Thailand has added the red-whiskered bulbul, also called the crested bulbul, to the list of birds protected from hunting in 40 existing non-hunting areas.
The move followed a change in the bird's legal status. The species was removed from Thailand's protected-wildlife list on September 1, leaving a gap in the rules for the 40 areas, according to The Nation Thailand.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said the new regulation was published in the Royal Gazette and took effect on September 2. It restores a clear no-hunting rule for the bird in conservation and national reserved forests.
Officials also noted that the bulbul has a long cultural role in southern border provinces. The updated rules aim to respect those community traditions while keeping wild populations safe.
