RARE species of Thai beetles and butterflies are in danger of extinction, officials fear, as hunters go deep into jungles to catch them to sell to collectors abroad.
Dr A-ngoon Liwwanich, an entomologist at the Department of Agriculture, revealed on Wednesday that some species are close to becoming extinct.
''They live in the jungle and high areas and can hardly be found now. Chiang Mai is one of the best habitats for them, especially Doi Pha Hom Pok area,'' he said.
A-ngoon said local tribal villagers, hired by a Thai middleman in contact with foreign insect collectors, are mostly involved in catching the rare species.
''The villagers sell each insect for Bt100. But this figure rises enormously. Some rare species cost as much as Bt50,000. A very rare one can cost Bt100,000,'' he said.
Dr Chawan Tanhikorn, director of the Wildlife Conservation Division of the Royal Forestry Department, said the department has tried to protect the creatures by declaring them protected species under the Wildlife Conservation Act. It has now declared 13 species of butterfly and beetle, which are popular with insect collectors, as protected, he said.
The 13 species include the night butterfly, the Golden Birdwing butterfly, the Jungle Queen butterfly, all kinds of Kaiser butterfly species, the Spangle butterfly, the Bhutan butterfly, the Fivebar Swordtail butterfly, the Band Peacock butterfly and several species of beetle, including the rhinoceros beetle.
''Foreign demand for these insects is not only for collecting, but also for studying their life cycle and reproduction. As far as we know, the American market needs the pupa of the butterfly now,'' he said.
However, some Thai butterfly collectors disagree with butterfly protection. Amnuay Pinrat, a teacher of St Gabriels School and a butterfly collector, said butterfly catching has been going on for two decades and their numbers haven't decreased.
''The butterfly is a species which reproduces easily. There is no reason to list it as a protected species like foreign countries do because we have many more butterfly species than them,'' he said.
''Moreover, the species which are needed by the foreign market are found only in neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Burma and India,'' he claimed.
Kriangkrai Suwannaphat of the Nature Lover's Club said the decreasing forest area and deteriorating forest conditions are the major causes of the decreasing number of insect species in Thailand.
''So, the number of some insect species is much less than the demand from the collectors,'' he said.
BY PENNAPA HONGTHONG
The Nation
