Hat Chao Mai (15130)
Thailand, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Hat Chao Mai
Central coordinates: Latitude: 7.2333, Longitude: 99.4167
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 432
Area of KBA (km2): 106.89357
Protected area coverage (%): 13.74
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA comprises Hat Chao Mai National Park on the west coast of peninsular Thailand. The site includes c.9,600 ha of terrestrial habitats on islands, with the remainder of the site being open sea. The terrestrial habitats present include sandy beaches, mangroves, beach forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest on limestone outcrops. Marine habitats include coral reefs, which are mostly found in sheltered spots around islands, and seagrass beds, which are important feeding grounds for fish, prawns and Dugong Dugong dugon. Hat Chao Mai National Park is included in a 66,313 ha Ramsar Site, which also includes Ko Libong Non-hunting Area (IBA TH050) and the Trang river estuary.
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 IBA is thought to support a population of the globally threatened Large Green Pigeon Treron capellei. In addition, there are unconfirmed reports of the occurrence of Malayan Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron malacense, a globally threatened species endemic to the Thai-Malay peninsula, which was known historically from peninsular Thailand, although there are no confirmed recent records. The globally near-threatened Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus, now on the verge of extinction in Thailand, was regularly recorded at the site for more than 50 years; up to five birds were recorded in the early 1980s, and a single bird was seen in April and June 1992. There is no evidence of the continued presence of the species at the site. Two other globally near-threatened species have been recorded at the site: Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii and Mangrove Pitta Pitta megarhyncha. In addition, the diversity of wetland habitats at the site provides good habitat for migratory and resident waterbirds. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata (VU) Bear Macaque Macaca arctoides (VU) Plants Aquilaria malaccensis (VU)
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The IBA comprises Hat Chao Mai National Park on the west coast of peninsular Thailand. The site includes c.9,600 ha of terrestrial habitats on islands, with the remainder of the site being open sea. The terrestrial habitats present include sandy beaches, mangroves, beach forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest on limestone outcrops. Marine habitats include coral reefs, which are mostly found in sheltered spots around islands, and seagrass beds, which are important feeding grounds for fish, prawns and Dugong Dugong dugon. Hat Chao Mai National Park is included in a 66,313 ha Ramsar Site, which also includes Ko Libong Non-hunting Area (IBA TH050) and the Trang river estuary.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 5 | |
| Forest | 95 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Destructive fishing practices, conversion of forest to plantations, illegal timber extraction, hunting and sedimentation are the main threats to biodiversity at the site.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Soil erosion, sedimentation | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: BirdLife International (1998) Proceedings of the Thailand IBA workshop, Bangkok, November 1998. Unpublished report. BirdLife International (2001) Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. National Park Division (2001) National parks in Thailand. Bangkok: Office of Natural Resource Conservation, Royal Forestry Department. Office of Environmental Policy and Planning (1999) Directory of internationally important wetlands in Thailand. Bangkok: Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment. (In Thai.) Office of Natural Resource Conservation (2001) Master plan for land use management: Hat Chao Mai National Park. Unpublished report to the Royal Forestry Department. Ramsar Bureau website http//: www.ramsar.org Round, P. D. (1988) Resident forest birds in Thailand: their status and conservation. Cambridge, UK: International Council for Bird Preservation.