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Site description (2004 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA comprises the Hala sector of Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary (c.26,400 ha) and the contiguous Bang Lang National Park (c. 26,100 ha). The site is situated in the San Kara Khiri mountain range, and is contiguous with Belum Forest Reserve in Malaysia. Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary consists of two non-adjacent sectors: the Bala sector in Narathiwat province; and the Hala sector in Yala province. Due to the wet, aseasonal climate, the site supports wet evergreen forest at elevations below 600 m asl, with hill evergreen forest and lower montane evergreen forest at higher elevations.
The site is of special importance for the conservation of both lowland and montane avifaunas characteristic of the Thai-Malay peninsula. The site supports several globally threatened species, including a large population of Plain-pouched Hornbill Aceros subruficollis. The Hala sector of Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary is the only site in Thailand known to support Mountain Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron inopinatum, a globally threatened, restricted-range species, restricted to the Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia Endemic Bird Area. Moreover, the Hala sector is one of only two sites in Thailand known to support the globally threatened Short-toed Coucal Centropus rectunguis, the other one being the Bala sector of Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary (IBA TH060). In addition, the site supports at least 49 globally near-threatened species, many of which are restricted to the Sundaic Lowland Forests (Biome 14). The site also supports several species characteristic of montane evergreen forest in peninsular Malaysia, including Blue Nuthatch Sitta azurea, Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis, Chestnut-capped Laugingthrush Garrulax mitratus and Black Laughingthrush G. lugubris.
The site qualifies under criterion A3 because it supports one species (Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis) restricted to the Sino-Himalayan Subtropical Forests (Biome 08), one species (Masked Finfoot) restricted to the Indochinese Tropical Moist Forests (Biome 09) and 93 species restricted to the Sundaic Lowland Forests (Biome 14).
Non-bird biodiversity: The following list of globally threatened species is a combined list for both sectors of Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary plus Bang Lang National Park; some of the species on the list may not occur in the IBA but only in Bala Sector, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary (IBA TH060).
Mammals
Hairy Rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis (CR)
Asian Elephant Elephas maximus (EN)
Tiger Panthera tigris (EN)
Asian Tapir Tapirus indicus (EN)
Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa (VU)
Reptiles
Spiny Turtle Heosemys spinosa (EN)
Elongated Tortoise Indotestudo elongata (EN)
Asian Giant Tortoise Manouria emys (EN)
Cantor's Giant Softshell Pelochelys cantorii (EN)
Giant Asian Pond Turtle Heosemys grandis (VU)
Malayan Flat-shelled Turtle Notochelys platynota (VU)
Amphibians
Larut Hills Caecilian Caudacaecilia larutensis (VU)
Supachai's Caecilian Ichthyophis supachaii (VU)
Plants
Dipterocarpus dyeri (CR)
Dipterocarpus gracilis (CR)
Dipterocarpus grandiflorus (CR)
Dipterocarpus hasseltii (CR)
Dipterocarpus kerrii (CR)
Hopea beccariana (CR)
Hopea sangal (CR)
Shorea farinosa (CR)
Shorea guiso (CR)
Shorea singkawang (CR)
Shorea sumatrana (CR)
Anisoptera curtisii (EN)
Dipterocarpus costatus (EN)
Hopea pedicellata (EN)
Shorea faguetiana (EN)
Shorea henryana (EN)
Shorea leprosula (EN)
Vatica stapfiana (EN)
Canarium pseudodecumanum (VU)
Cotylelobium lanceolatum (VU)
Cynometra inaequifolia (VU)
Endocomia canarioides (VU)
Fordia pauciflora (VU)
Hopea griffithii (VU)
Knema hookerana (VU)
Neobalanocarpus heimii (VU)
Pterocarpus indicus (VU)
The IBA comprises the Hala sector of Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary (c.26,400 ha) and the contiguous Bang Lang National Park (c. 26,100 ha). The site is situated in the San Kara Khiri mountain range, and is contiguous with Belum Forest Reserve in Malaysia. Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary consists of two non-adjacent sectors: the Bala sector in Narathiwat province; and the Hala sector in Yala province. Due to the wet, aseasonal climate, the site supports wet evergreen forest at elevations below 600 m asl, with hill evergreen forest and lower montane evergreen forest at higher elevations.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Hunting, over-exploitation of forest products and agricultural encroachment are the main threats to biodiversity at the site.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Hala Sector, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary and Bang Lang National Park (Thailand). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/hala-sector-hala-bala-wildlife-sanctuary-and-bang-lang-national-park-iba-thailand on 25/11/2024.
