Wild Animal Rescue and Education Centre

Sign at the front of WARED WHO WE ARE
A vast area of virgin mountainous rainforest near Baan Thalaenork, just 80 km south of Ranong city, houses WAR's newest and most ambitious project. Volunteers as well as our fullime staff run the sanctuary on a day to day basis, linking with the GRP at Phuket which is only 3 hours away.

The sanctuary currently houses about 80 animals. The aim of this project is to rehabilitate and care for these animals long-term. Most have suffered abuse at the hands of humans. The sanctuary was created in 2002 and supports a wildlife education centre, animal clinic and WARF's Sea Turtle and Dugong Conservation Project. Volunteers are required all year round to assist local staff in the running of the centre.

Please download our page how to get here. 151 Kbs

WARED HISTORY
The Wild Animal Rescue and Education Centre (WARED) was established at the beginning of 2001 by our parent organisation WARF. The purpose was to house animals who can not be ( or are not yet ready to be ) released back into the wild. We also want to keep their life as close as possible to a natural situation. Conservation and education are key components of the project as we would like to limit future destruction of the local ecosystem.

WARF purchased a site in Baan Thalaenork surrounded by dense primary forest and mangrove swamps. The local Muslim community have welcomed us warmly, in part because their lifestyle is so very intertwined with the natural environment. In addition the Royal Thai Forestry Department have generously donated 600 rai of pristine mountainous rain forest, immediately behind the WAR site, which will provide an ideal location to re-house animals requiring long-term care.

Working in conjunction with WARF's Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (GRP) located on Phuket, 200km to the south, WARED will focus on education, local village participation and development as well as, of course, providing a sanctuary for threatened species. Funding for Phase 1 has already been obtained enabling the purchase of land and the building of the education centre and accommodation. Phase 2 will involve the building of quarantine enclosures, gibbon islands, further animal enclosures and additional volunteer accommodation. Phase 3 will establish a mobile schoolhouse that can tour the remote rural areas of the province. The total anticipated cost will be 10m baht and WARF are actively seeking major funding sources to complete this important project.

2 macaques having a happy time at WARED In 2003 , 50 macaques were rescued from animal laboratory experimentation. These animals had been kept in very small cages for the past 10 years and were in very poor condition. After lengthy negotiations the animals were released to WAR's care. Thanks to major funding from The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV). Major building work commenced early in 2003 to construct large enclosures for these animals at WAR's sanctuary site in Baan Thalaenork. The first 10 animals were taken to BTN in July. After disruptions due to monsoon rains the enclosures were completed in October and the remaining animals, who had been temporarily housed at Krobuk Koo, were finally moved there in November. Although 3 of the macaques have died the rest are showing good signs of recovery and are enjoying their new found freedom.

See the ex-laboratory macaques page to get more information and visit our gallery for more photos of them.

We would like to thank The BUAV and its donors for participating in and funding this major project. As funding is constantly needed to pay for daily upkeep, the BUAV are in the process of establishing an animal adoption programme for the macaques. Please see www.buav.org for more details

At the beginning of 2004 , WARF began a new project located at the same site as WARED named the 'Collective Conservation of the Baan Thalaenork Environment' . Baan Thalaenork is an untouched area of incredible beauty with rich natural resources. Visit our community project page.

At the end of December 2004 , as you will no doubt be aware, Baan Thalaenork village was destroyed by the tsunami. Many villagers lost their lives. We were the first organisation involved in helping during the aftermath and our site also sustained significant damage. More information is available via the following link: damaged area and helping.

Thanks so much to the many people who have already donated their time and money to the relief efforts.