On 15 February 2008, Dr. Saksit Tridech, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), together with Mr. Sopon Damnui, Director General of Zoological Park Organization, announced the news about joint-venture project on breeding clouded leopards (Neofelis Nebulosa), progress of the project of Khao Kheow Open Zoo to return Eld’s deer (Cervus eldi) to their natural habitats, and progress on breeding and training seals for performance shows. The announcement took place at the meeting room number 301 of MNRE Building.
     Dr. Saksit Tridech, Permanent Secretary of MNRE, revealed about results of the project to research on breeding clouded leopards of Thailand at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. He said that the project aims to study and learn the ecosystem for breeding clouded leopards as well as to distribute knowledge about growing, breeding, and nursing clouded leopard offspring. The project collects clouded leopards from various zoos under Zoological Park Organization and breeds them at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Working team of the project collected funds for research from both national and international organizations. The organizations that have granted financial support to the project are HKS Designer & Conusltants Internation Co.,Ltd., Smithsonian’ s National Zoological Park , USA Point Defiance Zoo Aquarium, and Clouded Leopard Species Survival Plan of USA. Currently, Khao Kheow Open Zoo has 55 clouded leopards from the project: 26 are male and 29 are female. They have produced 35 offspring altogether.
Regarding progress of the project of Khao Khew Open Zoo to return Eld’s deer to their natural habitats, Mr. Sopon Damnui, Director General of Zoological Park Organization, revealed that Zoological Park Organization has begun releasing Eld’s deer to the nature since 2008 and continued until now. There are two approaches in returning Eld’s deer: 1) Hard release and 2) Soft release. Hard release is to bring Eld’s deer to rehabilitate in a safe natural place for a short period prior to releasing them to the forest at the responsible area of Sub Fa Pha Protection Unit. Since the forest is dense, Eld’s deer cannot escape from predators well. Thus mortality rate of this approach is quite high. Soft release is to bring Eld’s deer to get adjusted to natural forest of Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary for a longer period (about 3 to 5 months). During this period, officers will be assigned to observe and take care of Eld’s deer to make sure that they regain their natural habits and instinct as well as the ability to escape from enemies prior to releasing to the nature. Thailand used to be a lush habitat of 2 subtypes of Eld’s deer namely 1) Siamese Eld’s deer (Cervus eldii siamensis), which is found dispersedly in Central, Northern, and Northeastern areas of Thailand, and 2 ) Burmese Eld’s deer (Cervus eldii thamin), found around Western area of the country. 
     Regarding breeding of seals and performance show of seals at Seal Breeding Center of Nakhonratchasima Zoo, Mr. Sopon Damnui revealed that the Center is the first center of Thailand to train and breed seals. The project began in 2000 when Nakhonratchasima Zoo brought in 5 South African seals (Cape Fur seals), 2 males and 3 females. In 2002, the Center started training those seals in order to have them show seal performance to visitors. The training took time about 1 year, then the seals can conduct performance show and make this well-known among tourists.
Currently, the Seal Breeding Center of Nakhonratchasima Zoo has trained and bred 16 seals so far. Interested visitors can witness seal shows at Nakhonratchasima Zoo, Songkhla Zoo, Chiangmai Zoo, and Dusit Zoo.