Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report - IUCN

Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report
Microhyla ornata. North in vicinity of Vientiane (Ban Lak
(52) market record in March 1998, AMNH specimen), centre
in limestone region (Stuart 1998a, 1998b) and Annamite
foothills (FMNH specimen), south (Stuart 1998e, Salavan
market record in February 1999 by TC, TNSM specimen).
Found in most habitat types, including evergreen forest, open
forest such as dipterocarp forest with grassland, or under
vegetation in disturbed wet areas such as paddies, drainage
ditches, and around bomb crater ponds (Stuart and Davidson
1999). 60-600 m.
Microhyla pulchra. North in vicinity of Vientiane (Vientiane
market record in Ohler 1997, Ban Lak (52) market record in
March 1998, AMNH specimen), centre (Thakhek Km. 3
market record in April 1998), in limestone region (Stuart
1998a, 1998b), south (Stuart 1998e, TNSM specimen,
Salavan market record in February 1999 by TC). Under logs,
chunks of dried mud, or other debris around ponds in open
forest or in disturbed areas such as buffalo wallows, rice
paddies, or drainage ditches. 60-200 m. Regularly seen in
markets.
Platysternidae: Big-headed Turtle (1 species)
• Platysternon megacephalum Big-headed Turtle. Conservation
Significance: Data Deficient (Global); At Risk in Lao
PDR. Documented Range and Habitat: North, centre in
Annamite foothills and Annamite mountains, south (see below).
Higher elevations in rocky streams in evergreen forest.
Status Information: North: village record (Stuart 1998c, photographed
in Phou Khaokhoay NBCA by T. Hansel in 1997
and in Nam Et NBCA by DAS in 1998 after confiscation
from traders by local officials); Vietnamese trader possession
record (Robichaud 1998a); specimen record (USNM);
Louangphabang market record (Pritchard 1995); unspecified
(Bour 1997) and in vicinity of Vientiane, market record
(whole dried specimen at morning market medicinal stall in
1997 by TDE). Centre: in Annamite mountains, field record
(at 750 m in Tobias 1997); village record (Ban Navang in
Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA by RJTim); Vietnamese trader
possession record (Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA by BLS). South:
village record (Showler et al. 1998a); photographed (field
record at 540 m in Nam Ghong Provincial Protected Area,
Attapu Province, by RJTiz in 1998). Reported to be eaten for
food (Stuart 1998b) and sold to Lao traders (Pritchard 1995)
and Vietnamese traders at relatively high prices (Stuart 1998c,
1998d, BLS), presumably for the Vietnamese and Chinese
consumption trade.
Emydidae: Typical turtles (9-11 species)
• Cuora amboinensis Malayan Box Turtle. Conservation
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Significance: Globally Near-Threatened; At Risk in Lao PDR.
Documented Range and Habitat: South (see below). Lowland
open forest such as dipterocarp forest with scattered
pools. Status Information: South: field record (Xe Kong
Plains in Xe Pian NBCA by TDE); village record (Stuart
1998e (Plate 9), Ban Tahin in Dong Khanthung PNBCA by
RJTim). Hunted for food (Stuart 1998e) and reported to be
sold to Thai traders (Baird 1993) and probably sold to Vietnamese
traders for the Vietnamese and Chinese consumption
trade.
• Cuora galbinifrons Indochinese Box Turtle. Conservation
Significance: Globally Near-Threatened; At Risk in Lao PDR.
Documented Range and Habitat: North in Annamite mountains,
centre in Nakai Plateau and Annamite mountains (see
below). Higher elevations in evergreen forest or closed forest.
Status Information: North: in Annamite mountains, Vietnamese
trader possession record (Robichaud 1998a). Centre:
in Nakai Plateau, village record (Timmins and Evans
1996), and Annamite mountains, field record (FMNH specimen
at 900 m in Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA); village record
(Timmins and Evans 1996); market record (Ban Lak (20)
market record in 1994 by TDE). A carapace from a consumed
specimen in a village in the limestone region was reported to
have been obtained locally (Stuart 1998b), suggesting the
species may also be present at lower elevations (village at
200 m) in dry evergreen mixed with deciduous forest. Hunted
for food by local people (Stuart 1998b; Plate 5) and by Vietnamese
poachers (Robichaud 1998a), and reported to be sold
to Lao traders (Stuart 1998b) and Vietnamese traders (BLS),
presumably for the Vietnamese and Chinese consumption
trade. One villager interviewed in 1998 in Ban Maka-Neua
(Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA) predicted that the species would
disappear from over-harvesting within a few years (BLS).
Taxonomic Issues: Alternatively assigned to the genus
Cistoclemmys (Zhao and Adler 1993).
[• Cuora trifasciata Chinese Three-striped Box Turtle]. Conservation
Significance: Globally Threatened - Endangered;
Conditionally At Risk in Lao PDR. Documented Range and
Habitat: No field or village records exist in Lao PDR, although
animals believed to be this species (as thao kham,
meaning ‘golden turtle’) have been reported from several
villages in climatically wet evergreen forest near the Vietnam
border in Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA and the Nam Theun
Extension PNBCA (Robichaud 1998a, Timmins and
Khounboline in press, BLS). At least five specimens of C.
trifasciata in the Ban Keun Zoo in 1995 were said to originate
in Lao PDR (Timmins and Khounboline in press), but
in 1996 all seven animals which had been acquired were stolen
from the zoo (zoo staff verbally 1999). Status Information:
The most sought after species by Vietnamese traders,
presumably for the Vietnamese and Chinese consumption
trade. This species was reported in 1994 to command the kip