Ao Bandon (15120)
Thailand, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2012

National site name: Ao Bandon

Central coordinates: Latitude: 9.2833, Longitude: 99.4500

System: freshwater, marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 1 to 2

Area of KBA (km²): 24.71751

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The IBA is located on the eastern coast of peninsular Thailand, and comprises a large bay called Ao Bandon. Several rivers discharge into the Gulf of Thailand at the site, and the sediment deposited by them has given rise to extensive mudflats and offshore bars, averaging 1 to 2 km in width at low tide. On the landward side of the mudflats, there are some shrimp ponds and degraded mangroves. The mangroves at the site formerly covered a much larger area but have been extensively cleared, converted to aquaculture and reclaimed for other land uses. The most important stretches of mangrove remaining are along the Ta Pi estuary and at Laem Kum Mor. Twenty five mangrove species have been identified at the site, including Avicennia officionalis, A. alba, Sonneratia caseolaris, Rhizophora spp. and Xylocarpus granatum.

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: The site is an important staging area for migratory and wintering shorebirds, and regularly supports greater than 20,000 waterbirds. The most abundant waterbird species at the site include Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger, Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia, Little Egret Egretta garzetta, Little Heron Butorides striatus, Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva and Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus. In addition, the mangroves at the site support the globally near-threatened Mangrove Pitta Pitta megarhyncha, while small numbers of Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii, which is also globally near-threatened, have also been recorded at the site. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals Surat Serotine Eptesicus demissus (VU) Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata (VU)

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: The IBA is located on the eastern coast of peninsular Thailand, and comprises a large bay called Ao Bandon. Several rivers discharge into the Gulf of Thailand at the site, and the sediment deposited by them has given rise to extensive mudflats and offshore bars, averaging 1 to 2 km in width at low tide. On the landward side of the mudflats, there are some shrimp ponds and degraded mangroves. The mangroves at the site formerly covered a much larger area but have been extensively cleared, converted to aquaculture and reclaimed for other land uses. The most important stretches of mangrove remaining are along the Ta Pi estuary and at Laem Kum Mor. Twenty five mangrove species have been identified at the site, including Avicennia officionalis, A. alba, Sonneratia caseolaris, Rhizophora spp. and Xylocarpus granatum.

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	90
Artificial - Aquatic	5
Forest	5

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats to biodiversity at the site comprise over-harvesting of natural mangrove products (with large areas of mangrove having been cleared and drained for firewood and charcoal production), conversion of mangrove to aquaculture (mainly shrimp ponds), and pollution.

Additional information