Tracking tigers in the Thai jungle during a short-term study abroad program

HENRY PARKS, JUNIOR, DOUBLE MAJOR IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, POLICY AND MANAGEMENT AND FISHERIES, WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

As students studying wildlife, it’s difficult to get a foot in the door to work with charismatic animals such as tigers. CFAN3504, “Vertebrate Research Design and Field Survey Techniques,” not only gave our group of students the chance to get up close and hands-on with the techniques, staff, and locale used to study tigers, but it also gave us critical exposure to the realities of being wildlife biologists. 

Thailand Study Abroad Henry Parks

An action shot in the field of me and some other students speaking with Dave Smith, the other instructor of this course. He was describing the utility of the method that we were learning in the field that day and giving us feedback on our map. Dave is an extremely knowledgeable tiger biologist who always pushed us to improve our technical skills and knowledge.

An action shot of me removing a small songbird from a mist net in Bueng Boraphet Wetland in central Thailand. Though the class is touted for its tiger-related study, we also spend a few days at this wetland doing work on birds. We spent two days learning about how to set up mist nets to capture birds, banding for population surveys, deploying cannon nets for shorebirds, and field techniques for handling live birds.

The view from our window at our hotel in Bangkok. After two weeks in the jungle living at research stations, some creature comforts like a hot shower and a lovely city view hit the spot! We spent the last three days of the course in Bangkok for a brief exposure to Thai culture and a lovely farewell dinner hosted by Francie and Dave!

Presenting our class project during our last days at Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. This is a major portion of how the course is graded and a great opportunity to get hands on with data that can be directly used to help the progress of Team Tiger! For this project, we aged the jawbones of a main source of tiger prey to assess which types of individuals in that population that tigers prefer to eat.

Full group shot of the entire class. We took this photo at the overlook to Huai Kha Khaeng when we were going out and practicing the use of a radio collar tracking technique.

A group learning shot of some of the class learning some of the mammal tracks that can be found at Huai Kha Khaeng including tigers, leopards, elephants, cows, buffalo, and deer!

Long hikes through the woods in the heat, nights in the camp surrounded by strange noises from the jungle, and a complete culture shock an inversion of day and night - yet there was never a dip in resolve amongst the class! Working closely with the Thai staff even with a language barrier to install camera traps, record animal signs, band birds, install mist nets, listen for gibbon howls, and use radio-telemetry equipment for the first time was such an amazing experience and even though we couldn't communicate with words, there was an understanding that we were both learning from each other. 

Other wonderful activities we got to do include viewing banteng (wild forest cows) from a blind overlooking a stream, birdwatching in the rice paddies, visiting a captive breeding facility, conducting an independent research project as a class, logging in nature journals, and more! 

Additionally, getting to experience field work at the level in which we can directly engage with in our careers is a rewarding “peek behind the curtain” that can be invigorating to students who might feel they are in a rut with their degree. 

Beside the professional development aspect, this course has provided me such a great opportunity to get to know other students but also to get to know some incredible faculty through Francie Cuthbert and Dave Smith. Their commitment to empowering students and providing us with amazing opportunities is truly admirable—getting to know them over the course of this trip was something I couldn't recommend more. 

Henry Parks is a junior double-majoring in environmental sciences, policy and management and fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology. After graduation, he hopes to work as a wildlife biologist with an interest in migratory terrestrial animals, as well as pursue graduate education. 

Study abroad is transformative. Learn more about short and long-term options through the CFANS Office of International Programs.