Khao Banthad (15187)
Thailand, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Khao Banthad
Central coordinates: Latitude: 7.2833, Longitude: 99.9333
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 100 to 1350
Area of KBA (km2): 1244.07998
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA comprises Khao Banthad Wildlife Sanctuary, which is situated in the mountain range that runs from north to south through southern peninsular Thailand. The topography of the site is dominated by an area of limestone hills, which form the headwaters of a number of perennial streams, which flow into both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. The vegetation at the site is dominated by semi-evergreen forest, with hill evergreen forest at higher elevations. The largest areas of level lowlands (below 200 m asl) in the south of the site are now mostly deforested.
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 supports a rich lowland forest avifauna, including the globally threatened Wallace's Hawk Eagle Spizaetus nanus. In addition, the site supports 32 globally near-threatened species, most of which are restricted to the Sundaic Lowland Forests (Biome 14). These include Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros corrugatus, which is now close to extinction in Thailand. Hill evergreen forest at the site supports an endemic race of Golden-throated Barbet Megalaima franklinii trangensis, which is unrecorded elsewhere. In addition, there are also historical records of Blue-banded Kingfisher Alcedo euryzona (from 1984), White-fronted Scops-Owl Otus sagittatus (from 1934) and Gurney's Pitta Pitta gurneyi (from 1909). Biome-restricted Species: The site qualifies under criterion A3 because it supports 65 species restricted to the Sundaic Lowland Forests (Biome 14). Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals Asian Elephant Elephas maximus EN Tiger Panthera tigris EN Southern Serow Capricornis sumatraensis (VU) Asian Golden Cat Catopuma temminckii (VU) Dhole Cuon alpinus (VU) Surat Serotine Eptesicus demissus (VU) East Asian Porcupine Hystrix brachyura (VU) Sundaland Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca nemestrina (VU) Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa (VU) Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus (VU) Reptiles Asian Giant Tortoise Manouria emys (EN) Amphibians Thai Slender Toad Ansonia siamensis (VU) Supachai's Caecilian Ichthyophis supachaii V Plants Dipterocarpus chartaceus (CR) Dipterocarpus dyeri (CR) Dipterocarpus gracilis (CR) Dipterocarpus grandiflorus (CR) Dipterocarpus kerrii (CR) Hopea helferi (CR) Hopea sangal (CR) Parashorea stellata (CR) Shorea hypochra (CR) Anisoptera costata (EN) Anisoptera curtisii (EN) Dipterocarpus costatus (EN) Hopea ferrea (EN) Shorea gratissima (EN) Shorea roxburghii (EN) Vatica cinerea (EN) Vatica pauciflora (EN) Aquilaria malaccensis (VU) Borassodendron machadonis (VU) Crudia lanceolata (VU) Cynometra inaequifolia (VU) Endocomia canarioides (VU) Hopea odorata (VU) Mangifera macrocarpa (VU) Neobalanocarpus heimii (VU)
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The IBA comprises Khao Banthad Wildlife Sanctuary, which is situated in the mountain range that runs from north to south through southern peninsular Thailand. The topography of the site is dominated by an area of limestone hills, which form the headwaters of a number of perennial streams, which flow into both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. The vegetation at the site is dominated by semi-evergreen forest, with hill evergreen forest at higher elevations. The largest areas of level lowlands (below 200 m asl) in the south of the site are now mostly deforested.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Hunting, illegal logging, over-exploitation of forest products and agricultural encroachment (especially rubber plantations) are the main threats to biodiversity at the site. There are many human settlements around the site, thus pressure on the lower elevation forests around the fringes is especially heavy.
Additional information
References: BirdLife International (1998) Proceedings of the Thailand IBA workshop, Bangkok, November 1998. Unpublished report. Conservation Data Center, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok. Gretton, A. (1988) Gurney's Pitta and the lowland forest of southern Thailand. Cambridge, UK and Bangkok: International Council for Bird Preservation and Center for Wildlife Research, Mahidol University. Round, P. D. (1988) Resident forest birds in Thailand: their status and conservation. Cambridge, UK: International Council for Bird Preservation. UNEP/World Conservation Monitoring Centre website http//:www.wcmc.org.uk/protected_areas Wildlife Conservation Division (2000) Basic data for wildlife sanctuaries in Thailand. Bangkok: Office of Natural Resources Conservation, Forestry Department.