| [ Home | Biodiversity survey carried out in Yok Don National Park From 20 March to 9 April 2004, as part of the Creating Protected Areas for Resource Conservation using Landscape Ecology (PARC) Project at Yok Don National Park, scientists from BirdLife International in Indochina conducted their fourth biodiversity survey at four sites within Yok Don National Park. The survey focused on a study of larger mammals and birds. Anecdotal mammal records were collated. A point-count was undertaken for Green Peafowl Pavo muticus in addition to undertaking a bird survey designed to reveal diversity and relative abundance of bird species at different locations. The aim of this report is to present the results of this survey, and the conservation values of the four survey sites. Threats to the sites were also identified and mitigating measures proposed. Conservation management recommendations are made, together with recommendations for future research. The first area to be visited during the field survey was along the Serepok River, where the habitat was dominated dry dipterocarp forest, with semi-evergreen forest extending for up to 100 m from the banks of the river, with scattered seasonal pools in clearings inside the dry dipterocarp forest. The second site was Dak Rue Stream and Chu M'Lanh areas, where the vegetation is dominated by dry dipterocarp forest, and disturbed semi-evergreen forest and bamboo are found along its banks. The waterholes in this area were already dry during the survey. On the north-east of the site, there is a ridge of low-lying hills extending east west towards Cambodia (Chu Minh and Chu M'Lanh), which supports predominately more semi-evergreen forest than the other survey sites. The third site to be visited was the Dak Lau and upper Dak Ken Rivers, which are located in the south-east of the park. The Dak Ken is the biggest and longest river flowing through the south-east of the park. During March and April survey, these two rivers were reduced to a number of stagnant pools. The vegetation in this area comprises predominately dry dipterocarp forest with semi-evergreen forest along the banks. The last site to be visited during the field survey was the upper Dak Na, Dak Dam Rivers and Yok Da hill. These localities lie on the western boundary of the park and are adjacent to contiguous forest areas in Cambodia. The Dak Dam River is a permanent water-source. The river banks support semi-evergreen forest and bamboo. Yok Da hill is an obvious landscape feature located between the Serepok River and the Dak Dam River. The vegetation here comprises dry dipterocarp forest and patches of semi-evergreen forest on the hill-slopes. During March and April 2004, almost all rivers rising from the hill were dry. A total of 44 mammal species were recorded during the survey. Notable records during the survey included sight records of Banteng Bos banteng and Dhole Cuon alpinus. Fresh tracks of Gaur Bos gaurus and Asian Elephant Elephas maximus were found near the Dak Ken and Dak Dam Rivers, and Yok Da hill. Tracks were also found of Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus, Leopard Panthera pardus, and Golden Cat Catopuma temminckii. A total of 133 bird species were recorded at the four sites within Yok Don National Park during the survey. Six bird species assigned an IUCN category of threat were recorded during the survey. These comprised; Green Peafowl Pavo muticus (EN), Lesser Adjutant Leptotilos javanicus (VU), White-winged Duck Cairina sculata (EN), Sarus Crane Grus antigone (VU), White-rumped Vulture Gyps benganlensis (CR) and Giant Ibis Pseudibis gigantea (CR). In addition two Near-threatened species were recorded. Notable was the first confirmed records on White-rumped Vulture (CR) and Sarus Crane (VU) for Yok Don National Park (and also for the entire Central Highlands) since 1997. During the survey a total of 68 bird lists were made from four locations, and a total of 91 bird species were recorded on one or more list. The two most commonly recorded bird species during this survey were Lineated Barbet Megalaima lineata, and Chinese Francolin Francolinus pintadeanus. A standardized point count
methodology was used to record Green Peafowl. A total of 81 independent
point counts were made in Yok Don National Park. Green Peafowl were recorded
at 21 point counts. A total of 37 Green Peafowl contacts were made representing
a minimum total of 32 birds. Mean number of contacts per point was 0.46
representing a mean minimum number of birds per point of 0.4. The results
of the 2004 survey are consistent with the previous surveys in 1998 and
2003, in so far as a significant relationship between presence of Green
Peafowl and presence of water within 2 km was found. Relatively small
variation in other sampled variables (such as forest type and distance
to human settlement etc.) prevented a robust assessment of other relationships.
Considering the effect of water availability and the presence of Green
Peafowl, the estimated population number of Green Peafowl in Yok Don National
Park was calculated to be 720 (but could be as low as 400). This highlights
clearly the importance of Yok Don for the conservation of this globally
endangered species; both at a national and international levels.
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