Global Park Defense Deployment at Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park in Myanmar

Global Conservation is assisting Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park to deploy Global Park Defense across the park and buffer zone, including advanced training of the AKNP Ranger Team by international experts, and help with first deployments of Cellular Trailcams for 24/7 surveillance to more effectively arrest illegal loggers and hunters by a small number of rangers over huge areas.

Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park is Myanmar’s oldest and largest national park.  Established in 1981, the park includes some of the last remaining intact forests and endangered wildlife habitats for Asian Elephants, Banteng, Leopards, Gibbons and other primates, Pangolins, and many other threatened or endangered species.

A crown jewel of Asia, and a UNESCO World Heritage tentative nominee, the park contains majestic mountains, beautiful rivers, pristine forests, and trekking trails into eight ecosystems. Over 150,000 pilgrims and visitors come each year to a sacred cave containing the remains of Lord Alaungdaw Kathapa, the namesake of the park.

Unfortunately, today the Sagaing Region of Myanmar has the highest rates of illegal logging of any area of the country, and the park’s 10 kilometers buffer zone is already cut and cultivated for agriculture and wildlife poaching. Commercial hunting and subsistence hunting are rampant and uncontrolled.

While the Sumatran Rhino became extinct there long ago, Asian Elephants are now under attack for their ivory and a growing trade in elephant skin for jewelry and trinkets. The illegal harvesting of Siamese Rosewood and other valuable hardwoods is happening deep in the park as well as other illegal activities. Almost anything of value is hunted in the park including orchids, the most delicate of plant species. Even the majestic peacock, the national bird of Myanmar is endangered in the wild.

Global Conservation is deploying Global Park Defense for park and wildlife protection including:

New motorcycles and vehicles

A new Command Center

SMART Ranger Patrols

Fuel, maintenance and repairs

Satellite Communications

24/7 Forest Monitoring for fires and land clearing

We are funding more Cellular Trailcam network installations and monitoring, and providing joint training with international experts.

Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park has less than 30 rangers working on minimal budgets, many without motorcycles or other patrol vehicles, covering over 160,000 hectares of deep forests and rivers.

Global Park Defense is a 'Force Multiplier' for rangers, leading to more arrests and prosecutions, and increasing protections, both actual and perceived.

Great News - 2018 New Stricter Laws in Myanmar against Illegal Logging and Wildlife Poaching

The government of Myanmar passed two new laws in 2018 dramatically increasing jail sentences and fines for wildlife poaching and illegal logging.

These new penalties present a powerful set of tools for ranger teams and law enforcement – and we will be aggressively using them in the next four years in our interdictions, arrests and prosecutions of illegal loggers and wildlife poachers.