Pu Mat National Park
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Summary










- Northern white-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys) are present in Pu Mat National Park.
- It has been estimated that 130 groups occur in the site.
- The gibbon population trend is unknown.
- The site has a total size of 911.13 km².
- Key threats to gibbons are habitat loss mainly due to shifting agriculture and hunting.
- Conservation activities have focused on monitoring and permanent presence of forest guards.
- The park is a key site for the conservation of northern white-cheeked gibbons.
Site characteristics
Pu Mat National Park is located in the Annamite Mountains, close to the Lao border. The area has been protected by the difficult access to the forest due to the steep, rugged terrain (Rawson et al. 2011). It is a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) within the Indoburma Biodiversity Hotspot (Re:wild). The park is home to a host of mammal species of conservation concern, including the critically endangered Saola, the Annamite striped rabbit, Owston’s civet, northern white-cheeked gibbon and possibly the critically endangered large-antlered muntjac. Local indigenous communities consider parts of the site to be sacred “spirit forests” that are important in local animist traditions (Re:wild).
Table 1. Basic site information for Pu Mat National Park
Species | 'Nomascus leucogenys |
Area | 911.13 km² |
Coordinates | Lat: 19.060942 , Lon: 104.625258 |
Type of site | Protected area (National Park) |
Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest |
Type of governance |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
Pu Mat National Park is the most important site for the conservation of northern white-cheeked gibbons in Vietnam (Rawson et al. 2011). In a 2011 survey, 22 groups were detected and 130 groups were estimated to inhabit the site (Rawson et al. 2011). The population is of global significance; it is the largest known population of this species in Vietnam, and may extend well into Laos. The gibbon population at the site is predominantly found above 700 m a.s.l. (approximately 85% of groups), with the highest densities (0.271 groups km-1) occurring above this altitude despite the majority of the park being under this elevation (Rawson et al. 2011).
Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Pu Mat National Park
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 leucogenys | 2011 | 0.161 | 130 | 455 | Pu Mat National Park (911.13 sq km) | Fixed point triangulation | Rawson et al. 2011 | This survey used 18 listening posts across the park, including the most remote areas near the Lao border which had not been previously surveyed. |
Threats
Habitat loss due to shifting agriculture and illegal logging, and hunting, are the main threats to gibbons in the park (Rawson et al. 2011).
Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Pu Mat National Park
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) | Shifting agriculture (Rawson et al. 2011). | Ongoing (2011) |
4 Transportation & service corridors | 4.1 Roads & railroads | High (more than 70% of population affected) | Planned roads through Pu Mat National Park may fragment and endanger what is by far the largest population of northern white-cheeked gibbons in the country (Rawson et al. 2011). | Ongoing (2011) |
5 Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | High (more than 70% of population affected) | Hunters increasingly access remote areas near the Lao border to locate gibbons (Rawson et al. 2011). | Ongoing (2011) |
5 Biological resource use | 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | High (more than 70% of population affected) | Illegal logging is widespread in the area (Rawson et al. 2011). | Ongoing (2011) |
1 Residential & commercial development | Unknown | |||
3 Energy production & mining | Unknown | |||
6 Human intrusions & disturbance | Unknown | |||
7 Natural system modifications | Unknown | |||
8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Unknown | |||
9 Pollution | Unknown | |||
11 Climate change & severe weather | Unknown |
Conservation activities
The permanent presence of forest guards has been the only effective approach to protecting the gibbon population in the site. Site and landscape level projects are unlikely to be sufficient on their own; in fact, a 1998-2004 monitoring project indicated that large-scale projects implemented in the past did not succeed in halting primate population declines, though they may have slowed the decline (Rawson et al. 2004).
Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Pu Mat National Park
Category | Specific activity | Description | Implementing organization(s) | Year of activity |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.11 Implement monitoring surveillance strategies (e.g., SMART) or use monitoring data to improve effectiveness of patrols | The Social Forestry and Nature Conservation Project implemented primate surveys and monitoring (Rawson et al. 2011). | 1998-2004 | |
5 Protection & restoration | 5.2 Legally protect ape habitat | The site is designated as a National Park. | Ongoing (2022) | |
8 Permanent presence | 8.3 Permanent presence of staff/manager | Permanent presence of forest guards dedicated to the protection of individual gibbon groups (Rawson et al. 2011). | Ongoing (2011) |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Pu Mat National Park
Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Not reported |
Enablers
Table 6. Enablers reported for Pu Mat National Park
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 Pu Mat National Park
Behavior | Source |
---|---|
Not reported |
Exposure to climate change impacts
External links
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.
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