Mekong Channel near Pakchom (15101)
Thailand, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Mekong Channel near Pakchom
Central coordinates: Latitude: 18.0167, Longitude: 101.8500
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 200 to 400
Area of KBA (km2): 189.11997
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA comprises a c.160 km stretch of the Mekong channel, adjacent to IBA LA006 in Lao P.D.R. (Mekong Channel upstream of Vientiane). The stretch of the Mekong River within the site forms the international border with Lao P.D.R. The site supports a range of riverine habitats, including the Mekong mainstream and braided river channels, sand and shingle bars, exposed bedrock and vegetated islands, and is an outstanding example of this mosaic of riverine habitats, with some significant stretches of open sandy islands. The larger sandbanks are covered in Homonoia riparia scrub. On the Thai side of the international border, the river channel is public land but the riverbank is mostly privately owned.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard. 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: The site is of high importance for the conservation of a suite of riverine species that are nationally threatened in Thailand, and are dependent on the mosaic of habitats represented along this stretch of the Mekong River. These species include Great Thick-knee Esacus recurvirostris, River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelli, Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii and Jerdon's Bushchat Saxicola jerdoni. The open sandy islands are an important breeding habitat for Small Pratincole Glareola lactea; of which the site is thought to support greater than 1% of the Asian biogeographic population. The site qualifies under criterion A3 because it supports one species (Jerdon's Bushchat Saxicola jerdoni) restricted to the Indo-Gangetic Plains (Biome 12). Non-bird biodiversity: Fish Mekong Freshwater Stingray Dasyatis laosensis (EN) Giant Freshwater Stingray Himantura chaophraya (EN) Giant Catfish Pangasianodon gigas (EN) Jullien's Golden Carp Probarbus jullieni (EN) Laotian Shad Tenualosa thibaudeaui (EN)
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The IBA comprises a c.160 km stretch of the Mekong channel, adjacent to IBA LA006 in Lao P.D.R. (Mekong Channel upstream of Vientiane). The stretch of the Mekong River within the site forms the international border with Lao P.D.R. The site supports a range of riverine habitats, including the Mekong mainstream and braided river channels, sand and shingle bars, exposed bedrock and vegetated islands, and is an outstanding example of this mosaic of riverine habitats, with some significant stretches of open sandy islands. The larger sandbanks are covered in Homonoia riparia scrub. On the Thai side of the international border, the river channel is public land but the riverbank is mostly privately owned.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats to biodiversity at the site are rock-blasting along the upper Mekong mainstream (which will probably have impacts on flow regimes downstream), dredging of sand and gravel bars for construction materials, invasion of islands and bankside vegetation by Mimosa pigra, hunting (including egg collection of sandbar-nesting species) and incidental disturbance.
Additional information
References: Bird Conservation Society of Thailand Bulletin 17(4) (April 2000). Ounekham, K. and Inthapatha, S. (2003) Important bird areas in Lao P.D.R. Vientiane: Department of Forestry, BirdLife International in Indochina and the Wildlife Conservation Society Lao Program.