Can Gio (12054)
Vietnam, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Can Gio
Central coordinates: Latitude: 10.5167, Longitude: 106.9000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 4
Area of KBA (km2): 438.33492
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA comprises Can Gio Man and the Biosphere Reserve in the coastal zone of Ho Chi Minh City. The area is situated in a recently formed estuary complex of tidal flats, where the Vam Co, Saigon and Dong Nai rivers discharge into the sea. The topography of Can Gio is low-lying and dynamic. The site is divided by a network of canals and rivers. The major habitat types found at Can Gio are plantation mangorve and naturally regenerating mangrove. The mudflats and sandbanks at the site are an important habitat for migratory shorebirds. There are several threats to biodiversity arising from the local population, the most significant of which are cutting mangrove trees for timber and fuelwood, and conversion of mangrove forest into aquacultural ponds.
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: Several globally threatened and near-threatened waterbird species have been recorded at Can Gio, including Nordmann's Greenshank Tringa guttifer and Spot-billed Pelican Pelcanus philippensis. Non-bird biodiversity: Can Gio is reported to support a population of Long-tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis (Anon., 1998).
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The major habitat types found at Can Gio are plantation mangrove and naturally regenerating mangrove. In addition to the mangroves, the site also supports seagrass beds. The mudflats and sandbanks at the reserve are an important habitat for migratory shorebirds.
Land use: agriculture (15%) | nature conservation and research (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 15 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 15 | |
| Marine Neritic | 15 | |
| Forest | 40 | |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 15 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: According to ADB (1999), the core and buffer zones of Can Gio Man and the Biosphere Reserve have a human population of 1,500. There are several threats to biodiversity arising from the local population, the most significant of which are cutting mangrove trees for timber and fuelwood, and conversion of mangrove forest into aquacultural ponds. Other threats include destructive fishing techniques, oil spills and sewage discharge from nearby urban areas.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Industrial aquaculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial 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.ADB (1999) Draft coastal and marine protected areas plan. Hanoi: Asian Development Bank.Anon. (1998) Draft biosphere reserve nomination form: Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve. Draft submission to UNESCO.Eames and Tordoff (in prep) Recent records and a conservation status review of some near threatened and near threatened bird species in Vietnam.