Data Zone
Country/territory: Laos
IBA criteria met: A1, A2, A3 (2004)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 5,140 hectares (51.40 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2008 | not assessed | medium | very low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2003 baseline)
The natural vegetation on the plateau has been extensively degraded, and the existing vegetation is dominated by pine woodland and grassland (Thewlis et al. 1998). In addition to pine woodland and grassland, there are small pockets of degraded semi-evergreen forest and dry evergreen forest, and patches of marshy land with tall grasses (Showler et al. 1998).
Key biodiversity
Bird diversity was moderate (considering the narrow altitudinal range covered), but the virtual absence of large ground-foraging species and relatively low densities of some others appeared to indecate quite high hunting pressure (Showler et al. 1998)
Non-bird biodiversity: Showler et al. (1998) recorded two species of other important fauna: Oriental Small-clawed Otter A. cinerea and Tiger P. tigris.Showler et al. (1998) found the remains of Big-headed Turtle Platysternon megacephalum hunted from the IBA site.Local villagers reported two herds totaling more than 20 animals of the Asian Elephant Elephas maximus present at the IBA site and Showler et al. (1998) also counted six piles of droppings.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Dakchung Plateau (Laos). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/dakchung-plateau-iba-laos on 22/12/2024.