Human–elephant conflict leads to antagonistic attitudes towards protected areas and can lead to farmers poisoning or otherwise killing elephants.

The second major aim of the project is therefore to work to reduce human–elephant conflict around KKNP, which will benefit both the local farmers and the park’s elephants. Farmers will be provided with information about new methods of reducing HEC that have proven successful elsewhere and a coordinated crop-guarding system at the demonstration sites (HEC ‘hotspots’) will be established and appropriate equipment provided.

The lessons learnt in KKNP will also assist farmers reduce HEC elsewhere in Thailand and at other HEC ‘hotspots’ in Asia. In addition, the distribution of elephants and the threats to the elephants and their habitat have been mapped. Unfortunately, this work has shown that threats to wildlife and wildlife habitat are wide-spread within KKNP and poaching is rampant throughout KKNP, despite public impressions to the contrary. As a result, the third major aim will be to work with the Thai authorities to improve law enforcement in KKNP.

This project is being implemented by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Government of Thailand with support of the International Elephant Foundation and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Asian Elephant Conservation Fund.

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