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Biodiversity Surveys of Xe Sap National Protected Area, Lao

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Biodiversity Surveys of Xe Sap National Protected Area, Lao Biodiversity Surveys of Xe Sap National Protected Area Lao PDR 2012 Thomas N.E. Gray, Thomas Calame, Ben Hayes, Martha J. Hurley, Paul H. Nielsen, Vichith Lamxay, Robert J. Timmins, Khamhou Thongsamouth WWF Greater Mekong, Vientiane, Lao PDR, February 2013 1 Executive Summary This report presents the results of the first detailed biodiversity surveys of Xe Sap National Protected Area Salavan and Xekong provinces, Lao PDR since 1999. Between February and June 2012 more than 140 expert field survey days were spent in three ecological distinct areas of Xe Sap: wet evergreen forest in Kaleum district; plateau and montane hill evergreen forest in Ta Ouy and Samouy districts; and pine-grassland savannah in Ta Ouy district. Surveys targeted large mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, and flora. The majority of survey effort (>80% of expert field survey days) was within hill evergreen and Ericaceous cloud forest between 1,000 and 1,800 m.a.s.l. in Ta Ouy district, eastern Xe Sap NPA. Xe Sap NPA remains extensively forested and is important for the conservation of representative endemic biodiversity of the Annamite Moist Forest Ecoregion. Including: • Four restricted range bird-species two of which, chestnut-eared Laughingthrush Garrulax konkakinhensis and black-crowned barwing Actinodura sodangorum, are IUCN-listed as Vulnerable. • Evidence of ten globally threatened reptiles and amphibians plus a number of Annamite endemic taxa. • The Annamite endemic confier Pinus dalatensis which is a characteristic and common species within the hill evergreen forests of western Xe Sap. However compared to the late 1990s the populations of almost all threatened large mammals (e.g. tiger Panthera tigris, dhole Cuon alpinus, bears Ursus/Helarctos) have been severely depleted. For mammals the highest conservation significance potentially present within Xe Sap would be saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis. Given the current inability to easily and effectively detect saola presence anywhere, it should be assumed that saola are present unless otherwise determined with confidence. This is justified given a significant extent of relatively remote wet evergreen forest in which preliminary results suggest that hunting pressure is, by saola habitat standards low, and where similarly sized ungulates still survive in demonstrably relatively high 2 densities. Xe Sap NPA might also have global significance for the conservation of large-antlered muntjac Muntiacus vuquangensis, although this remains to be demonstrated. Beyond these two species the global conservation value of Xe Sap NPA for large mammals is extremely limited. Whilst gaur Bos gaurus, red-shanked douc Pygathrix nemaeus and Nomascus gibbon spp. were recorded populations of all three species occur at low densities probably due to a combination of both ecological and anthropogenic factors. The global conservation of these species is thus much less reliant on the future of Xe Sap than is the potential conservation of saola and large-antlered muntjac. Riverine communities are poorly known but might perhaps have significance dependent on the status of various threatened species particularly otter spp. which were recorded during these surveys. A total of 190 bird species were recorded including 2 Vulnerable and 4 restricted range (i.e. global distribution <50,000-km2) species. The total species list for ‘Greater Xe Sap’, including forested areas outside the NPA boundaries and the adjacent Phou Ayou, is 306. At least four species (yellow-billed nuthatch Sitta solangiae, Short-tailed scimitar babbler Rimator danjoui, chestnut-eared Laughingthrush, and black-crowned barwing) are largely restricted, within Lao PDR, to Xe Sap and surrounds. Populations of additional near-threatened species including Blyth’s kingfisher Alcedo hercules and Austen’s brown hornbill Anorrhinus austeni are also likely of regional significance. For a number of species, particularly those restricted to Sino- Himalayan biomes, Xe Sap marks the southern limit of their global distribution and is thus of biogeographic significance. A total of 36 reptile and 28 amphibian species were confirmed during surveys including nine globally threatened species. A number of new records for Lao PDR and partial range extensions were documented and Xe Sap supports a significant community of Annamite endemic herpetofauna. The protected area may be particularly significant for tortoises with a number of field observations of the IUCN-Vulnerable impressed tortoise Manouria impressa. 