The Association for the Conservation of Wildlife emerged in 1952 under the direction of Boonsong Lekagul, a figure who pivoted from hunting to environmental protection as he witnessed the degradation of natural habitats across Thailand. This shift in perspective defined his career, bridging the gap between his medical training and the urgent necessity of preserving indigenous species.
Medical Training and Practice
Born in Songkhla in 1907, Boonsong pursued higher education at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, earning his medical degree in 1933. Two years later, he launched the first polyclinic in the capital. While his primary vocation remained medicine, his scientific curiosity extended into the study of wildlife, ultimately integrating his professional life with his role as a researcher and collector.
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During the mid-1950s, Boonsong and the Association for the Conservation of Wildlife campaigned for the creation of a bird sanctuary along the Chao Phraya River. This initiative aimed to protect the only known nesting ground in the country for the openbill stork. In 1962, he founded the Bangkok Bird Club, which later became the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, while simultaneously maintaining active partnerships with the International Council for Bird Preservation and the World Wildlife Fund.
Contribution to Natural History
Boonsong documented Thailand's fauna extensively. His publications include the 1968 Bird Guide of Thailand, which he illustrated himself, and the 1977 Mammals of Thailand co-authored with Jeffrey A. McNeely. His research contributions were acknowledged by the scientific community through the naming of several species in his honor, including Boonsong's roundleaf bat, the stream snake Opisthotropis boonsongi, and the frog Xenophrys lekaguli.
Formal Recognition and Awards
His efforts garnered significant international and domestic acclaim. In 1979, he received the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize. Among his other distinctions were the Order of the Golden Ark in 1980 and a designation as a Knight Commander of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand in 1985. He held honorary doctorates from both Kasetsart University and Chulalongkorn University.
Fast facts
- Born: 1907, Songkhla
- Died: 1992
- Education: Chulalongkorn University
- Major Award: J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize (1979)
- Primary Fields: Medicine, Ornithology, Herpetology
- Organizations Founded: Association for the Conservation of Wildlife, Bangkok Bird Club
Questions readers ask
What medical facility did Boonsong Lekagul establish?
He established Thailand's first polyclinic in Bangkok in 1935.
Which organization did he start to protect wildlife?
He founded the Association for the Conservation of Wildlife in 1952.
Achievements
- Fields: medicine, biology and herpetology
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