STATUS OF BIRDS AND LARGE MAMMALS IN THAILAND'S DONG PHAYAYEN - KHAO YAI FOREST COMPLEX By Antony J. Lynam, Philip D. Round and Warren Y. Brockelman WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS Suggested citation: A.J. Lynam, P.D. Round and W.Y. Brockelman. 2006. Status of Birds and Large Mammals in Thailand’s Dong Phayayen - Khao Yai Forest Complex. Wildlife Conservation Society and Biodiversity Research and Training (BRT) Programme, Bangkok. 244pp. Front and back cover photos © Antony J. Lynam, Wildlife Conservation Society, Steve Sandford For copies of this report, please email [email protected] Antony J. Lynam Ph.D Associate Conservation Scientist Wildlife Conservation Society Asia Program PO Box 170 Laksi, Bangkok Thailand 10210 Philip Round & Warren Y. Brockelman Ph.D Visiting Professors Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Bangkok Thailand 10400 STATUS OF BIRDS AND LARGE MAMMALS IN THAILAND’S DONG PHAYAYEN - KHAO YAI FOREST COMPLEX BY ANTONY J. LYNAM, PHILIP D. ROUND AND WARREN Y. B ROCKELMAN 2006 WCS BACKGROUND The history of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Thailand dates to the mid 1970’s when WCS supported behavioural studies of gibbons by Dr Warren Brockelman and his associates. Dr Alan Rabinowitz pioneered studies of carnivore ecology at Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary during the late 1980’s and early 90’s and helped shape the first regional transboundary conservation forum. At the invitation of the government of Thailand, Dr Antony Lynam opened a project office for the Wildlife Conservation Society in 1997 to support a wildlife management training program, initiate an Indochina tiger conservation program, and support conservation research of government staff. In 2002, WCS and the Thailand government agreed to a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding to expand their working relationship and extend its term and to help make wildlife conservation sustainable and more effective in Thailand. The programme has provided wildlife training and jobs for over 500 government staff, students, local people and conservationists. The WCS Thailand Programme is now directed by Dr Anak Pattanavibool. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES ANTONY J. LYNAM PH.D Antony Lynam joined the Wildlife Conservation Society in 1996 as Associate Conservation Scientist and is based in Bangkok, Thailand where he conducts wildlife field research and conservation training programs with the governments of Myanmar, Cambodia, and other countries in Southeast Asia. An Australian Citizen, he has authored a number of technical papers and popular articles concerning conservation issues in Australia, North America and Thailand, and was a contributor to the seminal volume on habitat fragmentation Tropical Forest Remnants: Ecology, Conservation and Management. He was commissioned to write a National Tiger Action Plan for Myanmar. Working with WCS Lynam has trained over 500 government staff of Thailand Myanmar, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia and Malaysia in wildlife ecology, survey and conservation techniques. His most recent research interests concern tiger and large mammal conservation and ecology. PHILIP D. ROUND Philip Round is a British citizen based at the Department of Biology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, where he teaches and conducts field research on birds. He has authored over 80 technical papers and popular articles on bird ecology, taxonomy, distribution and conservation status in both national and international journals. He was also the author of The Guide to the Birds of Thailand with the late Dr. Boonsong Lekagul. He has a particular interest in the avifauna of Khao Yai having first studied birds there over 25 years ago, and has also conducted wildlife surveys in Lao PDR (for WCS) and in Vietnam. His current research is on the ecology and population dynamics of birds on the long-term forest dynamics plot at Mo Singto, Khao Yai. WARREN Y. BROCKELMAN PH.D Warren Brockelman has worked in Thailand since 1973 when he started teaching biology at Mahidol University. Trained as an ecologist, he soon became interested in studying the ecology and behaviour of wild gibbon populations in Khao Yai National Park where two species occur in contact. He has helped to initiate numerous conservation projects over the years. One of his special interests is the development of survey and census methods for gibbons and their habitat. He has recently established a long-term forest dynamics plot in Khao Yai Park for the study of plant population dynamics and plant-animal interactions, especially seed dispersal mechanisms, with emphasis on gibbons and birds. STATUS OF BIRDS AND LARGE MAMMALS IN THAILAND’S DONG PHAYAYEN - KHAO YAI FOREST COMPLEX BY ANTONY J. LYNAM, PHILIP D. ROUND AND WARREN Y. B ROCKELMAN CONTENTS AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES 3 ∫∑ √ª ”À√ÿ ∫º— ∫√Ÿâ À“√‘ ·≈–¢Õ‡ πÕ·π–‡æâ Õ°“√Õπ◊Ë √ÿ°…— å 11 º≈°“√ ”√«® 11 π° 11 µ«— ‡≈å ¬ß≈’È °¥Ÿ «¬π¡â 12 ¿¬§— °§“¡ÿ 12 ¢Õ‡ πÕ·π–‡æâ Õ°“√Õπ◊Ë √ÿ°…— å 13 ¡“µ√°“√√–¬– π—È (1-2 ª)ï 13 ¡“µ√°“√√–¬–ª“π°≈“ß (3-10 ª)ï 14 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS 15 Results 15 Birds 15 Mammals 16 Threats 16 Conservation Recommendations 17 Short-term actions (1-2 years) 17 Medium-term actions (3-10 years) 18 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 19 CONVENTIONS 20 Definitions of Conventions used in Key Species accounts 20 Global Threat Categories 20 CitesTrade Categories 21 Further conventions 21 PARTI. INTRODUCTION 22 1.1 BACKGROUND 22 1.2 OBJECTIVES 23 1.3 PHYSIOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE 23 1.4 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DPKY RESERVES 24 Khao Yai 26 Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve 26 Thap Lan 27 Ta Phraya 27 1.5 HISTORY OF HUMAN USE IN DPKY 27 1.6 PREVIOUS BIOLOGICAL SURVEY WORK 28 Mammals 28 Birds 30 1.7 STUDY AREAS 31 PART II. RESULTS 32 2.1 BIRDS 32 2.1.1 Survey Aim 32 2.1.2 Survey Objectives 32 2.1.3 Survey Areas and Routes 32 2.1.4 Rationale for Field Methods 34 2.1.5 Study Methods 34 2.1.6 Results of survey 36 2.2 MAMMALS 115 2.2.1 Survey aim 115 2.2.2 Survey objectives 115 2.2.3 Survey areas 115 2.2.4 Study methods 118 2.2.5 Results of survey 120 PART III. DISCUSSION 153 3.1 Constraints on surveys and interpretations of results 153 3.2 Avian biogeography of DPKY 153 3.3 Complementarity and conservation importance of the DPKY Reserves for birds 155 3.4 Significance of DPKY for mammals 157 3.5 Threats to DPKY birds and mammals 160 3.5.1. Aloewood and subsistence poaching 160 3.5.2. Commercial poaching for wildlife trade 161 3.5.3 Habitat loss and encroachment 161 3.5.4. Grazing and fire 162 3.5.5. Access 162 3.5.6. Tourism 162 3.5.7. Staff capacity 162 PART IV. REFERENCES 164 APPENDIX 1 174 APPENDIX 2 206 APPENDIX 3 209 APPENDIX 4 215 BIRDS INDEX 218 MAMMALS INDEX 242 7 APPENDICES 1. Comprehensive list of bird species in Dong Phayayen - Khao Yai 174 Forest Complex by protected area unit. 2. Additional bird species thought probably to occur in Dong Phayayen 204 - Khao Yai for which evidence is as yet lacking or inconclusive. 3. Bird Species previously reported for Dong Phayayen - Khao Yai thought 207 to be based on erroneous or unsubstantiated records, released captives, or which are otherwise considered unacceptable. 4. Provisional lists of mammals found in the Dong Phayayen - Khao Yai 213 forest complex by protected area unit. LIST OF TABLES 1. Habitat parameters of Dong Phayayen - Khao Yai protected areas. 24 2. Comparison of diversity parameters for birds by survey site 41 using the 20-species method. 3. Site-by-site comparisons of similarity of bird assemblages 42 (Index given is Sorensen Qualitative Index Cs). 4. Alphabetical listing of bird species recorded on MacKinnon Lists by site 52 (number of lists per site on which recorded). 5. Attributes of bird assemblages in the Dong Phayayen - Khao Yai 156 protected areas. LIST OF FIGURES 1. Location of Dong Phayayen - Khao Yai Forest Complex, Thailand. 25 2. Survey point locations for birds 33 in Dong Phayayen - Khao Yai protected areas. 3. a. Accumulation of bird species with sampling effort 38 at Khao Yai National Park. b. Accumulation of bird species with sampling effort 46 at Thap Lan National Park. c. Accumulation of bird species with sampling effort at 50 Ta Phraya National Park. 4. Survey areas for mammals in Dong Phayayen - Khao Yai protected areas. 116 5. a. Relative abundance and distribution of felids from camera-trapping 123 in Khao Yai National Park. b. Relative abundance and distribution of felids from camera-trapping 124 in Thap Lan and Ta Phraya National Parks. 6. a. Relative abundance and distribution of bears and dholes 125 from camera-trapping in Khao Yai National Park. b. Relative abundance and distribution of bears and dholes 126 from camera-trapping in Thap Lan and Ta Phraya National Parks. 7. a. Relative abundance and distribution of civets and other small carnivores 127 in Khao Yai National Park. b. Relative abundance and distribution of civets and other small carnivores 128 from camera-trapping in Thap Lan and Ta Phraya National Parks. 8. a. Relative abundance and distribution of large ungulates in Khao Yai 129 National Park. b. Relative abundance and distribution of small - medium ungulates 130 in Khao Yai National Park. c. Relative abundance and distribution of ungulates from camera-trapping 131 in Thap Lan and Ta Phraya National Parks. 9. a. Relative abundance and distribution of primates in Khao Yai 132 National Park. b. Relative abundance and distribution of primates from camera-trapping 133 in Thap Lan and Ta Phraya National Parks. 10. a. Relative abundance and distribution of other mammals in Khao Yai 134 National Park. b. Relative abundance and distribution of other mammals 135 from camera-trapping in Thap Lan and Ta Phraya National Parks.