3 In general human use and access into the surveyed areas appears to be minimal and concentrated along the easily accessible edge areas. This was somewhat surprising given current regional trends, but may largely signify the paucity of ‘high value resources’ (such as rosewood) remaining in the protected area. But while the incidental hunting that accompanies general forest use may be relatively low in the deeper forest areas, focused hunting activities are certainly a serious issue and the majority of high value species have been hunted to extinction. Evidence of logging in the areas surveyed was minimal. However it was clear that significant areas of the northern periphery NPA forests were logged (for broadleaf hardwoods) in the last decade, probably after the surveys in the late 1990s. Strong law enforcement, particularly in areas of wet evergreen forest which may support saola, is essential and urgently required. 4 Acknowledgments This work forms part of the “Avoidance of deforestation and forest degradation in the border area of southern Laos and central Vietnam for the long-term preservation of carbon sinks and biodiversity” (CarBi) project of WWF Greater Mekong. The CarBi project is largely funded through KfWBankengruppe and WWF Germany. Additional funding support was provided by grants to Global Wildlife Conservation from the Margo Marsh Biodiversity Fund and Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong. Work in Xe Sap NPA is with permission and full support of the government of Lao PDR. Particular support is from Phoulithat Kaiyavongsa, Head of NPA Management Division, DONRE,. Khanthalay Thongphanheuangsy, NPA Head, DONRE Mr. Keophayline Ngonephesay, Deputy Head of Natural Forest Management Section. DONRE. In addition to the authors field surveys were accompanied by Somsouk, Khamla, Khamhou Tala, and Nicholas Wilkinson with additional (too) numerous and varied DAFO staff from Ta Ouy, Samouy, and Kaleum districts. None of the work documented in this report would have been possible without the help and assistance of Ta Ouy, Pakoh and Katoh villagers from A Ho, Thongxa, Bale, Adap Deu, Kava, and Phouxen villages. For assistance with project planning and logistics we also thank Crispian Barlow, Fanie Bekker, Vilavanh Boupha Nick Cox, Anna Denman, Micah Ingalls, Khammone Luangsackda, Lattanavan Phaophongsavath, Cody Schank, Wes Sechrest, Vene Vongphet, and David Zeller. 5 Chapter 1 Xe Sap Biodiversity Surveys: Introduction Thomas N.E. Gray Martha J. Hurley 6 Xe Sap NPA and the Central Annamites Xe Sap National Protected Area, Lao PDR forms parts of the transboundary Central Annamite Landscape (also referred to as The Central Truong Son Landscape) a priority biodiversity area within the Annamite Moist Forest Ecoregion – one of WWF’s Global 200 Ecoregions (Tordoff et al. 2003). The Central Annamite Landscape comprises nine provinces in Central Vietnam and Lao PDR i.e. Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Kon Tum, Quang Ngai and Gia Lai (Vietnam); Salavan and Xekong (Lao PDR). The Central Annamite Landscape is characterized by high levels endemism across many taxa (Stattersfield et al. 1998). The landscape is also valuable for its overlapping northern and southern flora and fauna. Within the Indochinese floristic region the Central Annamite Landscape lies within the Annamese province (Takhtajan 1986). This floristic province is rich in endemic taxa in the Orchidaceae, Fagaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Rubiaceae, Annonaceae and Celastraceae. The flora is extremely diverse, comprising elements of four floristic regions: Indian, Malesian, Sino-Himalayan and Indochinese. The Annamite Moist Forest Ecoregion is a major centre of mammal endemism: apart from a small suite of species characteristic of central, open habitats, most mammal taxa endemic to mainland South-East Asia occur in the region. The majority of these endemic taxa, including saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis, Annamite striped rabbit Nesolagus timminsi, large-antlered muntjac Muntiacus vuquangensis, and grey-shanked douc Pygathrix cinerea, occur within the Central Annamite Landscape. With the one exception of the Da Lat Plateau Endemic Bird Area in the Southern Annamites the Central Annamite Landscape is also unrivalled in Indochina as a centre of bird endemism. The landscape supports at least 12 restricted-range bird species, including three whose global ranges are restricted to the priority landscape: chestnut-eared laughingthrush Garrulax konkakinhensis, golden-winged laughingthrush G. ngoclinhensis and black-crowned barwing Actinodura sodangorum. 7 In 2003 the Central Annamite Landscape was zoned into priority conservation areas with the most significant areas zones as Priority One; the conservation of all of which could potentially support the full range of biodiversity and biological processes across the landscape in the short term (0-10 years) (Tordoff et al. 2003). Xe Sap-Nam Thua Thien Hue was identified as one of the six Priority One landscapes within the Central Annamites. Xe Sap NPA was identified as supporting
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