Phnom Samkos (16663)
Cambodia, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1e
Year of last assessment: 2018
National site name: Phnom Samkos
Central coordinates: Latitude: 12.1667, Longitude: 102.9833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 341 to 1700
Area of KBA (km2): 1873.00385
Protected area coverage (%): 99.97
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA is located within Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary in the Cardamom Mountains, adjacent to the international border with Thailand. The IBA comprises all areas of evergreen and semi-evergreen forest above 400 m asl, which is thought to be the lower altitudinal limit of Chestnut-headed Partridge Arborophila cambodiana. The topography of the IBA is mountainous and dominated by three discrete peaks: Mount Samkos (1,717 m asl), Mount Khmaoch (1,496 m asl) and Mount Tumpor (c.1,250 m asl). At elevations up to 1,000 m asl, the vegetation of the IBA is dominated by lowland evergreen forest, which has been disturbed by logging in many areas. At elevations between 1,000 and 1,300 m asl, lowland evergreen forest grades into hill evergreen forest. Above 1,300 m asl, near the summit of Mount Samkos, dwarf hill evergreen forest formations are found. The IBA supports both restricted-range species found in the Cambodia-Thailand-Mountains Endemic Bird Area: Chestnut-headed Partridge and Cambodian Laughingthrush (Garrulax ferrarius).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. Alliance for Zero Extinction (2018): site confirmed as an AZE site during the AZE project (2015-2018). Taxonomy, nomenclature and Red List category follow the IUCN 2016 Red List.
Additional biodiversity: Non-bird biodiversity: Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca nemestrina), Silvered Langur (Semnopithecus cristatus), Pileated Gibbon (Hylobates pileatus).Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Gaur (Bos gaurus), Southern Serow (Naemorhedus sumatraensis).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 20 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 20 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 20 | |
| Shrubland | 20 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: One of the major threats to biodiversity at the IBA is illegal logging, with logging roads being constructed into the IBA from Thailand. As well as the direct impact of logging in terms of habitat degradation, the construction of roads is facilitating access to the area by returning refugees, and, as a result, increasing the rate of conversion of forest to agriculture, particularly in lowland areas. The construction of roads also facilitates hunting, much of it is for local consumption and linked with the collection of agarwood (from Aquilaria sp.). However, hunting for commercial purposes, particularly from Thailand, is also thought to be increasing.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Small dams | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Eames, J.C. and Steinheimer, F. (2000) Birds. In Daltry, J.C. and Momberg, F. Cardamom Mountains; Biodiversity survey 2000. Hanoi and Phnom Penh: Fauna & Flora International and Wildlife Protection Office. Eames, J.C., Steinheimer, F.D. and Ros Bansok. 2002. A collection of birds from the Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia, including a new subspecies of Arborophila cambodiana. Forktail 18:67-86. Round, P.D. and Robson, C. 2001. Provenance and affinities of the Cambodian Laughingthrush Garrulax ferrarius. Forktail 17: 41-44. Tan Setha (2000) Abstracts: International Galliformes Symposium, Nepal 44-45. BirdLife International (2001) Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book.Tan Setha and Pich Bunnat (2001) Recent information on the status and conservation of Galliformes in Cambodia. PP. 39-44 in McGowan, P. (ed.) Galliformes 2000: Proceedings of the 2nd International Galliformes Symposium. World Pheasant Association, Reading, UK.