Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report - IUCN

• Specific surveys to gain clearer understanding of each
species’s distribution and status, to identify key areas and
habitats for each species.
• Research on trade routes and the end markets of pangolins
both within and outside Lao PDR.
Insectivora (families Erinaceidae, Talpidae and Soricidae):
see separate chapter
Tupaiidae: Treeshrews (2 species in Lao PDR; 19 worldwide)
Tupaia belangeri Northern Treeshrew (included in T. glis
Common Treeshrew M2, M3 , T. glis Malay Treeshrew M1 ).
North M9 , centre M8 , south M8 . Widespread and common over a
wide altitudinal range in tall forest including degraded, fragmented
and deciduous areas and in dry dipterocarp forest.
Special Significance: CITES Appendix II. Taxonomic issues:
See T. glis (appendix).
• Dendrogale murina Mainland Slender-tailed Treeshrew
(= Northern Smooth-tailed Treeshrew M2, M4, M5 ). Conservation
Significance: Little Known in Lao PDR; CITES Appendix
II. Endemic to Cambodia and adjacent Thailand, Lao PDR
and Vietnam (Lekagul and McNeely 1977). Occurrence seems
patchy within this area. Documented Range and Habitat:
Centre (Timmins and Khounboline 1996), south (Timmins
and Vongkhamheng 1996a). The three known Lao sites, in
degraded evergreen forest, secondary vegetation and ridge
forest at 300-1400 m all contain bamboo, in which most of
the animals were seen. Status Information: This species was
first recorded for Lao PDR in 1996 at Hin Namno NBCA in
January and Phou Ahyon in May (Timmins and Khounboline
1996, Timmins and Vongkhamheng 1996a). Subsequently it
has been found in Nam Ghong Provincial PA (RJTiz) and
again in Hin Namno NBCA (Walston in prep.). There are
few historical specimens from across the species’s range
(Osgood 1932) and little is known of habitat use or distributional
limits. Thus, the species is categorised as Little Known
in Lao PDR.
Conservation Management and Research Proposed for
Treeshrews:
• Clearer understanding of the range and habitat use of
Mainland Slender-tailed Treeshrew, and assessment of
threats to its habitat.
• The CITES listing of treeshrews is part of a blanket listing
of all primates and reflects their former inclusion
within the order primates. It does not reflect a need for
any special attention to conservation needs of T. belangeri
in Lao PDR.
Large Mammals
Cynocephalidae: Colugos (1 species in Lao PDR; 2 worldwide)
• Cynocephalus variegatus Sunda Colugo (= Colugo M2, M3 ;
= Malayan Flying-lemur M4, M5 ). Conservation Significance:
Little Known in Lao PDR. Documented Range and Habitat:
North M16 , centre (Robichaud 1999). Sole field observation
in Lao PDR was in dry evergreen forest at 730 m. Status
Information: First found in Lao PDR in 1995, as market specimens
in Ban Lak (20) (Ruggeri and Etterson 1998). Subsequently
observed nearby in Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA in
December 1998 (Robichaud 1999). There are further market
specimens from Xam-Nua (Showler et al. 1998b) and convincing
local reports from Phou Khaokhoay NBCA (JWKP).
A claim of bones being used for traditional medicine (Baird
1995b) awaits confirmation; the report is from Champasak
Province, well outside the known Lao range of the species.
Taxonomic issues: Consideration as to whether the Lao population
is separable as a new subspecies needs further specimens
(L. R. Heaney in litt. to WGR 1997).
Conservation Management and Research Proposed for Sunda
Colugo:
• Clearer understanding of the range and habitat use of the
species and assessment of threats to it both through habitat
alteration and from direct harvesting.
Chiroptera (seven families of bats): see separate chapter
Loridae: Lorises (at least 3 species in Lao PDR; 6 worldwide)
[• Nycticebus coucang Slow Loris]. Conservation Significance:
Little Known in Lao PDR; CITES Appendix II. Documented
Range and Habitat: North M13 , centre M8 , south M8 ; all
provisional. Evergreen and deciduous forests, bamboo groves,
and other heavily degraded areas, especially below 500 m.
Status Information: One or more form of large loris is still
well distributed and at least locally common in Lao PDR, at
least below 500 m, with records from most survey areas with
adequate nocturnal survey work (Table 12). Historical specimens
cover a wide area: Xiangkhouang, Vientiane, Pakxe
and Ban Thateng (Delacour 1940). Taxonomic issues: The
large lorises of Indochina were placed in N. bengalensis by
Groves (1998). Research in Bolikhamxai Province indicates
that at least three species of loris inhabit Lao PDR (Alterman
and Freed 1997). To which of these, if any, the name coucang
is applicable is not yet clear (L. Alterman in litt. 1998). Until
the issue is clarified, it is probably best to continue to use N.
coucang, in square brackets, to refer to large lorises, and to
consider the named species N. coucang as Little Known in
Lao PDR, while accepting that it may turn out to be common
and widespread and of no immediate conservation concern.
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