Current view: Text account
Site description (2003 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA is located within Bokor National Park in the Elephant Mountains. The national park lies between Road No. 4 and the southern coastline of Cambodia. The topography of the national park is dominated by a large massif, with an extensive plateau at around 1,000 m asl. The IBA comprises all parts of the national park of semi-evergreen and evergreen forest above 400 m asl, which is thought to be the lower altitudinal limit of Chestnut-headed Partridge Arborophila cambodiana, as well as lower elevation areas along the Teuk Chhou River, which supports Lesser Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga humilis. The vegetation of the plateau is dominated by dwarf evergreen forest, with some small, cleared areas of grassland and small, artificial wetlands. The plateau is fringed by steep escarpments, hills and ridges, cloaked in semi-evergreen forest. A large river, the Teuk Chhou drains to the south and reaches the sea at Kampot town. Many smaller streams also occur throughout the area.The IBA supports Chestnut-headed Partridge one of the two restricted-range species found in the Cambodia-Thailand-Mountains Endemic Bird Area. In addition, there is a single historical record of Silver Oriole Oriolus mellianus, from 1927; which remains the only Cambodian record of this globally vulnerable species. However, the possibility exists that the species still occurs as a non-breeding visitor to the IBA.
Non-bird biodiversity: Very important for large animals: Tiger, Elephant, Sun Bear, Leopard, Leopard Cat, Black Bear, Pileated Gibbon (Hylobates pileatus), Marbled Cat, Hog Deer, Pig-tailed Macaque, Long-tailed Macaque, Pangolin and otter spp. Most of which are Red Listed. The largest area in Cabodia for Pinus Merkisii, Cambodia's only Pine species.Pileated Gibbon (Hylobates pileatus), Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca nemestrina), Slow Loris (Nycticebus coucang) (Net Neath 2001).Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Gaur (Bos gaurus), Southern Serow (Naemorhedus sumatraensis) (Net Neath 2001).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Much of the forest within the IBA has been degraded to some extent by logging, and collection of bamboo and other non-timber forest products. Illegal commercial timber extraction is estimated to have affected 80% of Bokor National Park. As well as habitat degradation, habitat loss is also a serious threat to biodiversity at the IBA, with local people clearing forest for agriculture. Another serious threat is hunting, particularly the widespread use of ground snares. Species such as Chestnut-headed Partridge, Green Peafowl and hornbills have been seen for sale at a wildlife market on Road No. 4. However, enforcement activities aimed at reducing hunting are currently being implemented with some success.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Recommendations- Current ranger patrolling and enforcement initiatives in Bokor National Park focused on illegal activities (hunting and logging) should be continued and increased to cover all important areas.
Bokor National Park
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Phnom Bokor (Cambodia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/phnom-bokor-iba-cambodia on 18/12/2024.
