Prince Chumphon Park (15116)
Thailand, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2012

National site name: Prince Chumphon Park

Central coordinates: Latitude: 11.0833, Longitude: 99.3333

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 100 to 739

Area of KBA (km²): 852.38886

Protected area coverage (%): 62.86

KBA classification: Regional

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The IBA comprises two contiguous protected areas: Prince Chumphon Park (North) (66,499 ha) and Prince Chumphon Park (South) (31,500 ha) Wildlife Sanctuaries. The site is situated in the Tenasserim range, which forms the international border with Myanmar. The topography of the site is characterised by hills and low mountains. The dominant vegetation types are semi-evergreen forest, mixed deciduous forest and moist evergreen forest.

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 located in peninsular Thailand, and is a bottleneck for migratory raptors during the spring migration. The number of migrant raptors passing through the site in a single season probably exceeds 20,000 birds. The most numerous migrant raptor species that pass through the site include Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis, Japanese Sparrowhawk A. gularis, Grey-faced Buzzard Butastur indicus and Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus. In addition to its importance as a migratory bottleneck for raptors, the site supports extensive areas of lowland forest habitats important for resident forest bird species. The site has been confirmed to support 16 globally near-threatened species, many of which are characteristic of Sundaic lowland forests (Biome 14), for example Red-throated Barbet Megalaima mystacophanos, White-crowned Hornbill Aceros comatus and Black Magpie Platysmurus leucopterus. In addition, there are historical records of two globally vulnerable species from the site: Wallace's Hawk Eagle Spizaetus nanus; and Blue-banded Kingfisher Alcedo euryzona (both from 1985). Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals Asian Tapir Tapirus indicus (EN) Southern Serow Capricornis sumatraensis (VU) Plants Dipterocarpus chartaceus (CR) Shorea farinosa (CR) Shorea gratissima (EN)

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: The IBA comprises two contiguous protected areas: Prince Chumphon Park (North) (66,499 ha) and Prince Chumphon Park (South) (31,500 ha) Wildlife Sanctuaries. The site is situated in the Tenasserim range, which forms the international border with Myanmar. The topography of the site is characterised by hills and low mountains. The dominant vegetation types are semi-evergreen forest, mixed deciduous forest and moist evergreen forest.

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Artificial - Terrestrial	2
Forest	98

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: One of the main threats to biodiversity at the site is agricultural encroachment into forest, which is a particular problem in the north sector, where there are many villages. Additional threats to biodiversity at the site include hunting and unsustainable exploitation of forest products. Previously, the wildlife sanctuaries included a mining concession, although this has now been excised from within their boundaries.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops	Small-holder farming	Ongoing

Additional information