IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Tizard, R.; Davidson, P.; Khounboline, K.; Salivong, K. | |
| A wildlife and habitat survey of Nam Ha and Nam Kong Protected Areas, Luang Namtha Province, Lao PDR | |
| 1997 Full Book | |
The Cooperative Program of the Centre for Protected Areas and Watershed Management (CPAWM) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) conducted a wildlife and habitat survey of Nam Ha National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA), the proposed Nam Ha (west) NBCA and the Nam Kong Provincial Protected Area, Luang Namtha Province from February to April 1997. This report documents the findings of the survey, incorporates relevant ecological data from other sources, and makes recommendations for biodiversity conservation priorities in the area. Field surveys for mammals and birds were conducted. Regular discussions were held with villagers to supplement field data on mammals and large birds and to assess human impacts relevant to biodiversity conservation in the area. The areas support a wide variety of vegetation types, which in term support a biodiversity of national importance. The mammal fauna of Nam Ha is diverse. A total of at least 37 larger mammal species were found to occur. At least 19 Key Species of conservation concern were observed by the survey team or reliably reported by villagers. These include three large cat species (clouded leopard, leopard and tiger); at least six ungulate species, including small numbers of Gaur, and populations of a yet unidentified species of muntjac, which almost certainly has a small, and poorly known range; a small population of Asian elephants. The bird fauna is also diverse with at least 288 species. No data on small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish were collected. The surveys of these taxons should be a high priority for future surveys. Nam Ha has a high human population relative to other NBCAs. The assessment of human use revealed several impacts that threaten or are potentially threatening to biodiversity conservation in the area: hunting and other wildlife extraction; swidden agriculture; road construction. Hunting and other wildlife extraction comprise two distinct forms: subsistence and commercial trade. Wildlife trade is potentially the most damaging of these because it targets many Key Species of the most urgent conservation concern, including Asian elephants, bears and tiger. This situation is exacerbated by trans-international border trade (by Chinese coming into Lao, and Lao entering China), with wildlife products being used to barter for a wide variety of foodstuffs and household goods. |
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