Lao Endangered Species

Endangered Species Research and Conservation
Relevant from October 2004-September 2006
The distribution and ecology of Lao’s unique wildlife and the threats that wildlife faces are poorly understood.  To answer these questions and resolve the threats to significant species and their habitats, the WCS Lao PDR program conducts applied research to produce information that is used to create local and national conservation policy and management plans.  Research focuses on determining the status and distribution of endangered species, the threats they face, and the effectiveness of conservation strategies aimed at reducing these threats, especially for Asian Elephant, Eld’s Deer, Western Black Crested Gibbon, Siamese Crocodile, and Tiger.

For relevant literature, articles, and project reports on our Endangered Species Research in Lao PDR, please visit our library. 

Eld’s Deer (Cervus eldi siamensis)
Of the three subspecies of Eld’s deer occurring in Southeast Asia, one is found in Lao PDR; Cervus eldi siamensis. The subspecies is currently listed as critically endangered (data deficient) by the IUCN Redlist 2004.  Eld’s deer typically occurs in open dipterocarp forests, thus the conservation of this habitat, which constitutes less than 1% of Lao’s Protected Area system, is essential for the protection the last remaining populations of Eld’s deer in Lao PDR. 
Upon discovering a second Lao population of deer in 2002, the joint WCS-Smithsonian team began to focus their attention on assisting the government to create an Eld’s deer Sanctuary, a Provincial level protected area, and finalizing regulations and land allocations for the Sanctuary area. Increasing public awareness of the Eld’s deer has also been an important project objective. As a result of an incentives scheme, local village involvement in conservation activities have proven to be a great success in protecting the deer and in recording and monitoring of Eld’s deer movement. 
Unfortunately, rice paddy field expansion and poaching are significant threats to the deer’s habitat and population. The deer’s extremely low population is a threat in itself. Thus, it is important to act immediately in order to ensure the livelihood of the deer. Promoting public awareness, finalizing land allocation parameters, stabilizing agricultural development and government support remain the key goals of the Eld’s Deer Conservation Project.

To read more about the Eld’s Deer Conservation Project please click here. 

Western Black Crested Gibbon (Nomascus concolor)
Five species of gibbon inhabit the forests of Lao PDR.  Of these, the Western Black Crested Gibbon (H. concolor) is one of the most rare and endangered gibbon species.  This species existence has been confirmed in the northwest province of Bokeo and reported by villagers in the adjacent Nam Kong area of the Nam Ha NPA near the Chinese border.  WCS has completed a systematic survey of the Nam Ha NPA to verify the identity, current range, and condition of gibbon populations in the area. This information is essential for determining the long-term viability of the population and for establishing a management program. One objective of the WCS Lao gibbon project is to raise public awareness of the critical status of the remaining gibbon population at the village, district, and provincial level.  Although all gibbon species in Lao are fully protected by wildlife laws, enforcement of these laws is limited and irregular.  It is relatively common to see protected wildlife being sold openly in provincial markets.  Local consumption of gibbons as a source of protein in rural areas still occurs and many are sold as pets. Villagers’ perception of the abundance of gibbon populations is very much localized.  What is perceived locally as a gibbon population that can withstand continued harvest is a vulnerable and significant national and global population.  In order to increase awareness, WCS designed a poster portraying the status and importance of the gibbons in Lao PDR and has produced a children’s book on gibbons and other endangered primates in Lao. The book and the poster have been distributed to communities, schools, and government offices within the districts where gibbon populations exist. Given the threatened status of gibbons and their potential for attracting nature-based tourism, they have been identified as a key species for management.
 

To read more about the Western Black Crested Gibbon Project, click here.

Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis)
With the emergence of unconfirmed local reports of the Siamese Crocodile in the 1990s, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) recognized the potential existence of globally important populations and urgently called for baseline surveys.  Lao PDR is one of the few places where the Siamese Crocodiles still exist and has recently surfaced as a globally important region for the species conservation. Recent survey results are especially exciting as they show that breeding is occurring among the remaining populations. However, current populations still appear small and fragmented. Although hunters are aware that the Siamese Crocodile is a protected species and harvest of crocodiles is illegal, they continue to hunt because of the economic incentives from international traders for skins and live animals. At the present time, there is no management plan for Siamese crocodile populations in Lao. In order to develop a feasible management plan, we need to know more about the remaining crocodile populations and about the villages who continue to use these wetlands.
The objective of the WCS Siamese Crocodile Project is to conduct baseline biological and social assessments of wetlands where the crocodiles occur and to use the survey results to design a crocodile management plan in a wetland where a viable population still exists.  The results of the project would be used to make recommendations for developing a conservation plan and crocodile monitoring and management in Lao PDR.  It will be necessary to propose alternative economic incentives to villages that harvest crocodiles in order to encourage the abandonment of the practice and also to offset the financial loss that the reduction or elimination would have.  In addition, an education campaign will be designed to raise local and national awareness that the crocodiles are among the last remaining in Lao PDR and the world.  The campaign will be targeted to raise community and national pride in this unique species and draw attention to crocodile management practices.    
 
To read more about the Siamese Crocodile Project, click here.

Tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti)

Large mammal surveys conducted in 1999 indicated that the Indochinese tiger is present throughout the forested areas of Lao PDR, although likely at low densities. The WCS Tiger Conservation Project is currently operating in northeastern Lao at the Nam Et and Phou Louey National Protected Area (NPA).  Threatened principally by poaching for the commercial trade that is intricately linked to killing by livestock owners, the tiger populations are becoming even more vulnerable due to the depletion of large prey for subsistence and trade by hunters.  Research on tiger and prey abundance and mitigation of this human-tiger conflict is one of the main goals of WCS activities in the NPA. 
Without a better understanding of tigers and their prey, it is difficult to acknowledge the severity of these problems or the status of the tiger population in Lao. Thus, the immediate aim of the tiger project is to attain more accurate population counts of the tiger and its prey and also to work with local farmers to reduce livestock related killings.  This ongoing research will be used to develop a wildlife management plan that aims to accommodate both tiger preservation and the local villager’s needs for forest resources on the protected area border.

To read more about the Tiger Project, click here.

Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)
With a high level of biodiversity, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has some of the most significant forest areas remaining in Southeast Asia.  The country also harbors one of the largest remaining populations of Asian elephants in Indochina.  WCS works in Nakai-Nam Theun National Protected Area (NPA) to conserve an elephant population.  In addition to surveys, a major aim of WCS’s work is to develop a demonstration site that will serve as a model for reducing human–elephant conflict nationwide.

To read more about the Asian Elephant Project, click here. 

Click here to view a slideshow of some of Lao's Wildlife Treasures:

http://digitalmedia.worldbank.org/slideshow/?slideshow_id=173