The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation will ask its Malaysian counterpart to help survey the health of wild boar herds across both countries' shared border, after a herd was found dead in a national park in Pattani.
According to Pattarapol Maneeon, chief of the wildlife healthcare management unit at the department's Wildlife Conservation Office, eight carcasses were found in the watershed area of Klong Wang Sai. A herd was also found dead in Bang Lang National Park, though the number of boars affected were unclear.
The cause of death remains unknown, but Malaysia -- which lies just across the border -- has been reporting mysterious wild boar deaths since 2021.
Authorities will examine samples collected from the carcasses in a laboratory to determine the animals' cause of death, he said.
Local authorities will also be asked to monitor the area's wild boar herd to detect any behavioural abnormalities, he said.
Mr Pattarapol said his team followed the department's instructions to monitor the case.
In addition to collecting samples from the carcasses, the park has been told to enforce the ban on bringing livestock to the national park to graze.
The department has also contacted the Department of Livestock Development and other authorities to brief them on the situation.
