It is a bad sign, isn’t it? When the most appetizing thing I’ve eaten all day is my toothpaste. Yes, I’m adjusting to the all Thai meals (always rice all the time), but I do admit I sit down and instantly lose my appetite.
I’ve got a hole in my ceiling the size of my fist. It just so happens it is positioned directly in the center of my desk—-where my computer lives. The desk positioned where it is to take advantage of the room’s only electrical outlet. When you look up through the hole, the sky is visible. When it rains, the desk gets WET.
I asked the workers if there was any material to patch the hole.
Nope—because that would require going on top of the roof and fixing the source of the problem. This is a field site in Thailand: we moved the desk, duh?! (even though now that means multiple electric cords strung through the center of my space...and a puddle on my floor...which will become a daily fixture for multiple months throughout the rainy season)
Barking Deer Are Yummy!
Who would have thought I would be thrilled to be covered in tick bites? But I am…this is the dry season…and finally my first report from the field:
Moving right along, I set myself up to work and live in Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary. We completed another set of 100 interview surveys of villagers that live adjacent to the sanctuary. The interviews went something like this:
Interviewer: How do you feel about conservation?
Villager: I think all wildlife species should be saved for the next generation.
Interviewer: In the last year have you made any trips into the forest to collect things like mushrooms or to harvest animals?
Villager: Of course! Barking deer are yummy!
A large percentage of respondents (69%) agreed with that statement that “sometimes wildlife cause problems for me and my family.” Elephants, wild pigs, and macaques were listed as the most problematic species. There was no shortage of elephant horror stories.
I also walked six 6km transect lines in 6 days. The transects are set 3km apart and right now I am focusing on an area of 72 square km. I documented the presence/absence of large mammal sign every 50m to get a snapshot of the prey distribution and relative abundance in my study area. We also measured the strength of the cellular phone signal every 100m and setup eleven camera traps.
I have encountered 10 dhole signs (mostly feces, so I am waiting for a camera trap photo confirmation). We think it was dhole feces rather than domestic dog because it contained hair of mouse deer (not usually eaten by domestic dogs). There are few reported jackals in the area.
Yesterday I was invited to attend the capture of a problem gaur for relocation to Khao Khieo Open Zoo. I had the opportunity to meet the vets involved which may help with identifying a vet to help me with the capture of dholes. Unfortunately, the gaur died after anesthesia when it was positioned on its left side and heart had trouble pumping.
Next month I plan to continue camera trapping to confirm dhole presence.
Moving right along, I set myself up to work and live in Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary. We completed another set of 100 interview surveys of villagers that live adjacent to the sanctuary. The interviews went something like this:
Interviewer: How do you feel about conservation?
Villager: I think all wildlife species should be saved for the next generation.
Interviewer: In the last year have you made any trips into the forest to collect things like mushrooms or to harvest animals?
Villager: Of course! Barking deer are yummy!
A large percentage of respondents (69%) agreed with that statement that “sometimes wildlife cause problems for me and my family.” Elephants, wild pigs, and macaques were listed as the most problematic species. There was no shortage of elephant horror stories.
I also walked six 6km transect lines in 6 days. The transects are set 3km apart and right now I am focusing on an area of 72 square km. I documented the presence/absence of large mammal sign every 50m to get a snapshot of the prey distribution and relative abundance in my study area. We also measured the strength of the cellular phone signal every 100m and setup eleven camera traps.
I have encountered 10 dhole signs (mostly feces, so I am waiting for a camera trap photo confirmation). We think it was dhole feces rather than domestic dog because it contained hair of mouse deer (not usually eaten by domestic dogs). There are few reported jackals in the area.
Yesterday I was invited to attend the capture of a problem gaur for relocation to Khao Khieo Open Zoo. I had the opportunity to meet the vets involved which may help with identifying a vet to help me with the capture of dholes. Unfortunately, the gaur died after anesthesia when it was positioned on its left side and heart had trouble pumping.
Next month I plan to continue camera trapping to confirm dhole presence.
Early Surveying
This month I kept busy with catch-up work and fulfilling organizational tasks. I completed a progress report for the National Research Council of Thailand about my interview work around Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary. Tomorrow I will move to live in the sanctuary and have planned another week of interview surveys of villagers.
In March, I plan to survey with camera traps in areas of the sanctuary where dholes have been sighted. I will also walk line transects to look for animal sign and test the extent of the cellular phone network coverage. This needs to be determined before purchasing a radio-collar and other field equipment. We are also working on identifying a trapper and Thai field vet.
My proposal was not accepted by Lindbergh Foundation for funding; however, it was included in the list of finalists which did rank my application in the top 13% of the 166 applications the Foundation received for 2008. I am still waiting to hear back about my Fulbright application.
In March, I plan to survey with camera traps in areas of the sanctuary where dholes have been sighted. I will also walk line transects to look for animal sign and test the extent of the cellular phone network coverage. This needs to be determined before purchasing a radio-collar and other field equipment. We are also working on identifying a trapper and Thai field vet.
My proposal was not accepted by Lindbergh Foundation for funding; however, it was included in the list of finalists which did rank my application in the top 13% of the 166 applications the Foundation received for 2008. I am still waiting to hear back about my Fulbright application.