Many endangered species found in Phong Dien Nature Reserve

Nine globally endangered species have been discovered by camera traps at Phong Dien Nature Reserve in the central province of Thua Thien–Hue.

The Owston’s civet spotted during the surveys. (Photo from Phong Dien Nature Reserve).

The detected animals include cay van (“Owston’s palm civet” or Chrotogale owstoni) and cay giong soc (“large-spotted civet” or Viverra megaspila), which are listed as endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The large-spotted civet was most recently recorded in the wild by camera traps in Phong Dien Nature Reserve last June. It is believed that it may be extinct in China and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, camera traps have only found Owston’s palm civet in Phong Dien Reserve in 2016 and in Sao La Reserve, also in Thua Thien-Hue, in 2015.

Since 2011, scientists have been striving to spot ga loi lam mao trang (“Edwards’ pheasant” or Lophura edwardsi) with camera traps in the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien–Hue. Ga loi lam mao trang is indigenous to Vietnam and is listed by IUCN as critically endangered.

They expect to discover this species and other rare animals in Phong Dien Nature Reserve.

Founded in 2002, Phong Dien Nature Reserve covers 41,433ha of land in Phong Dien and A Luoi Districts. It is also the first place where the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) and mang lon (“giant muntjac” or Megamuntiacus vuquangensis), which have been found only in Vietnam and Laos, have been recorded.

The reserve harbours 44 mammal species, including 19 on the IUCN Red List and 16 in Vietnam’s Red Data Book. It is also home to 34 reptile, 19 amphibian and 172 bird species.

(Source: NDO)