Current view: Text account
Site description (2002 baseline):
Site location and context
Located in the northwestern corner of Tay Ninh province adjacent to the international border, Lo Go Sa Mat contains the single largest area of forest within Tay Ninh, accounting for roughly 25% of the province's total natural forest cover (Birdlife International, 2001). Aside from two rapid surveys (Le Trong Trai and Tran Hieu Minh, 2000; Tordoff et al 2002), the fauna of the Nature Reserve has received relatively little study so far, although the occurrence of several mammal species of conservation concern has been confirmed at the site (Tordoff et al 2002). Of particular interest, reports have been received regarding the presence of Siamese Crocodile, which if confirmed, would be of great significance for conservation (Le Trong Trai and Tran Hieu Minh, 2000).
A total of 177 bird have so far been recorded at Lo Go Sa Mat (Tordoff et al 2002). Aside from the key species species listed above, the presence of several species of national conservation concern in Vietnam (Anon, 1992) has been confirmed by Tordoff et al (2002). These include Stork-billed Kingfisher Halycon capensis, Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans, Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus and Bar-bellied Pitta Pitta elliotii. Based on the habitats present and the list of birds currently confirmed for the site, a number of other species of conservation may also possibly occur at Lo Go Sa Mat. These include Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus, White- shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni and Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis, amongst others (Tordoff et al 2002).
Non-bird biodiversity: Ten species of mammal recorded at the Nature Reserve are also listed in the Red Data Book for Vietnam (Anon, 1992), although this includes six species recorded during interview only which should therefore be considered provisional. Two captive specimens of Hylopetes alboniger were observed in Hoa Hiep commune during October 2001, which were reportedly captured in the Nature Reserve. Other key mammal species which are confirmed to occur at the site include Nyticebus pygmaeus, Macaca nemestrina and M. fascicularis (Tordoff et al 2002). Of particular interest, unconfirmed reports have been received regarding the continued presence of Siamese crocodile Crocodylus siamensis in the Vam Co river which forms the international to the west of the Nature Reserve (Le Trong Trai and Tran Hieu Minh, 2000). One specimen was also reportedly captured prior to 2001 in the Vam Co river, upstream of the Nature Reserve, inside Cambodia (Tordoff et al 2002).
The Nature Reserve supports a mosaic of moist lowland semi deciduous forest (moist deciduous forest) and lowland deciduous forest (dry deciduous forest), with smaller patches of lowland evergreen forest (same) along watercourses and Melaleuca forest. A variety of wetland habitats including seasonally inundated grasslands and forests, permanent lakes and other watercourses are also present (Tordoff et al 2002).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Biodiversity at the site is threatened by infrastructure development, human settlement, wetland drainage and conversion to agriculture, logging and exploitation of other forest resources, including wildlife hunting.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lo Go - Xa Mat (Vietnam). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lo-go--xa-mat-iba-vietnam on 22/11/2024.
