After disappearing from the northern forest for two decades, a pair of great hornbills have been released into Lampang's Chae Son National Park as part of efforts to reintroduce the endangered birds to their natural habitat.
The release is the first phase of a campaign by the Zoological Park Organisation (ZPO) director, Lampang authorities, and the national park to return the species to the area.
ZPO director Attaporn Srihayrun said the pair released yesterday was the first batch of birds to be returned to the wild after rehabilitation by ZPO zoologists.
The ZPO has studied hornbill breeding since 1997 and successfully bred the first batch of great hornbills in 2002, said Mr Attaporn.
More hornbill releases are planned as a follow-up to the pair that was released, said Mr Attaporn.
According to the ZPO, the great hornbill is listed as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and a protected wild animal in the Wild Animal Conservation and Protection Act.
"Because the great hornbill has been listed as an endangered species, the conservation is critical not only for research but also for the preservation of the northern forest," Mr Attaporn added.