Asia > Vietnam > Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation Area

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Summary

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Western black crested gibbons (Nomascus concolor) are present in Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation Area.
A minimum of 14 groups and 47 individuals were estimated to inhabit the site in 2010.
The gibbon population trend is unknown.
The site has a total size of 203 km².
Key threats to gibbons are hunting and habitat degradation due to logging and agriculture.
Conservation activities have focused on patrolling, awareness campaigns, and gun control.

Site characteristics

The Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation (SHCA) area was established in 2006. It is located approximately 30 km from the Mu Cang Chai town in the west of Yen Bai province, north-west Vietnam, in the southwestern part of the Hoang Lien mountain chain: from 21o 48'N to 21o 38'N, north to south, and 103o 56'E to 104o 10'E, west to east (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010). The protected area is located entirely within Mu Cang Chai District, which constitutes the most westerly protrusion of Yen Bai Province, bordered by Lao Cai Province to the north (Van Ban District), Lai Chau to the west (Than Uyen District), Son La to the south (Muong La District) and Van Chan District of Yen Bai to the east. The protected area is centered on Che Tao Commune, but includes surrounding areas of Lao Chai, De Xu Phinh, Pung Luong and Nam Khat communes along the north and eastern boundaries (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010).

Table 1. Basic site information for Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation Area

Species	'Nomascus concolor
Area	203 km²
Coordinates	Lat: 21.725966 , Lon: 104.139148
Type of site	Conservation area
Habitat types	Subtropical/tropical moist montane forest
Type of governance

IUCN habitat categories Site designations

Ape status

Mu Cang Chai SHCA is the most important site in Vietnam for conservation of N. concolor. The gibbon population in this protected area is one of the best documented in Vietnam. A census in spring 2010 recorded at least 14 groups containing a minimum of 47 individuals (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010), within a population of 20 groups including those in neighbouring Muong La District (Rawson et al. 2011). This is slightly higher than survey results in 2006, 2007 and 2008 (11 groups with >40 individuals). These data indicate the gibbon population is stable or has increased slightly in Mu Cang Chai in recent years, although previous declines between 2000 and 2006 were significant despite conservation interventions. In 2010, gibbon numbers were significantly lower than in 2000, when at least 23 groups were thought to be present within a total population of 39 groups. The methods used for gibbon surveys from 2006 to 2010 were similar, with full surveys across Mu Cang Chai and Muong La conducted in the springtime, so the results are directly comparable. A severe decline appears to have occurred during the first half of the decade, despite on-going conservation efforts at the time (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010).

Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation Area

Species	Year	Total number indiv. (95% CI)	Total number groups (95% CI)	Density [groups/km²] (95% CI)	Area	Method	Source	Comments	A.P.E.S. database ID	NA	NA
Nomascus concolor	2010			14	47	Mu Cang Chai SHCA	Fixed point triangulation		Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010

Threats

Hunting is the primary threat to gibbons at Mu Cang Chai SHCA. Hunting intensity is thought to have decreased since 2003, following a gun confiscation and awareness campaign when 2,618 guns were confiscated. However, in 2010, the number of gunshots heard in the forest during gibbon survey days had increased (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010). Ongoing loss and degradation of gibbon habitats is due to selective logging for Fokienia hodginsii and clearance for cardamom cultivation, livestock grazing and agriculture. The use of chainsaws to collect timber has increased (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010), suggesting that efficiency and/or quantity of timber extraction in and near the protected area has increased (Rawson et al. 2011). Due to its remoteness, threats to this forest were less severe than other sites with N. concolor, but this will soon change with the completion of two new district roads, and the impending construction of two hydropower dams (Rawson et al. 2011).

Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation Area

Category	Specific threats	Threat level	Description	Year of threat
10 Geological events		Absent
12 Other threat		Absent
2 Agriculture & aquaculture	2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Cardamom cultivation and other crops (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010).	Ongoing (2010)
5 Biological resource use	5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Gunshots heard during 2010 survey in spite of an awareness campaign and gun confiscation in 2003 (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010).	Ongoing (2010)
5 Biological resource use	5.3 Logging & wood harvesting	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Selective logging for Fokienia hodginsii and clearance for cardamom cultivation, livestock grazing and agriculture. The use of chainsaws to collect timber has increased, suggesting that efficiency and/or quantity of timber extraction in and near the protected area has increased (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010).	Ongoing (2010)
7 Natural system modifications	7.2 Dams & water management/use	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Impending construction of two hydropower dams will cause further loss and degradation of gibbon habitats and increase access to the site for hunters and traders (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010).	Ongoing (2010)
4 Transportation & service corridors	4.1 Roads & railroads	Present (unknown severity)	Two new district roads, which link up with at least two villages partially enclosed by this horseshoe-shaped protected area (Le Trong Dat & Le Minh Phong 2010).	Ongoing (2010)
1 Residential & commercial development		Unknown
3 Energy production & mining		Unknown
6 Human intrusions & disturbance		Unknown
8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases		Unknown
9 Pollution		Unknown
11 Climate change & severe weather		Unknown

IUCN Threats list

Conservation activities

Since 1999, FFI has worked at the site and promoted N. concolor as a flagship species for conservation. The decline in gibbons between 2000 and 2006 in Che Tao Commune occurred despite it being the focal location for FFI’s activities, which included a gun control programme, awareness campaigns, community-based patrols, livelihood initiatives in two villages, and community participation in zoning and establishing the protected area (Rawson et al. 2011).

Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation Area

Category	Specific activity	Description	Year of activity
2 Counter-wildlife crime	2.12 Implement community control of patrolling, banning hunting and removing snares	Community-based patrol (Rawson et al. 2011).	Ongoing (2011)
4 Education & awareness	4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use	FFI has conducted awareness campaigns (Rawson et al. 2011).	Ongoing (2011)
5 Protection & restoration	5.2 Legally protect ape habitat	Protected area established with the participation of the community (Rawson et al. 2011).	Ongoing (2011)

Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)

Challenges

Although not entirely conclusive, the main reasons for the decline of gibbons between 2000 and 2006 were identified as a local propensity for hunting, weaknesses in the patrolling model, weak government support and unfocussed conservation interventions inhibiting effective responses to urgent and emerging conservation needs (Swan unpublished data; Rawson et al. 2011).

Table 5. Challenges reported for Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation Area

Challenges	Specific challenges	Source	Year(s)
4 Institutional support	4.2 Lack of government support	Rawson et al. 2011
4 Institutional support	4.1 Lack of law enforcement	Rawson et al. 2011

Enablers

Table 6. Enablers reported for Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation Area

Enablers	Specific enablers	Source	Year(s)
1 Site management
2 Resources and capacity
3 Engaged community
4 Institutional support
5 Ecological context
6 Safety and stability

Research activities

Documented behaviours

Table 7. Behaviours documented for Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation Area

Behavior	Source
Not reported

Exposure to climate change impacts

External links

[1]

Relevant datasets

References

Rawson, B. M, Insua-Cao, P., Nguyen Manh Ha, Van Ngoc Thinh, Hoang Minh Duc, Mahood, S., Geissmann, T. and Roos, C. 2011. The Conservation Status of Gibbons in Vietnam. Fauna & Flora International/Conservation International, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Le Trong Dat, and Le Minh Phong. 2010. 2010 census of western black crested gibbon Nomascus concolor in Mu Cang Chai Species/Habitat Conservation Area (Yen Bai Province) and adjacent forests in Muong La District (Son La Province). Fauna & Flora International Vietnam Programme, Hanoi, Vietnam.

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Mu Cang Chai Species and Habitat Conservation Area

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