Kampong Trach (16691)
Cambodia, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Kampong Trach
Central coordinates: Latitude: 10.4333, Longitude: 104.5167
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 3 to 6
Area of KBA (km2): 20.09606
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA is located at the western edge of the Mekong Delta, and comprises an area of seasonally inundated grassland, interspersed with Melaleuca scrub, along the international border with Vietnam. The IBA is located at the northern extent of the Ha Tien plain, a once extensive area of seasonally inundated grassland and other natural habitats, which extends into Kien Giang Province, Vietnam. Large areas of natural habitat in the Vietnamese part of the Ha Tien plain have been converted into agriculture and aquaculture, while the mosaic of natural habitats in the Cambodian part have been reduced to around 1,000 ha in extent. The seasonally inundated grasslands support a non-breeding population of Sarus Crane Grus antigone, estimated by local people to number 80 to 150 birds. Whether these birds are part of the non-breeding population that regularly visits Kien Luong IBA (VN005) in the Vietnamese part of the Ha Tien plain is not known but, given the proximity of the two sites, this seems likely.
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.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 43 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 5 | |
| Marine Neritic | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 43 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The biodiversity of the IBA is under severe and immediate threat. Local people report that, each year, poison is used to hunt Sarus Cranes for food. However, the most serious threat is habitat loss. In recent years, a large proportion of the natural habitat at the IBA has been converted into agricultural land and aquacultural ponds. Drainage canals have already been dug into the most significant remaining areas of seasonally inundated grassland, and it is very likely that, without immediate and effective conservation action, all remaining areas of natural habitat at the IBA will soon be lost.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Industrial aquaculture | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Document nameTordoff, A. W., Pech Bunnat and Prum Sophal (2002). A rapid field survey of Kompong Trach District, Kampot Province. Unpublished report, Wildlife Conservation Society, Cambodia.Tran Triet et al. (2000) Aerial survey of grasslands in Takeo and Kampot provinces. Unpublished report to the International Crane Foundation.