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Site description (2002 baseline)
This IBA comprises Vu Quang Nature Reserve which stretches from the lowlands to the Annamite Mountains. At the landscape level, Vu Quang Nature Reserve is an important link in the Annamite Mountains, between Pu Mat Nature Reserve to the north and Phong Nha Nature Reserve to the south. Vu Quang, together with Nakai-Nam Theun National Biodiversity Conservation Area in Laos, protects the central section of what is perhaps the largest remaining block of contiguous natural habitat in northern Indochina.

Key biodiversity
A total of 273 bird species are known from Vu Quang Nature Reserve, including 21 globally threatened or near-threatened species. Vu Quang lies in the Annamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area (EBA). However, the site only supports three restricted-range species, Crested Argus Rheinardia ocellata, Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler Jabouilleia danjoui and Grey-faced Tit Babbler Macronous kelleyi, none of which are restricted to the EBA. In addition, results of a complimentarity analysis with 13 other protected areas in the Annamese Lowlands EBA reveal that Vu Quang Nature Reserve does not fall within the critical sub-set of sites necessary to conserve maximum avifaunal diversity, and should not, therefore, be considered to be a regional bird conservation priority (Eames et al., in press).

Non-bird biodiversity: In 1992 a previously undescribed large mammal species, Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis was discovered in Vu Quang Nature Reserve, this was followed by the discovery of another large mammal species, Giant Muntjac Megamuntiacus vuquangensis in 1993. In the years since these discoveries, however, both species have been recorded at a number of other sites in Vietnam and Laos. Consequently, the importance of Vu Quang as a site for mammal conservation may not be as high as was at one time supposed, although the site does support populations of a number of other mammal species of conservation concern, including Gaur Bos gaurus and Red-shanked Douc Langur Pygathrix nemaeus nemaeus. 21 globally threatened or near-threatened species are known from Vu Quang.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Vu Quang (Vietnam). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/vu-quang-iba-vietnam on 22/11/2024.