Based in nearby Phetchaburi, WFFT helped hundreds of wildlife in 2023.
After over two decades of helping wildlife, Edwin Wiek and the team at Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) show no signs of slowing down as they continue to rescue, rehabilitate and release wildlife in Phetchaburi and the surrounding areas. Here, Edwin reflects on some of the animal’s stories from over the course of 2023.
This year has been particularly busy. Our rescue team has dealt with animals big and small, from a bullet-ridden baby deer who managed to escape poachers, to rescuing an elderly elephant who was finally given her retirement after decades in the riding industry.
Many of the rescues often involve endangered species, like a pangolin that was found confused and wandering into someone’s backyard, to several species of infant hornbills who were suspected to have been poached from the wild and destined for the exotic pet trade. As an icon of Thai wildlife, there’s also been dozens of macaques rescued too, particularly from those injured in road traffic incidents or electrocuted by overhead wires.
As always, it’s been a year of new adventures too, following the huge milestone in WFFT history last year that was the creation of the new Tiger Rescue Centre. Our nine rescue tigers have truly settled in this year, and we are excited to announce that we’ve been busy developing even more forested land so that we can eventually house some more tigers who are in desperate need of rescue (more on that soon!).
We’re also opening a new viewing platform by the end of 2023, where visitors can enjoy a drink with a panoramic view of these stunning animals exploring their habitat.
For now, the tiger rescue centre has had an amazing first year that is a testament to WFFT’s ambition in helping wildlife – it’s believed to be the biggest sanctuary for rescued captive tigers in Southeast Asia, and we’re incredibly proud to be leading the way on this. Seeing the transformation of these majestic animals has been a powerful reminder of why we do the work that we do.
When Mena arrived last year from the small, concrete confines of Phuket Zoo, her body condition wasn’t good and big patches of her fur were missing. She was nervous of her new sanctuary surroundings at first and took over a month to venture outside of her roofed night shelter. Now, she spends each and every day outside roaming the acres of forested land, where she enjoys clawing trees and exploring with her best friend Baithong.
Throughout the year we welcomed dozens of new primate faces, particularly as part of our rescue mission at Highland Farm. Located a 10-hour journey away in the northern district of Mae Sot, Highland Farm was a wildlife rescue founded back in the late 1990s.
Sadly, the founder passed away last year, and with no will in place, the sanctuary’s land is set to be razed to the ground for a coffee plantation, leaving the rescued animals with nowhere to go. We stepped in and offered to take as many as possible, and after two lengthy visits we’ve so far rescued over 30 primates including long-tailed macaques and white-cheeked gibbons, with hopefully more to follow before Highland Farm is completely destroyed.
Bacon is an Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) and Oreo is a Hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana). Both species are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss and poaching.
Perhaps the most unexpected rescue this year was a Hairy-nosed otter named Oreo. Known as the world’s rarest otter, the species is so rare that it was once believed to be extinct. Oreo was being unnaturally kept as a pet, before his owner surrendered him to WFFT for a chance at a more natural life. As he is unable to be returned to the wild, he now lives happily at our wildlife rescue sanctuary in a habitat that is filled with trees, tunnels, and a pool to swim in.
And it’s not just new faces, as there is always work to be done expanding and improving our current habitats for our rescued animals, and it’s always a joy to see them explore new surroundings.
Earlier this year we moved a troop of white-handed gibbons to a new gibbon island, which is a forested habitat surrounded by water. As the gibbons can’t swim, they are able to explore and live in the forest, while being kept safe from venturing out by the water. Each morning, you can hear the gibbons’ unique call as the sun rises, and then watch them swinging and soaring through the skies to their heart’s content until evening.
On behalf of the animals, thank you to everyone who has supported WFFT this year – whether by making a donation, visiting us on a day trip, or staying at our lodge. We couldn’t do this vital work without your support.
Based in Phetchaburi and only an hour’s drive from Hua Hin, Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) is open 365 days a year. Visitors hoping to catch a tour or book an overnight stay can visit wfft.org for more information. At their website, you can also make a donation to support their work, or by scanning the donation QR code below.
All images: Amy Jones/WFFT
