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WHITE-EARED NIGHT HERON REDISCOVERED AT LUNG LY LIMESTON FOREST
As a part of PARC project at Ba Be National park and Na Hang Natures Reserve in the northeaster Vietnam, in April and May 2001 scientists from Birdlife international conducted a series of biodiversity surveys of the remaining forest blocks that lie outside of the two protected areas
These field surveys aimed to make recommendations for biodiversity conservation management of the Ba Be and Na Hang forest complex. Ba Be and Na Hang are well-known as the home of two rare and endemic primates: Tonkin Snub-nosed Monkey Rhinopithecus avunculus and Francois' Leaf Monkey Semnopithecus francoisi francoisi. Both of these primates are threatened with global extinction as a result of White-eared hunting and habitat loss. During the recent surveys, a most significant discovery was made. After not having been recorded in Vietnam for more than 25 years, the globally endangered, White-eared Night Heron Gorsachius magnificus was rediscovered at Lung Ly Limestone forest in Ban Thi and Xuan Lac communes, Bac Kan province. The bird was seen by Le Trong Trai during the daytime on 30 April and 1 May, while it was roosting and sleeping in high trees near a stream in the bottom of a valley.
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White-eared Night Heron - Gorsachius magnificus - Picture: Karen Phillips |
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The Lung Ly area is covered by approximately 3,000 ha of primary forest on limestone karst, almost all of which is in a good condition. The site is located to the east of Na Hang Nature Reserve, to which it is connected by intervening forest areas. Therefore, it may be possible to extend protected area status to the site. White-eared Night heron is a forest heron, which is active at night and roosts in the forest during the daytime. In Vietnam, it is known from only a single record in Hoa Binh province. The world range of this species is restricted to a few localities in south-eastern China and on Hainan island; however, its status there is also very rare. In fact, in the recent Birdlife Imitational publication Threatened birds of the world, this species is listed as endangered, and, before its rediscovery, many people thought that the species might be extinct in Vietnam.
The rediscovery of White-eared Night Heron at Lung Ly limestone forest confirms the continued presence of this species in Vietnam, and reveals that the forest habitat at Lung Ly is part of an Endemic Bird Area (EBA) in north-eastern Vietnam and southern China. However, there is still very little information available about this species in Vietnam, and extensive surveys are required of remaining areas of habitat in Ba Be, Na Hang and the surrounding areas, in order to more fully understand the species’ status.
Phùng Mỹ Trung (theo
birdlife Việt Nam) |
