TH060
Bala Sector, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary
Bala Sector, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary
Province(s):
PA Status:
EBA / SA:
Forest Complex:
Narathiwat
Wildlife Sanctuary (1996)
none
Hala-Bala
Latitude:
Longitude:
Area:
Altitude Range:
Criteria: A1, A3
6º50'N
101º49'E
16,916 ha
100-953 m asl
General Description
The IBA comprises the Bala sector of Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located at the southernmost tip of
peninsular Thailand, on the international border with Malaysia. To the west of the site is the Hala sector of HalaBala Wildlife Sanctuary (within IBA TH059), from which the site is separated by a major highway, which forms an
effective barrier to the dispersal of some species. The topography of the site is more predominantly lowland than
that of the Hala sector. Due to the wet, aseasonal climate, the site supports wet evergreen forest.
Bird Fauna: Key Features
The site supports a rich and diverse lowland evergreen forest avifauna, with a significant Sundaic component. All
six globally threatened species recorded at the site are characteristic of the Sundaic region. These include Short-toed
Coucal Centropus rectunguis, which is only known from one other site in Thailand (Hala Sector, Hala-Bala Wildlife
Sanctuary and Bang Lang National Park, IBA TH059). The site supports at least 63 globally near-threatened
species, including two species known from nowhere else in Thailand: Garnet Pitta Pitta granatina and Finsch's
Bulbul Alophoixus finschii. The site also supports seven hornbill species, a diversity unparalleled in the rest of the
country, comprising Helmeted Hornbill Buceros vigil, Rhinoceros Hornbill B. rhinoceros, Great Hornbill B.
bicornis, Plain-pouched Hornbill Aceros subruficollis, Wrinkled Hornbill A. corrugatus, White-crowned Hornbill A.
comatus and Black Hornbill Anthracoceros malayanus.
Species
Season
Plain-pouched Hornbill
Aceros subruficollis
R
Global
Threat
Status
VU
IBA
Criteria
Blue-banded Kingfisher
Alcedo euryzona
Short-toed Coucal
Centropus rectunguis
White-fronted Scops Owl
Otus sagittatus
Large Green Pigeon
Treron capellei
Wallace's Hawk Eagle
Spizaetus nanus
R
VU
A1, A3
R
VU
A1, A3
R
VU
A1, A3
R
VU
A1, A3
R
VU
A1, A3
A1
Notes
The species is a scarce resident, and is less numerous than
at Hala Sector, Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary and Bang
Lang National Park (IBA TH059). However, nesting has
been recorded.
The species is a scarce resident at the site. The species was
recorded at Tharn To waterfall in 1991 and 1997.
The species is an uncommon resident, with a recent
record from 1998.
Three birds were found roosting together in April
1998.
The species is believed to be resident at the site; however,
its status is poorly understood.
The species is believed to be resident at the site; however,
its status is poorly understood. There is a record from April
1997.
Biome-restricted Species: The site qualifies under criterion A3 because it supports 111 species restricted to the
Sundaic Lowland Forests (Biome 14). See Appendix 3 for details.
Other Globally Threatened Species
The following list of globally threatened species is a combined list for both sectors of Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary;
some of the species on the list may not occur in the Bala sector but only in the Hala sector.
Mammals
Species
Hairy Rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis
Asian Elephant Elephas maximus
Tiger Panthera tigris
134
Status
CR
EN
EN
Species
Asian Tapir Tapirus indicus
Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa
Status
EN
VU
Directory of Important Bird Areas in the Kingdom of Thailand
TH060
Bala Sector, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary
Reptiles
Species
Spiny Turtle Heosemys spinosa
Elongated Tortoise Indotestudo elongata
Asian Giant Tortoise Manouria emys
Status
EN
EN
EN
Species
Giant Asian Pond Turtle Heosemys grandis
Malayan Flat-shelled Turtle Notochelys
platynota
Status
VU
VU
Amphibians
Species
Larut Hills Caecilian Caudacaecilia larutensis
Status
VU
Species
Status
CR
CR
CR
CR
CR
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
Species
Supachai's Caecilian Ichthyophis supachaii
Status
VU
Plants
Species
Dipterocarpus dyeri
Dipterocarpus grandiflorus
Dipterocarpus kerrii
Shorea farinosa
Shorea singkawang
Anisoptera curtisii
Dipterocarpus costatus
Hopea pedicellata
Shorea faguetiana
Shorea henryana
Shorea leprosula
Vatica stapfiana
Canarium pseudodecumanum
Cotylelobium lanceolatum
Cynometra inaequifolia
Fordia pauciflora
Hopea griffithii
Knema hookerana
Neobalanocarpus heimii
Status
EN
EN
VU
VU
VU
VU
VU
VU
VU
Threats to Biodiversity
The main threats to biodiversity at the site include agricultural encroachment, collection of forest products, hunting,
tourism development around Sukhirin waterfall, and development along the main highway that bisects the Hala and
Bala sectors of Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary.
Literature and Data Sources
Bird Conservation Society of Thailand Bulletin 19(4) (April 2002).
BirdLife International (1998) Proceedings of the Thailand IBA workshop, Bangkok, November 1998. Unpublished
report.
BirdLife International (2001) Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. Cambridge, UK:
BirdLife International.
Niyomdham, C. (2000) Hala-Bala: the tropical rain forest of southern Thailand. Bangkok: Royal Forestry
Department.
Round, P. D. (1998) Preliminary list of birds known from Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding Yala and
Narathiwat provinces. Bangkok: Center for Conservation Biology, Science Faculty, Mahidol University.
Wildlife Conservation Division (2000) Basic data for wildlife sanctuaries in Thailand. Bangkok: Office of Natural
Resources Conservation, Forestry Department.
Directory of Important Bird Areas in the Kingdom of Thailand 135