Approximately 300 individuals of Red Junglefowls, comprising two subspecies, are distributed throughout the country. This conservation effort is supported by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation in Thailand, as well as the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand. (Hata et al., 2021; Singchat et al., 2022)
Where Red Junglefowls Live
Right now, red junglefowls mostly hang out in upper southern and central Thailand. There are just a few spots up north and in the west where they feel at home. The best places for them are protected areas in central and upper southern Thailand. But guess what? There are also some great spots outside these protected areas in the upper southern and western parts.
The Future Looks Bright for Red Junglefowls
Looking ahead to 2050 and 2070, things are looking up for red junglefowls. They’re going to have more room to roam. Why? Well, the weather is changing, the trees are growing taller, and they’re moving to higher places. It turns out red junglefowls really like tall forests. As our landscapes get more diverse with different kinds of plants, red junglefowls will find even better places to call home.
Red Junglefowls on the Move
As things warm up, red junglefowls will head west and uphill. Right now, they have about 8569 square kilometers of really great spots to live in. Some of these are inside protected areas (4802 square kilometers) and some are outside (3767 square kilometers). But guess what again? In the future, they’ll have even more space to roam, about 10,001 square kilometers in 2050 and 9466 square kilometers in 2070. So, they’re going to have a lot more room to stretch their wings.
Protected Areas Are Their Safe Havens
The cool thing is that protected areas are like safe havens for red junglefowls. They always find great homes there. In the future, some of these protected areas like Kaeng Krachan National Park (12°60′31″ N, 99°37′37″ E), Khao Yai National Park (12°60′31″ N, 101°22′19″ E), Mae Paem National Park (19°21′14″ N, 99°52′31″ E), Huay Nam Dang National Park (19°18′14″ N, 98°35′56″ E), Doi Inthanon National Park (19°35′28″ N, 98°29′13″ E), and Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary (15°57′56″ N, 98°46′08″ E) will have even more spots for them to live.
What’s Driving Their Move?
It’s mostly the changing weather that’s making red junglefowls move around. And they’re pretty happy about it. So, in the future, you’ll find them heading west and up, especially in the western areas.
Bottom Line: Red Junglefowls Are Adapting to a Changing World
The world is changing, and red junglefowls are changing with it. They’re finding new places to live, and we need to make sure they have safe spaces to thrive. Protecting these birds and their habitats is not just good for them; it’s good for all of us because it helps keep our environment healthy and our chickens strong and delicious.
Red junglefowls are like the genetic superheroes of chickens. We want to release them back into specific safe areas to keep their gene pool strong. These areas are chosen based on where red junglefowls live now and where they might live in the future for long-term food security.
We also think about other places in Thailand where we can let red junglefowls roam. This helps make sure our chickens stay strong and healthy. We want local people to be part of this plan so they understand how important it is to keep our environment healthy. This way, we can make sure our chickens can make lots of delicious eggs and meat while staying strong against sickness and bad weather.
So, think of red junglefowls as our chicken heroes, keeping our chickens strong and our food secure.