Veal Srongae (16671)
Cambodia, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2012

National site name: Veal Srongae

Central coordinates: Latitude: 12.6000, Longitude: 104.6500

System: freshwater, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 4 to 16

Area of KBA (km²): 54.34072

Protected area coverage (%): 20.89

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The IBA is an area of seasonally inundated grassland, dominated by Wild Rice Oryza rufipogon, located within the inundation zone of Tonle Sap Lake, along the border between Kampong Thom and Kampong Chhnang Provinces. The seasonally inundated grassland is surrounded by dense tall scrub and swamp forest and there are numerous seasonal pools and lakes. The southern part of the IBA is situated within Tonle Sap Multiple Use Area, designated under the 1993 Royal Decree on Protected Areas, and Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. During the dry season, the IBA supports a breeding population of Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis. Also during the dry season, the IBA is visited by a number of non-breeding large waterbirds, including Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala, Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans, Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus and Greater Adjutant L. dubius. In addition, White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni has been recorded at the IBA, although the precise status of this species is unclear.

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: Other regionally significant species occur at the site such as Grey Heron, Great Egret, Little Cormorant, Brahminy Kite and Asian Openbill. Non-bird biodiversity: Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis), Silvered Langur (Semnopithecus cristatus).

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | forestry

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Artificial - Terrestrial	33
Wetlands(Inland)	33
Grassland	33

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: During the dry season, as the waters of the Tonle Sap recede, large numbers of people move into the IBA from a radius of well over 50 km to fish, collect firewood and graze cattle. These activities cause considerable disturbance to waterbirds and nesting Bengal Floricans. In addition, opportunistic hunting and collection of eggs and chicks represent additional threats.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops	Small-holder farming	Ongoing
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting	Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]	Ongoing
Biological resource use	Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	Intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	Ongoing
Biological resource use	Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources	Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]	Ongoing

Additional information