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Site description (2002 baseline):
Site location and context
This IBA comprises the Nam Cat Tien sector of Cat Tien National Park, situated in the lowlands of southern Vietnam, at the foot of the Central Highlands. The topograpy of Nam Cat Tien is characterised by low, gentle hills. The lowlands in the north of the site are poorly drained, and support an area of swamps and lakes, which expands and contracts seasonally. The major vegetation types at the site are lowland semi-deciduous forest, lowland evergreen forest and bamboo. Nam Cat Tien is nationally significant for large mammal conservation, supporting populations of Asian Elephant Elephas maximus, Gaur Bos gaurus, Black-shanked Douc Langur Pygathrix nigripes and Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon Nomascus gabrielle. There are two villages inside the boundary of Cat Tien. The major threats to biodiversity at Cat Tien are conversion of forest land for agriculture, timber extraction, exploitation of non-timber forest products and hunting.
Nam Cat Tien is situated in the South Vietnamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area (EBA), and supports populations of all three bird species that occur in this EBA: Orange-necked Partridge Arborophila davidi, Germain's Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron germaini and Grey-faced Tit Babbler Macronous kelleyi. Nam Cat Tien is also an important site for the conservation of waterbirds. Among the globally threatened waterbird species that have been recorded at the site are White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni, White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata and Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus.
Non-bird biodiversity: Nam Cat Tien supports populations of the following globally threatened primate species: Pygmy Loris Nycticebus pygmaeus, Stump-tailed Macaque Macaca arctoides, Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca nemestrina, Long-tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis, Black-shanked Douc Langur Pygathrix nigripes and Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon Nomascus gabrielle. Confiscated Rhesus Macaques Macaca mulatta have also been released at the site, but this species would not be expected to occur naturally (Ling 2000). There have also been records of Silvered Langur Trachypithecus cristatus by visitors to the park (Murphy 2001).Nam Cat Tien supports populations of Asian Elephant Elephas maximus and Gaur Bos gaurus (Ling 2000). There are also provisional records of Banteng Bos javanicus but it is unlikely that the site supports a viable population (Murphy 2001).
Nam Cat Tien supports a variety of habitat types, including primary and secondary lowland evergreen forest, primary and secondary lowland semi-deciduous forest, freshwater wetlands with open lakes and seasonally inundated grasslands, flooded forest and a range of secondary habitat types, including grassland and areas dominated by bamboo. There are several villages situated in Cat Loc, populated by people belonging to the Kinh, Tay, Chau Ma and Stieng ethnic groups. A much larger population inhabits the national park buffer zone, including people belonging to the Kinh, Tay, Nung, Dao and Hmong ethnic groups. Each of these groups have different land-use strategies and different impacts on the natural resources of the national park.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Forest land along the northern boundary of Nam Cat Tien is being converted into agricultural land, reducing the area of habitat for globally threatened species. This is of particular concern for the important wetlands and grasslands which lie close to the northern boundary. Illegal exploitation of timber, rattan, mammals, birds and fish is still taking place within Nam Cat Tien.Land within Nam Cat Tien designated as agricultural land is not under the management of the national park management board, which only controls land designated as forest land. Poor coordination among different local government agencies is resulting in an emphasis on agricultural development instead of biodiversity conservation in the agricultural land within the site.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
WWF and MARD are currently implementing the Cat Tien National Park Conservation Project, with funding from the governments of the Netherlands and Vietnam. This project began implementation in May 1998 and is projected to continue until April 2003. The long-term objectives of this project are to: conserve the remaining tropical forest at Cat Tien and its full compliment of biodiversity; maintain a viable population of Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros resident within Cat Tien National Park; protect a critical part of the water catchment of the Tri An reservoir; and enhance public awareness of the physical and biological values of the national park and its surroundings, and improve income-generating opportunities for the national park and the local population.A second major donor-assisted project currently being implemented at Cat Tien National Park is the Forest Protection and Rural Development Project. This project is being implemented by the provincial authorities and MARD, with funding from the World Bank and the government of the Netherlands. This project began implementation in September 1999 and is projected to continue until August 2003. The aim of this project is to reduce local people's dependency on the natural resources of the national park by initiating and executing community development activities that can be expected to have conservation benefits, including land allocation and rural infrastucture development.
Cat Tien National Park consists of three sectors. The Nam Cat Tien sector is located in Tan Phu district, Dong Nai province. The Tay Cat Tien sector is located in Bu Dang district, Binh Phuoc province. The Cat Loc sector is located in Cat Tien and Bao Lam districts, Lam Dong province.Nam Cat Tien was decreed as a protected forest in 1978, and was subsequently upgraded to National Park status. The Tay Cat Tien and Cat Loc sectors were initially separate protected areas. In 1993, an investment plan that proposed combining all three sectors as Cat Tien National Park was completed, but was not approved. In 1997, a revised investment plan for Cat Tien National Park was prepared. This investment plan was approved in 1998.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Nam Cat Tien (Vietnam). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/nam-cat-tien-iba-vietnam on 23/12/2024.
