endangered Sunda slow loris. The slow loris is a nocturnal primate that survives in the wild by moving quietly at night. In Indonesia, they're called malu-malu ("shy").
Primates like macaques and slow lorises play an important role in the ecosystem as seed dispersers. Their dietary habits prevent forest overgrowth, and their seed-loaded feces act as natural fertilizers.
The trail cameras also found signs of the Sambar deer, which the Australian Deer Association describes as "extremely wary and shy." Their excessive caution is the key to their survival, and they are one of the most difficult game animals to hunt.
One of the most exciting discoveries was the Sunda pangolin. This scaly critter protects the ecosystem by feasting on termites and mitigating the damage they do. The Nature Conservancy describes them as "guardians of the forest." Unfortunately, they are one of the world's most trafficked mammals and are critically endangered as a result (per the World Wildlife Fund).
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The study shed new light on Ko Pha Ngan's wildlife and underscores the importance of understanding and managing the environment. Biodiversity is the cornerstone of a healthy ecosystem. As the study's authors concluded, the results underline the importance of "...preserving national park forest areas and limiting further (human) encroachment into these critical habitats."
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