Pheasants: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan ... - IUCN

indistinguishable (R. Sözer in litt.), but females show
distinct morphological differences (Chasen and
Hoogerwerf 1941).
Range and population: The Sumatran pheasant is endemic
to northern Sumatra, Indonesia, where it is known
historically by two females (both collected) and one male
(glimpsed) in the Gayo Highlands, Aceh Province, within
what is now the Gunung Leuser National Park (Chasen
and Hoogerwerf 1941). In 1979, there were several sightings
of family parties in the Mamas Valley of this park (van
Marle and Voous 1988) and, in 1998, a female was observed
above the River Jagong in the Beutong region just north
of the Leuser ecosystem (B. Long in litt.). In 1998–99, five
individuals of each sex were recovered from a bird market
in Medan, north Sumatra. All are said to have originated
from Gunung Leuser (R. Sözer in litt.). There are no
published population estimates, but an ongoing
contraction of suitable forest habitat must be having an
adverse effect. There are currently three pairs (of wild
origin) in captivity on Java.
Ecology: The first specimen was shot in the forest
(reasonably assumed to be tropical, lower montane
rainforest) adjacent to the mountain lake Telaga Meluwak
at 1,200–1,400m, the general area being described as “hilly
ground covered with heavy primary jungle, but with little
undergrowth”. The other female was collected at 600m
(Meyer de Schauensee and Ripley 1940). The observations
in the Mamas Valley were of birds feeding on the rather
bare, open forest floor on relatively dry mountain slopes
at 1,200–2,000m (van Marle and Voous 1988).
Threats: Apparently, suitable habitat within its putative
range has been reduced and fragmented below about
1,000–1,500m, owing to agricultural encroachment, largescale
timber extraction, and the attendant risk of wildfires,
even within Gunung Leuser National Park (D.A. Holmes
in litt.). Hunting, presumably, also poses a threat, given
the recent discovery of the species in an urban market in
north Sumatra.
Conservation: All the known localities fall within the
Gunung Leuser National Park, which embraces 9,460km 2
of habitat from sea-level to almost 3,500m.
Targets:
• Conduct extensive surveys in Gunung Leuser National
Park and adjacent regions (e.g., the Batak Highlands) to
establish the species’ range, altitudinal distribution, and
habitat requirements.
• Press for the control of illegal tree-felling in Gunung
Leuser National Park, in particular.
• Clarify its taxonomic relationship with the Salvadori’s
pheasant using DNA sequencing techniques.
• Advocate full protection for the species under Indonesian
law.
Salvadori’s pheasant
(Lophura inornata)
Vulnerable C1; C2a
This pheasant qualifies as Vulnerable. There are few records,
indicating that it has a small population, which is declining
and becoming fragmented owing to clearance of mid-altitude
forests.
Taxonomy: The Salvadori’s pheasant is sometimes
considered conspecific with the Sumatran pheasant
(Delacour 1977). The males are apparently morphologically
indistinguishable (R. Sözer in litt.). However, females show
distinct morphological differences (Chasen and Hoogerwerf
1941).
Range and population: The Salvadori’s pheasant is endemic
to Sumatra, Indonesia, where it is known from at least 10
localities in the central and southern Barisan mountain
ranges. There are recent records from at least two of these
sites, Gunung Kaba and Gunung Kerinci, both within
Kerinci-Seblat National Park (Holmes 1989, 1996). It was
described as fairly common around Kerinci in the early
1900s (Lambert and Howes 1989, Holden 1997).
Ecology: It is a resident of lower (and possibly upper)
montane rainforest from about 800–2,200m, with most
observations coming from above 1,000m. It appears to
prefer primary, unlogged forest, but also frequents
disturbed and degraded habitats in close proximity to
primary forest (Lambert and Howes 1989, Holden 1997).
Threats: In Kerinci-Seblat National Park, the species is
declining due to heavy trapping by local people for food
(Holden 1997). Much of the forest within the lower part of
the species’ altitudinal range around Kerinci has already
been cleared for shifting cultivation, and is vulnerable to
further illegal agricultural encroachment and increasingly
frequent drought fires (D.A. Holmes in litt.).
Conservation: The species is known to occur in at least one
large protected area, the Kerinci-Seblat National Park,
plus two other areas currently designated as protection
forest, but proposed for upgrading to wildlife reserves,
Gunung Singgalang and Bukit Dingin/Gunung Dempu.
Targets:
• Conduct surveys to establish its range, distribution, and
habitat requirements, particularly within Kerinci-Seblat
National Park.
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