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Site description (2003 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA is situated in southern Mondulkiri and Kratie provinces, and comprises an extensive mosaic of evergreen and semi-evergreen forest habitats, from Snoul Wildlife Sanctuary in the south-west to Phnom Nam Lyr Wildlife Sanctuary in the north-east. Most of the intervening areas between the two wildlife sanctuaries are situated within a forest concession under the management of Samling International. However, this area is also managed as a biodiversity conservation area within the concession system. The vegetation of the IBA is characterised by evergreen and semi-evergreen forest on hills, grading into mixed deciduous and deciduous dipterocarp forest to the north-west. The dominant vegetation type is semi-evergreen forest, which varies greatly in structure and composition, from apparently evergreen-dominated stands with a high density of lianas, palms and rattans, to tracts with a more open understorey. Within the predominantly level lowland Snoul Wildlife Sanctuary there are numerous grassy clearings with pools within the evergreen forest. To the south-east, the IBA is contiguous with areas of natural habitat in Vietnam, a significant proportion of which is included within Bu Gia Map Nature Reserve.The results of recent surveys indicate that the IBA supports all three restricted-range species found in the Cambodia-South Vietnamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area: Orange-necked Partridge Arborophila davidi, Germain's Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron germaini and Grey-faced Tit Babbler Macronous kelleyi. The IBA also supports a number of other globally threatened and near-threatened species, including Green Peafowl Pavo muticus, White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata, Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis and Siamese Fireback Lophura diardi. Finally, higher elevation areas within Phnom Nam Lyr Wildlife Sanctuary (up to 1,070 m asl) support some elements of a montane avifauna, which, although little studied, appears to have some similarities with that of the lower slopes of the Da Lat plateau to the east. For example, these areas support Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus, White-cheeked Laughingthrush Garrulax vassali and Black-chinned Yuhina Yuhina nigrimenta.
Other region sinificant birds species recorded :German's Peacock Pheasant, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Black-backed Kingfisher, Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo, Violet Cuckoo, Pompadour Green Pigion, Jerdon' s Baza, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Malayan Night Heron, Blue-rump Pitta,Blue and White Flycatcher, Blue-throated Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Warbler, Black-throated Laughingthrush, Purple-naped Sunbird, Streaked Spiderhunter, Pin-tailed Parrofinch.
Non-bird biodiversity: Four pictures of Tigers were taken by Camera trape in coupe 2a. This is the first time that the species has been photographed in the wild in Cambodia. Ten pictures of Sun bear were obtainted from just coupe 2a in Keo Sema Samling forest Concession, Mondulkiri province,Cambodia. A Gaur photo-trapped along a concession road in logged forest. Banteng were taken at two mineral licks. Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) (IUCN critically endangered): Long tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) (IUCN-Near threatened).Slow Loris (Nycticebus coucang), Pygmy Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus), Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis), Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca nemestrina), Bear Macaque (Macaca arctoides), Silvered Langur (Semnopithecus cristatus), Douc Langur (Pygathrix nemaeus), Yellow-cheeked Gibbon (Hylobates gabriellae).Asiatic Softshell Turtle (Amyda cartilaginea), Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), Impressed Tortoise (Manouria impressa), Malayan Box Turtle (Cuora ambionensis)Asian Elephant( Elephas maximus), Gaur (Bos gaurus), Banteng (Bos javanicus), Southern Serow (Naemorthedus sumatraensis), [Giant Muntjac (Megamuntiacus vuquangensis)].
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
One of the major threats to biodiversity at the IBA is hunting with guns and snares. Hunting is a particular threat to Green Peafowl, which is specifically targeted due to its value in the wildlife trade. Recently, the level of hunting at the IBA has begun to decline, as a result of conservation interventions. Another major threat to biodiversity is logging. Although official logging activities have been restricted to certain areas in recent times, illegal logging also takes place, and much of the IBA has been logged in the past, in some places quite heavily, leading to localised erosion. Soils suitable for agriculture are distributed throughout large areas of the IBA. Already there is evidence of localised clearance of forest for agriculture, and, in the future, the rate of clearance may increase.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Recommendations- The current patrolling and law enforcement initiative in the core designated Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area, focused on the hunting and trade of key species, should be expanded throughout the area. This should include ranger patrols in Phnom Nam Lyr and Snoul Wildlife Sanctuaries. Snaring, and other indiscriminate hunting practices should be strictly controlled.- Under the Ministerial Declaration for biodiversity conservation and the concession management plan, critical areas for key species in the concession should be designated as special protection areas for biodiversity conservation thereby ensuring they are not logged or disturbed.- A community awareness programme should be initiated throughout the area. This should focus on the potential to involve the indigenous Phnong communities inside the forest in conservation activities and extension of current laws to Khmer communities outside the forest. Participation should be sought for the local recognition and support of the special protection areas and the reduction in indiscriminate hunting practices.- A detailed assessment of the hunting trends and trade in the area should be carried out focusing on the role of wildlife as part of the livelihoods of local communities. Appropriate management activities should then be implemented based on this, through both community and Governmental authority structures. - In the area under concession, additional key conservation recommendations, eg the closing of non-essential roads after logging activities should be included in the Forest Management Plan.- Further focused surveys should be carried out to ascertain the status of Orange-necked Partridge in the area.
Overlaps Sema Biodiversity Conservation Area
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Snoul / Keo Sema / O Reang (Cambodia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/snoul--keo-sema--o-reang-iba-cambodia on 22/11/2024.
