A Preliminary Wildlife and Habitat Survey of the Proposed Northern ...

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[ ] indicates a provisional identification.[Purple Heron Ardea purpea] Regionally at RiskA single bird thought to be this species was seen flying high over the wet forest logging roadin NTX on 16 April. This species is a local non-breeding visitor in Lao and probably not inany immediate threat.Malayan Night-Heron Gorsachius melanolophus Regionally at RiskUp to four individuals were heard daily at dusk and dawn from the wet forest logging road inNTX. It is quite likely this species breeds in the area. This species is locally distributed andpoorly known. It is unclear how threatened this species is in Lao.Silver Pheasant Lophura nycthemera Regionally at RiskFeathers of this species were found near most villages as well as around old camps and on thewet forest logging road itself. A group of birds was also heard from a boat on the Nam Heunsouth of the Houay Bé. This species is probably widespread within NTX and NGX. As in therest of Lao, this species is a prime quarry species and threatened by hunting.Crested Argus Rheinartia ocellata Globally ThreatenedThis species seems to occur within the NTX at the highest densities yet found in Lao. CrestedArgus has an extremely limited distribution within the Annamites and this population is of thehighest Global Importance. Approximately 25 calling birds were recorded along the final 8km of wet forest logging road. Calling appeared to be more concentrated in Fokienia forestalthough it occurred in both Fokienia and non-Fokienia forest. Three calling birds were heardat the upper end of the Nam Cham valley on the Vietnamese border and one was heard in oldsecond growth near a clearing that was once part of the now abandoned village of Ban Phila.The infrequency with which this species was heard in Nam Cham Valley compared to thelarge number that were heard along the wet forest logging road indicates a much lowerdensity in the Nam Cham Valley and may be a result of higher human disturbance. Elsewherein Lao the highest frequency of calling individuals has been recorded near the Nam Kwai,with a minimum of ten birds estimated within a radius of 1 km (Timmins and Evans 1994).Nam Kwai is less than ten kilometers away within the NTX. Although calls were heardfrequently along the wet forest logging road, no suitable calling areas within 100m of the roadwere being used.This bird turns up occasionally in the daily food market in Lak Sao as well other points oftrade along Route 8, most notably Ban Tongpé. The price ranges from 30,000 kip (US $32)quoted to a Lao to 130,000 kip (US $120) quoted to a foreigner. Crested Argus has alsorecently been found at Zoos in Vientiane. In May 1996 two were seen at the zoo and culturalpark near Thadeua, and one at the zoo at Tulakhom district.Gray Peacock-Pheasant Polyplectron bicalcaratum Regionally at RiskThis species was heard 5 times from Evergreen forest along the wet forest logging road. Thiswas much less frequently than this species has been heard in other areas of Lao, and mayreflect a smaller population in this area. One or two were heard daily along the Nam ChamValley in slightly disturbed areas, especially along rivers. This species is known to callseasonally and may have been under-recorded late in the survey period. This bird is a popularquarry species and threatened by hunting throughout Lao.Rufous-throated Partridge Arborophila rufogularis Regionally at RiskThree to four groups of this species were heard daily in Fokienia cypress forest above 1000m.As with all ground birds hunting and snaring pose a serious threat. Immigration along the wetforest logging road could increase these threats greatly.24
Bar-backed Partridge Arborophila brunneopectus Regionally at RiskOne or two groups of this species were heard daily in Evergreen Forest along the wet forestlogging road. In the upper Nam Cham Valley a single group was heard in hillside evergreenforest. All encounters were at approximately 900-1000 m. This species was not found inFokienia forest. Bar-backed Partridge is relatively widespread in Lao and calling frequencieswere not particularly high compared with other areas recently surveyed.River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii Regionally at RiskEight birds were found on the mid and upper Nam Gnouang. The Nam Heun does not holdsuitable habitat for this species (sandbanks in large slow rivers). The densities along the NamGnouang seem to be low compared to the available habitat. This is probably due to humanpresence at high levels.Yellow-vented Pigeon Treron seimundii Globally Near ThreatenedThis species was encountered regularly between 800-1000 m along the wet forest loggingroad. One was observed on 13 April, two on 14 April, three on 19 April, and two separategroups of three and two respectively on 21 April. Surprisingly this was the only Treronpigeon to be encountered with any regularity within the NTX.Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo Carpococcyx renauldii Globally Near ThreatenedOne was heard on two mornings 16 and 20 April in dense secondary growth near theabandoned village of Ban Vangkhi on the wet forest logging road at approximately 800m.Another individual was heard 3 km south of Ban Vangkhi in Evergreen Forest on 16 April,probably a different individual.Crested Kingfisher Megaceryle lugubris Regionally at RiskThis species was encountered along the larger rivers in the area. A single bird was seen flyingalong the Nam Pan on 19 April. Four or five pairs inhabited the Nam Gnouang and NamHeun between the villages of Ban Sopkhom and Ban Sopkhon, while three pairs were foundalong the Nam Cham. This species seems able to tolerate degraded forest habitat as long asthere are wide fast flowing streams in the area.Blyth’s Kingfisher Alcedo hercules Globally ThreatenedThree different territories of this little-known species were located. One along a tributary ofthe Nam Pan, one along the upper Nam Cham, and one along the Houay Bé and a nearbystretch of the Nam Heun. This species prefers small shallow streams with well wooded banksand vegetation that overhangs the water.Brown Hornbill Ptilolaemus tickelli Globally Near ThreatenedThis was the most frequently encountered species of hornbill in Evergreen Forest in theNTX. Along the wet forest logging road individuals were heard almost continuouslythroughout the day, coming from the ridges away from the road, but few were seen. In theNam Cham Valley, a group of five was encountered on May 13 and the species was hearddaily calling from ridgetops.Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis Globally ThreatenedAlthough none was recorded on the present survey, Schaller (1995) found remains of thisspecies within the NTX.Wreathed Hornbill Rhyticeros undulatus Regionally at RiskThis species was not encountered in 1996. Schaller (1995) reported remains of nineindividuals and a flock of 30-40 in the upper Nam Pan valley.25
Page 1 and 2: A Preliminary Wildlife and Habitat
Page 3: 5. DiscussionReferencesAnnexes4.2.3
Page 7 and 8: The proposed Nam Theun 3 Hydroproje
Page 9 and 10: • Initiate a study of Wet Evergre
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Page 13 and 14: skdlyj' g]qjk oUU4ndxt8y[afSg0fg-nj
Page 15 and 16: · -j;pgrnjv]qoot]q’ -5dph6]tfa[-
Page 17 and 18: 1. Survey Area1.1 BackgroundThe fir
Page 19 and 20: 2. Survey Description2.1 Objectives
Page 21 and 22: Evergreen Forest difficult, so some
Page 23: 4. Findings With Respect to Wildlif
Page 27 and 28: Yellow vented Warbler Phylloscopus
Page 29 and 30: Laos of Chinese Pangolin Manis pent
Page 31 and 32: Tiger Panthera tigris Globally Thre
Page 33 and 34: the degradation of habitat due to l
Page 35 and 36: ReferencesBerkmüller, K., Southamm
Page 37 and 38: Annex 1: Maps and Place NamesThe fo
Page 39 and 40: Annex 3: Methods3.1 Limitations1. W
Page 41 and 42: Annex 4. Bird StatusTable 7. Bird S
Page 43 and 44: Wet ForestLoggingRoadUpper NamGnoua
Page 45: Annex 5. Mammal RecordsTable 8. Mam

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