The removal of Thailand’s red-whiskered bulbul (nok krong hua juk) from the protected wildlife list does not allow people to trap the birds in the wild, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin stressed.
Mr Suchart said a ministerial regulation removing the species from the protected list took effect on Sept 1, allowing legal breeding, propagation and trade under relevant regulations.
He said the change applies to captive birds and does not remove protection for wild populations. The ministry will step up patrols, checkpoints and enforcement in national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, reserved forests and no-hunting areas to prevent illegal trapping and wildlife trafficking.
The ministry will also work with breeders’ associations and networks to survey and register captive birds, regulate their movement and improve animal welfare.
Mr Suchart said legal breeding could support longstanding bird-keeping traditions, particularly in southern Thailand, while creating jobs, generating income and developing the species as an economic animal. The ministry plans to establish standards for breeding farms and cages, register breeding facilities and introduce standard identification marks for individual birds.