Phnom Aural (16665)
Cambodia, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Phnom Aural
Central coordinates: Latitude: 12.0500, Longitude: 104.1500
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 340 to 1756
Area of KBA (km2): 558.43337
Protected area coverage (%): 99.92
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA is located within Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary in the Cardamom Mountains. 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 dominated by Phnom Aural, which, at around 1,813 m asl, is Cambodia's highest mountain. At elevations below 1,200 m asl, the vegetation of the IBA is dominated by lowland evergreen forest. Elevations between 1,200 and 1,500 m asl support lower montane evergreen forest, while elevations above 1,500 m asl support upper montane evergreen forest. 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 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: Non-bird biodiversity: Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca nemestrina), Slow Loris (Nycticebus coucang), Silvered Langur (Semnopithecus cristatus), Pileated Gibbon (Hylobates pileatus).Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Gaur (Bos gaurus), (Song Chansocheat, Ministry of Environment, pers. comm.).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 20 | |
| Grassland | 20 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 20 | |
| Forest | 20 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Within the IBA, hunting pressure on bird populations appears to be relatively low, and largely restricted to the snaring of ground birds, such as Chestnut-headed Partridge, Silver Pheasant Lophura nycthemera and Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo Carpococcyx renauldi, for domestic consumption. Such snaring is mainly conducted by agarwood collectors. Another potential threat to biodiversity is selective logging, which can lead to habitat degradation and loss. This threat is, however, currently low, since no large-scale, commercial logging is taking place within the IBA, and small-scale, illegal logging is on the decline.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Document nameSwan, S.R. & Long, B. (2002) Birds. In Social and Ecological Surveys of Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary, Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia (ed J.C. Daltry), pp 41-60. Cambodia Programme, Fauna & Flora International, Phnom Penh.