Current view: Text account
Site description (2004 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA comprises Mu Ko Surin National Park, which is located in the Andaman Sea, c.60 km off the west coast of peninsular Thailand and just a few kilometers south of the Thailand-Myanmar border. The national park comprises five main islands and a marine component of 10,300 ha. The coastline of the islands is characterised by white sandy bays and rocky headlands. The islands are generally covered in lowland forest, with beach forest (including Terminalia catappa and Thespesia populnea) backing the shoreline, and patches of mangrove (including Rhizophora apiculata and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) in the bays.
The site supports the globally threatened Large Green Pigeon Treron capellei, plus two globally near-threatened species: Beach Thick-knee Esacus magnirostris and Nicobar Pigeon Caloenas nicobarica. Beach Thick-knee is known from only one other site in Thailand, while Nicobar Pigeon is otherwise known only from a few other archipelagos in the Andaman Sea. In addition to these species, the site also supports resident populations of several species that are nationally threatened or near-threatened in Thailand, including Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea, Pied Imperial Pigeon D. bicolor and Orange-breasted Pigeon Treron bicincta. Furthermore, the beaches at the site are a migratory stopover for several shorebird species, such as Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres and Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii.
Non-bird biodiversity: Plants
Dipterocarpus grandiflorus (CR)
Anisoptera costata (EN)
Dipterocarpus costatus (EN)
Vatica cinerea (EN)
Borassodendron machadonis (VU)
Dipterocarpus retusus (VU)
The IBA comprises Mu Ko Surin National Park, which is located in the Andaman Sea, c.60 km off the west coast of peninsular Thailand and just a few kilometers south of the Thailand-Myanmar border. The national park comprises five main islands and a marine component of 10,300 ha. The coastline of the islands is characterised by white sandy bays and rocky headlands. The islands are generally covered in lowland forest, with beach forest (including Terminalia catappa and Thespesia populnea) backing the shoreline, and patches of mangrove (including Rhizophora apiculata and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) in the bays.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Degradation of coral reefs through destructive fishing practices, such as dynamite fishing, is one of the main threats to biodiversity at the site. Another main threat is unsustainable tourism development, including damage to reefs from anchoring boats, pollution, coral harvesting and seashell collection.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mu Ko Surin (Thailand). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mu-ko-surin-iba-thailand on 23/12/2024.
