The WARN Asia Conference opened in Hua Hin on Monday (10 Nov), bringing together more than 50 organisations from 20 countries working in wildlife rescue, protection, conflict mitigation and habitat conservation.
The three-day event, held from 10 to 12 November and hosted by Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT), is taking place with the theme “To Protect and Manage Wildlife.” The programme features presentations, case studies and discussions focused on practical solutions to challenges facing wildlife across Asia, including urban expansion, human-wildlife conflict, and illegal wildlife trade.
Edwin Wiek
The opening ceremony was led by Edwin Wiek, founder of WFFT. The conference was also attended by Nitas Nunsong, Director of the Office of Protected Area Management 3 under the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
This year’s event marks the largest participation since the network was formed 25 years ago, highlighting the growing urgency for coordinated regional responses to wildlife conservation issues.
Day One Highlights
Day one began with presentations on primate management, rehabilitation and coexistence strategies. Charlene Yeong from Mandai Nature in Singapore discussed long-tailed macaque management approaches used in urban settings, while Rahmahwati Nurazizah from the Centre for Orangutan Protection shared experiences on the trauma recovery process for young orangutans kept in captivity by humans.
Wen-Xiang Sun from the WildOne Wildlife Conservation Association in Taiwan presented a framework for addressing human-bear conflict, drawing on lessons from eastern Taiwan. Later sessions included case studies from India, Vietnam and Sri Lanka on reducing human-elephant conflict, and the importance of developing indicators to help communities and wildlife coexist.
The afternoon sessions examined how wildlife adapts to urban settings, conflict cases in Indonesia, and research into trapping and hunting threats in Mongolia. The day concluded with a group discussion on wildlife protection and management, followed by a dinner for delegates in Hua Hin.
The conference will continue on 11 and 12 November with further presentations, workshops and networking sessions involving conservation groups, researchers, educators, rescue centres and government officials from across the region.
-
-
-
-
-
Edwin Wiek
-
-
-
-
-
