A Yun Pa (12028)
Vietnam, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: A Yun Pa
Central coordinates: Latitude: 13.5167, Longitude: 108.6333
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 150 to 1200
Area of KBA (km2): 444.17022
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA is centred on A Yun Pa proposed nature reserve, which is located in a low mountainous area of the Central Highlands that lies between the much higher Da Lat and Kon Tum plateaus to the north and south. The proposed nature reserve supports 40,120 ha of natural forest, equivalent to 91% of the total area. A Yun Pa proposed nature reserve is a nationally important site for the conservation of Green Peafowl Pavo muticus. The major threats to biodiversity at the site are hunting and trapping of wildlife and selective timber extraction. The gentle topography, wide stream valleys and open forest structure of the proposed nature reserve facilitate access to even the most remote areas.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) The site has been reviewed and re-confirmed as a KBA in the process of compiling the revised 2011 CEPF Ecosystem Profile for the Indo-Burma Hotspot.
Additional biodiversity: A Yun Pa proposed nature reserve is a nationally important site for the conservation of Green Peafowl Pavo muticus. A recent study of the habitat requirements of Green Peafowl in Dak Lak province revealed that the species occurs at highest densities in deciduous forest within 2 km of permanent water and greater than 2 km from permanent human settlement (Brickle et al., 1998). A Yun Pa proposed nature reserve contains 16,070 ha of this habitat, compared with 12,300 ha at Yok Don National Park. Therefore, assuming that relative abundances of Green Peafowl are comparable between the two sites, A Yun Pa proposed nature reserve can be considered to be at least as important for the conservation of Green Peafowl. Non-bird biodiversity: Three globally threatened species of vascular plant have been recorded at A Yun Pa: Dipterocarpus baudii, Psychotria condorensis and Cycas micholitzii.Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, Tiger Panthera tigris and Malayan Porcupine Hystrix brachyura have been recorded at A Yun Pa on the basis of interviews and remains.Three threatened primate species have been recorded at A Yun Pa proposed nature reserve on the basis of interviews with local people: Long-tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis, Douc Langur Pygathrix nemaeus ssp and Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon Nomascus gabrielle. Additionally, remains provisionally identified as being of a Douc Langur were observed in a hunter's house in Ia Tul commune. Based on the descriptions of local hunters and the known distributions of Douc Langur subspecies, it was impossible to determine conclusively whether the subspecies occurring at A Yun Pa is Black-shanked Douc Langur P. n. nigripes or Grey-shanked Douc Langur P. n. cinereus (Tran Quang Ngoc et al., 2001). Southern Serow Naemorhedus sumatraensis has also been recorded at A Yun Pa proposed nature reserve on the basis of interviews, and remains in a hunter's house.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The site supports three major forest types: lowland deciduous forest, lowland semi-deciduous forest and lower montane evergreen forest. A Yun Pa is situated in the transition zone between the deciduous forests of the Central Highlands and the evergreen forests of the central coastal region. Only one other protected area in Vietnam supports such a transition in habitat types. 12,721 ha of the proposed nature reserve is currently under the management of Chu Mo Forest Enterprise. In recent years, the management objectives of this forest enterprise has switched from exploitation to forest protection.
Land use: not utilised (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 5 | |
| Forest | 90 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Presently, one of the biggest threats to biodiversity at A Yun Pa proposed nature reserve is hunting and trapping of wildlife. The gentle topography, wide stream valleys and open forest structure of the proposed nature reserve facilitate access to even the most remote areas. A threat associated with hunting is forest fire: fires are often set by hunters in order to drive animals out of cover.Another major threat is timber extraction. In the past, parts of the proposed nature reserve were commercially logged by forest enterprises. Although commercial logging has now ceased, small-scale timber extraction by local people is widespread. Clearance of forest for agriculture is currently not a major threat. However, forest clearance, together with hunting and timber extraction, may increase in the future as a result of population growth. The future rate of in-migration threatens to increase, as plans already exist to settle migrants from northern Vietnam into the buffer zone.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Only in the future | |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: BirdLife International and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (2001) Sourcebook of existing and proposed protected areas in Vietnam. Hanoi, Vietnam: BirdLife International Vietnam Programme and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute.Tran Quang Ngoc, Tordoff, A. W., Hughes, R., Vu Van Can and Le Van Phong (2001) [A feasibility study for the establishment of A Yun Pa Nature Reserve, Gia Lai province, Vietnam]. Hanoi: BirdLife International Vietnam Programme and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute. In Vietnamese.Brickle, N. W., Nguyen Cu, Ha Quy Quynh, Nguyen Thai Tu Cuong and Hoang Van San (1998) The status and distribution of Green Peafowl Pavo muticus in Dak Lak province, Vietnam. Hanoi: BirdLife International Vietnam Programme.