Yok Don (12047)
Vietnam, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2002
National site name: Yok Don
Central coordinates: Latitude: 12.9000, Longitude: 107.6667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 200 to 482
0KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA boundary follows that of the original Yok Don National Park, and does not include the recent extensions that were approved in 2001. Yok Don is situated on the low plateau that covers northern Dak Lak and southern Gia Lai provinces in the Central Highlands. The topography of most of the site is flat, at an elevation of around 200 m. Mount Yok Don is the highest point in the IBA. The Srepok river is the only permanent flowing watercourse at the site. Almost 100% of the site area is under forest cover. The majority of the forest is dry dipterocarp forest, with smaller areas of semi-deciduous and evergreen forest. The canopy of the dry dipterocarp forest is open, and the trees have thick, fire-resistant bark.
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)
Additional biodiversity: Yok Don is one of the few established protected areas in Vietnam to support a significant population of the globally threatened Green Peafowl Pavo muticus. Non-bird biodiversity: Brickle et al. (1998) recorded two threatened primate species at Yok Don: Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulatta and Stump-tailed Macaque Macaca arctoides. The latter species was also recorded by Eames and Nguyen Tu (in prep.). 'Silvered' Leaf Monkey Trachypithecus villosus has also been recorded at the site (Le Xuan Canh et al. 1997).Duckworth and Hedges (1998) report the occurrence of Asian Elephant Elephas maximus, Gaur Bos gaurus and Banteng B. javanicus at Yok Don.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: According to FPD (1998), Yok Don supports 56,192 ha of forest, equivalent to 97% of the total area. Remote sensing data indicate that the majority of the forest at Yok Don is deciduous forest (dry dipterocarp forest), with smaller areas of semi-deciduous and evergreen forest. The canopy of the deciduous forest is open, and most trees have thick, fire-resistant bark. Unlike the deciduous forest, the semi-deciduous forest at the site has a closed canopy, and is stratified into five layers. Evergreen forest has a limited distribution a the site, being confined to higher elevations on the range of hills in the south-east of the site.
Land use: nature conservation and research (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Forest | 95 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Currently, hunting is the greatest direct threat to biodiversity at the site. A high level of migration into the area surrounding Yok Don is leading to an increase in pressure on natural resources, and threatens to undermine conservation activities at the site.
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.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.Duckworth, J. W. and Hedges, S. (1998) Tracking tigers: a review of the status of Tiger, Asian Elephant, Gaur and Banteng in Vietnam, Lao, Cambodia and Yunnan province (China) with recommendations for future conservation action. Hanoi: WWF Indochina Programme.Le Xuan Canh, Pham Trong Anh, Duckworth, J.W., Vu Ngoc Thanh and Vuthy, L. (1997) A survey of large mammals in Dak Lak province, Vietnam. WWF/ IUCN, Hanoi.Eames, J.C., and Nguyen Duc Tu. in prep. An interim biodiversity report for Yok Don National Park, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam. Hanoi, PARC Project, Yok Don component.