TH051 Hat Chao Mai National Park
Criteria: A1
Province(s):
PA Status:
Trang
National Park (1981)
Latitude:
Longitude:
7º14'N
99º25'E
EBA / SA: none Area: 23,087 ha
Forest Complex: Mu Ko Similan-Phi Phi-Andaman Altitude Range: 0-432 m asl
General Description
The IBA comprises Hat Chao Mai National Park on the west coast of peninsular Thailand. The site includes c.9,600 ha of terrestrial habitats on islands, with the remainder of the site being open sea. The terrestrial habitats present include sandy beaches, mangroves, beach forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest on limestone outcrops. Marine habitats include coral reefs, which are mostly found in sheltered spots around islands, and seagrass beds, which are important feeding grounds for fish, prawns and Dugong Dugong dugon . Hat Chao Mai National
Park is included in a 66,313 ha Ramsar Site, which also includes Ko Libong Non-hunting Area (IBA TH050) and the Trang river estuary.
Bird Fauna: Key Features
The IBA is thought to support a population of the globally threatened Large Green Pigeon Treron capellei . In addition, there are unconfirmed reports of the occurrence of Malayan Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron malacense, a globally threatened species endemic to the Thai-Malay peninsula, which was known historically from peninsular
Thailand, although there are no confirmed recent records. The globally near-threatened Black-necked Stork
Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus , now on the verge of extinction in Thailand, was regularly recorded at the site for more than 50 years; up to five birds were recorded in the early 1980s, and a single bird was seen in April and June 1992.
There is no evidence of the continued presence of the species at the site. Two other globally near-threatened species have been recorded at the site: Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii and Mangrove Pitta Pitta megarhyncha . In addition, the diversity of wetland habitats at the site provides good habitat for migratory and resident waterbirds.
Species Season Global
Threat
Status
R VU
IBA
Criteria
Notes
[Malayan Peacock Pheasant
Polyplectron malacense ]
Large Green Pigeon
Treron capellei
R VU
A1 There are unconfirmed reports of adults and young from
Hat Yong Ling and Hat Yao in July-August 1998.
A1, A3 The species is thought to be a rare resident at the site, with one record from Ko Kradan in 1998.
Notes: [ ] = unconfirmed record.
Biome-restricted Species: The site does not qualify under criterion A3. See Appendix 3 for details.
Other Globally Threatened Species
Mammals
Species
Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata
Plants
Species
Aquilaria malaccensis
Threats to Biodiversity
Status
VU
Status
Species
Bear Macaque Macaca arctoides
VU
Status
VU
Destructive fishing practices, conversion of forest to plantations, illegal timber extraction, hunting and sedimentation are the main threats to biodiversity at the site.
Literature and Data Sources
BirdLife International (1998) Proceedings of the Thailand IBA workshop, Bangkok, November 1998.
Unpublished report.
Directory of Important Bird Areas in the Kingdom of Thailand 119

TH051 Hat Chao Mai National Park
BirdLife International (2001) Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. Cambridge, UK:
BirdLife International.
National Park Division (2001) National parks in Thailand . Bangkok: Office of Natural Resource Conservation,
Royal Forestry Department.
Office of Environmental Policy and Planning (1999) Directory of internationally important wetlands in Thailand .
Bangkok: Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment. (In Thai.)
Office of Natural Resource Conservation (2001) Master plan for land use management: Hat Chao Mai National
Park . Unpublished report to the Royal Forestry Department.
Ramsar Bureau website http//: www.ramsar.org
Round, P. D. (1988) Resident forest birds in Thailand: their status and conservation . Cambridge, UK: International
Council for Bird Preservation.
120 Directory of Important Bird Areas in the Kingdom of Thailand