Protecting Nakai-Nam Theun

Nakai-Nam Theun National Park is the second-largest protected area in Laos, located in the heart of the Annamite Mountains. This mountain range is home to rare and elusive wildlife including the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), the large-antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis) and the Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi). There are 31 villages within the limits of Nakai-Nam Theun with an estimated population of 7000. These people have always used the forest as a resource, both for hunting and collecting. In addition, the Annamites wildlife faces pressure from poachers (most of them Vietnamese), who encourage local people to hunt wild animals (especially for traditional medicine) in exchange for money. Due to the large size of the area and the long border with Vietnam, keeping poachers away is a big challenge for the local authorities.

Aerial view of Field Station of Association Anoulak surrounded by the forest in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.

Aerial view of Field Station of Association Anoulak surrounded by the forest in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.

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Aerial view of Field Station of Association Anoulak surrounded by the forest in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Portrait of a juvenile Emma Gray’s Forest Lizard (Calotes emma) in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Lesser Oriental Chevrotain (Tragulus kanchil) is captured by one of my camera traps installed in the forest of Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Small stream covered with bamboo in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
View of the forest in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park. This protected area still remains largely forested.
Secondary forest dominated by trees of Lagerstroemia genus in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
The forest is reflected in the water of a small stream in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Adult cicada (Cicadoidea) perched on tree trunk in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Leaves floating on water of a forest stream in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Mist over forest at sunrise in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park. This protected area still remains largely forested.
Emma Gray’s Forest Lizard (Calotes emma) perched on vegetation in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Adult Chinese Water Dragon (Physignathus cocincinus) perched on tree trunk in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Torrent frog (Odorrana sp.) perched on rocks in a fast-flowing stream in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Large-eyed Pit Viper (Cryptelytrops macrops) perched on small branch in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Green cicada (Cicadoidea) emerging from its exoskeleton, and being attacked by by another species of insect in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Moth camouflaged on tree bark in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Unidentified stick insect (Phasmatodea) perched on a green stem in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Adult cicada (Cicadoidea) perched on tree trunk in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Adult cicada (Cicadoidea) perched on a bird's feather after emerging from its exuvia in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
A man smokes while heating water at the field station of Association Anoulak in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Portrait of Large-eyed Pit Viper (Cryptelytrops macrops) in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Local people learning how to set up camera-traps during a training workshop in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Members of the Anoulak Association watch the treetops closely for primates in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Camille Coudrat and Chanthalaphone Nanthavong, members of Association Anoulak setting up a camera-trap in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Houses in a remote village of Nakai-Nam Theun National Protected Area. There are 31 villages within the limits of Nakai-Nam Theun National Park, with an estimated population of 7000. ​
A drawn Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) illustrates a calendar on a wall in a remote village of Nakai-Nam Theun National Park. Above the drawing it can be read in Laotian: Forests and wildlife are valuable resources that must be preserved.
Antlers of Large-antlered Muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis) hanging on the wall of a hunter's house in a remote village of Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Caged Common Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa) in a remote village of Nakai-Nam Theun National Park. This species is highly threatened by its popularity in the cage bird trade.
Local trap for catching small mammals inside Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
A camera traps captured a small group of local people to illegally trespass a restricted area to harvest and fish in order to supplement their diet, even if they are exposed to a fine.
Local man catches frogs and small fish in a stream for his own consumption in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Nocturnal catches for human consumption in a stream including tadpoles and fish in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Team of rangers ready to patrol aboard their boat through the intricate labyrinth of canals that form the Nam Theun reservoir.
Rangers capture a group of people, illegally collecting resin inside Nakai-Nam Theun National Park. In addition, the team also confiscated orchids and several traps to capture birds to be consumed as food.
Orchids confiscated after being illegally collected in Nakai Nam Theun National Park.
Great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) skull in a house of a old hunter in a remote village of Nakai-Nam Theun National Park in Laos.
Great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) skull in a house of a old hunter in a remote village of Nakai-Nam Theun National Park in Laos.
Rangers capture a group of people, illegally collecting resin inside Nakai-Nam Theun National Park. In addition, the team also confiscated orchids and several traps to capture birds to be consumed as food.
A ranger patrol confiscates fish caught in a strict protection zone in Nam Theun reservoir.
Traps to capture birds consumed as food, confiscated inside Nakai-Nam Theun National Park.
Asiatic Softshell Turtle (Amyda cartilaginea) rescued from poachers by a patrolling team in a strict protection zone in Nam Theun reservoir and ready to comeback to the water.
A ranger burns some papers in what appears to be an illegal poaching camp inside Nakai Theun National Park.
A local family takes their boat out of a strict protection zone in the presence of a ranger patrol at the Nam Theun reservoir.
Two frogs and a large aquatic insect illegally captured within the boundaries of the Nakai Theun National Park.​
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