Tam Dao (12036)
Vietnam, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Tam Dao
Central coordinates: Latitude: 21.5333, Longitude: 105.5667
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 100 to 1592
Area of KBA (km2): 431.49727
Protected area coverage (%): 69.28
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA comprises Tam Dao National Park, which lies along a mountainous massif. The natural forest at Tam Dao is of two main types: lowland evergreen forest and lower montane evergreen forest. The national park also supports a small area of elfin forest.
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: Only a single record of a passage migrant Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca qualifies the site as an IBA under criterion A1. It is unlikely that Tam Dao regularly supports populations of this species. If the biome-restricted species recorded at Tam Dao are found in three or more other sites, this site should be dropped. Non-bird biodiversity: One of the most notable species to occur at Tam Dao National Park is Vietnamese Salamander Paramesotriton deloustali, a globally threatened species, endemic to northern Vietnam. The Vietnamese Salamander population is threatened by habitat loss, collection for the pet trade (this species can be found on sale at Dong Xuan market in Hanoi) and pollution of the streams in which the species lives.Tam Dao National Park supports some of the highest levels of recorded insect diversity in Vietnam, although this may partly reflect the high levels of survey effort at Tam Dao compared with other sites. Two threatened gymnosperm species are known to occur at Tam Dao National Park: Amenotaxus arotaenia and Fokienia hodginsii.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: According to the investment plan, Tam Dao supports 21,982 ha of natural forest and 1,351 ha of plantation forest. The natural forest is of two main types: lowland evergreen forest and lower montane evergreen forest. Lowland evergreen forest is distributed at elevations between 700 and 800 m and has a high diversity of tree species. This forest type is heavily degraded at Tam Dao. Lower montane evergreen forest is distributed above 800 m. In addition to the two main forest types, Tam Dao National Park supports 669 ha of elfin forest.
Land use: nature conservation and research (100%) | tourism/recreation (10%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 11 | |
| Shrubland | 24 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Forest | 60 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Despite a large national park staff, enforcement of forest management regulations is weak, and the levels of timber and fuelwood extraction, hunting, and other illegal activities are still rather high. Deliberately-set forest fires have cleared large areas of forest at all elevations. Vietnamese Salamander, medicinal plants, orchids and certain insects are collected at unsustainable levels, while wildlife is openly sold in the restaurants of Tam Dao town.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Agro-industry farming | Ongoing |
| 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 | Gathering terrestrial plants | 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 | Recreational activities | 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.Ghazoul, J. (1994) Site description and conservation evaluation: Tam Dao Nature Reserve, Vinh Phu province, Vietnam. London: Society for Environmental Exploration.Robson, C. R., Eames, J. C., Wolstencroft, J. A., Nguyen Cu and Truong Van La (1989) Recent records of birds from Vietnam. Forktail 5: 71-97.Dymond, J. N. (1998) Birds in Vietnam in December 1993 and December 1994. Forktail 13: 7-12.