Nature & Wildlife
Thailand has abundant natural resources, including a variety of flora and fauna, as well as a diverse natural environment. There are more than 100 national parks, including over 20 marine parks, and the animals in Thailand include more than 1,000 different mammal species, numerous birds -both native and migratory, and spectacular marine life.
Each Thai National Park is inhabited by unique flora and fauna, from the northern mountain's temperate forests and central Thailand's expansive plains to the northeastern savannahs and the southern coast's mangrove forests. The diversity of wildlife includes monkeys, gibbons, elephants, bears, and even whale shark, the largest fish in the world.
Eco-activities in Thailand include trekking, kayaking, snorkeling, nature photography, river rafting, bird watching, and spotting other wild animals in Thailand, such as elephants and gibbons.
Thai plants and animals are both unique and diverse, with a variety of climates suitable for various plant and animal species.
Natural forest covers nearly 25% of Thailand, with woodlands consisting primarily of monsoon forest and rainforest. Monsoon forests consist primarily of deciduous or hardwood trees, which shed their leaves during the dray season in order to conserve water. The rainforest zones are covered by evergreen trees. In the in the coastal lowlands, in addition to more predominately rainforest cover, mangroves and rattan abound. Trekking, horse riding, mountain biking, and even kayaking are great ways to get out into Thailand nature and make the most of your experience in the kingdom.
Thailand is famous for its variety of fruit and flower bearing trees and plants, the most iconic of which is the orchid, Thailand's national flower which appears in over 27,000 different varieties.
While encroachment on their habitat has reduced the numbers of exotic animals in Thailand, there are still a great variety of indigenous species. The most iconic of these is the Elephant, of which roughly 1,000 remain, mostly within the National Parks in Thailand. Among the larger mammals are the tiger, leopard, Malaysian sun bear, sambar deer, otter, and civet cat. Climbing animals include the gibbon and many species of monkeys. There are also sheep, goats, oxen, tapirs, wild cattle, wild hogs, and a wide variety of snakes, including cobra.
There are over 900 breeding bird species indigenous to or migrating to Thailand. Birdwatching tours are particularly popular in Sam Roi Yot National Park and Khao Sok, which is home to six species of hornbill. Crocodiles, lizards, and turtles are numerous. Fish abound in the rivers and coastal waters.
There are a number of animal parks around Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket that allow visitors to get up close and personal with some of Thailand's exotic animals, including Elephants, Tigers, and bird species. Zoos in Bangkok and Chiang Mai feature both animals from Thailand, and those from around the world, including Chinese Pandas!
