ACCORDING to the Taninthayi Region Forest Department, a total of 67 species of mammals and 244 species of birds have been found living and thriving in the Taninthayi Nature Reserve, located in Dawei and Yebyu townships in Dawei District, Taninthayi Region.

The regional department makes efforts to install camera traps within the Taninthayi Nature Reserve to monitor and document the presence and behaviour of various wildlife species and biodiversity. This effort aims to support long-term conservation and sustainable development of protected natural areas.

The reserve is home to endangered species such as the Asian elephant, dhole (wild dog), and the critically endangered pangolin, as well as other wildlife including the clouded leopard, tapir, black panther, large Indian civet, sun bear and Indochinese tiger.

In addition, the reserve is habitats of numerous bird species, including three that are classified as endangered and ten that are considered near-threatened.

The Taninthayi Nature Reserve was officially established on 30 March 2005 in line with Notification 18/05 issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation. The reserve was designated to protect tropical evergreen forest ecosystems and biodiversity located in the northern and eastern parts of the Taninthayi Region. The nature reserve has 336,912 acres of the core zone, 79,952 acres of the buffer zone and 3,213 acres of the transport corridor.

The reserve ensures promising natural protected areas for the development of nature-based tourism and region-based tourism industries. Due to the abundance of freshwater resources, the area also supports ecotourism and research efforts.

Thitsa (MNA)/ KTZH

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