Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range
Summary
- Western Hoolock Gibbons (Hoolock hoolock) are present in the Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range.
- The total population size is unknown.
- The population trend is unknown.
- The site has a total size of 1755 km².
- Key threats to gibbons are logging and hunting.
- Conservation activities have focused on biomonitoring and patrolling the area.
Site characteristics
The site is located in western Myanmar (Burma), inland of the Bay of Bengal.
Table 1. Basic site information for Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range
| Area | 1755 km² |
| Coordinates | 17.623991, 94.840521 |
| Designation | Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical/tropical moist montane forest, arable land, Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest |
Ape status
The current population status is unknown, but gibbons are present based on community and survey team information (Naw May Lay Thant pers. obs. 2023).
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoolock hoolock | 2008 | 4 | 1 | 0.53 | southern Rakhine Yoma | Fixed-point triangulation | Geissmann et al. 2009 | The survey area was located in a small mountain ridge facing the Bay of Bengal adjacent to Taing Kyo village and, further inland, Chaung Tha village in Thandwe district, Gwa township in Rakhine division. |
Threats
Gibbons are mainly threatened by habitat loss due to logging (Naw May Lay Thant pers. obs. 2023).
Table 3. Threats to apes in Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Unknown | ||||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Present, severity unknown | Cultivation of rice and other agricultural cash crops and subsistence crops encroaching the site due to lack of demarcation (Geissmann et al. 2009). | 2008-Ongoing(2023) | |
| 3. Energy production & mining | Unknown | ||||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | ||||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Present, but threat severity unknown | 0.19 signs/km, calculated from SMART data from both inside and outside (southern part of PA) of Rakhine (Naw May Lay Thant pers. obs. 2023). | Hunting targeting mainly wild pigs and red muntjacs, but other wildlife get trapped in snares (Geissmann et al. 2009) | 2008-Ongoing (2023) |
| 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | High | 0.44 signs/km, calculated from SMART data from both inside and outside (southern part of PA) of Rakhine (Naw May Lay Thant pers. obs. 2023). | Timber extraction for income and fuelwood (Geissmann et al. 2009). | 2009-Ongoing (2023) | |
| 5.2 Gathering terrestrial plants | Present, but threat severity unknown | Extraction of NTFPs such as bamboo for construction and medicinal plants (Geissmann et al. 2009). | 2009-Ongoing (2023) | ||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Unknown | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Unknown | ||||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Unknown | ||||
| 9. Pollution | Unknown | ||||
| 10. Geological Events | Absent | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | 11.4 Storms & flooding | High | A cyclone in 2005 caused a lot of destruction of the forest in the site (Geissmann et al. 2009). | 2005 | |
| 12. Other options | Absent |
Conservation activities
Table 4. Conservation activities in Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Not reported | ||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | Not reported | ||
| 3. Energy production & mining | Not reported | ||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Not reported | ||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division & Wildlife Conservation Society (Naw May Lay Thant pers. obs. 2023). | 2014-2020 |
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | Biodiversity Fund, Rakhine Coastal Conservation Association & Community (Naw May Lay Thant pers. obs. 2023). | 2021-Ongoing (2023) |
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Not reported | ||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Not reported | ||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Not reported | ||
| 9. Pollution | Not reported | ||
| 10. Education & Awareness | Not reported | ||
| 11. Habitat Protection | 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | The site has been a protected area since 2002. | 2002-Ongoing (2023) |
| 12. Species Management | Not reported | ||
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | Not reported |
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Lack of law enforcement | Naw May Lay Thant pers. obs. 2023 |
| Lack of financial means | Naw May Lay Thant pers. obs. 2023 |
Research activities
In addition to a 2008 gibbon and biodiversity survey and training in southern Rakhine Yoma by Myanmar Primate Conservation Program, BANCA, FFI, PRCF and Yangon University, a project for community hoolock gibbon monitoring and protection, funded by Arcus Gibbon Foundation, Myanmar Biodiversity Fund and Rakhine Coastal Conservation Association, is taking place between 2021 and 2024 (Naw May Lay Thant pers. obs. 2023).
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
External links
References
Geissmann, T., Grindley, M., Momberg, F., Lwin, N., & Moses, S. (2009). Hoolock gibbon and biodiversity survey and training in southern Rakhine Yoma, Myanmar. Gibbon Journal, (5), 7-27.
Page completed by: Naw May Lay Thant & A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: 10/11/2023