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Site description (2002 baseline):
Site location and context
This IBA comprises the Lo Xo Pass and Cong Troi areas in the north-west of Ngoc Linh (Kon Tum) Nature Reserve. The boundary of the IBA is difficult to define, but includes the mountains on either side of Lo Xo Pass in Dak Man and east Dak Plo communes, Kon Tum province, and parts of Phuoc My commune, Quang Nam province. Three high mountains lie within the site: Ngok Peng Pek, Ngok Ti On and an unnamed 1988 m peak. The IBA is situated in an area of the Central Highlands known as the Kon Tum plateau. The main forest type at the site is lower montane evergreen forest. Two recently described large mammal species have been recorded at the site: Truong Son Muntjac Muntiacus truongsonensis and Giant muntjac Megamuntiacus vuquangensis.
Black-crowned Barwing Actinodura sodangorum was discovered at Ngoc Linh (Kon Tum) Nature Reserve, and is found in the IBA. In addition to black-crowned Barwing, four other restricted-range bird species have been recorded at the site, qualifying the site for inclusion within the Kon Tum Plateau Endemic Bird Area.
Non-bird biodiversity: Three globally threatened primate species were recorded at Lo Xo Pass by Le Trong Trai et al. (1999): Buff-cheeked Crested Gibbon Nomascus gabrielle, Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulatta and Stump-tailed Macaque Macaca arctoides.Three globally threatened ungulate species were recorded at Lo Xo Pass by Le Trong Trai et al. (1999): Giant Muntjac Megamuntiacus vuquangensis, Truong Son Muntjac muntiacus truongsonensis and Southern Serow Naemorhedus sumatraensis.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Threats to biodiversity at the site include hunting, exploitation of forest products and forest fire.
The establishment of a nature reserve at Ngoc Linh was decreed in 1986. However, because the proposed Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve straddled two provinces (Kon Tum and Quang Nam provinces) the investment plan for Ngoc Linh was not approved at ministerial level. In 1998, another investment plan for a 41,420 ha nature reserve in Kon Tum province was prepared by FIPI and BirdLife International. This investment plan was approved that same year.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lo Xo Pass (Vietnam). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lo-xo-pass-iba-vietnam on 23/12/2024.
