Cat Tien National park
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INTRODUCTION
The Cat Tien national park* is located in the middle of the 3 provinces of Dong Nai, Lam Dong and Binh Phuoc in Vietnam. In 1992, the park Cat Loc is listed in the program of protection of flora and the wild animals. In December 1998, three parks gather to form the national park of cat Tien under the administration of the Ministry for Agriculture and Rural development.
PRESENTATION OF THE PARK
The park extends on 71 920 ha of forest, of plains and marsh in the south Viet-Nam and shelters many birds and mammals. The Javan rhinoceros* still exists in the zone Loc Cat, which is the last population of this species on the Asian continent.
One can find within the park many other mammals such as a good amount of primates (endemic the Yellow-cheeked Gibbon), the Asian elephant*, the gaur as well as the tiger*. One also finds several varieties of birds such as the Germain's Peacock-Pheasant, the Bar-bellied Pitta as well as endemic red-vented bulbul .
The fauna of the park understands 105 species of indexed mammals, more than 360 species of birds, 120 species of reptiles and Amphibians and 130 species of freshwater fish. The park shelters approximately 440 species of butterflies and many other species of insects.
HISTORY
The national park of Cat Tien was at the beginning three park separate. In 1978, Nam Cat Tien and Tay Cat Tien obtain the statute of protected reserve. After the discovery of a population of Javan rhinoceros*, Cat Loc is classified like holds rhinoceros in 1992. The three zones amalgamated to form only one park in 1998.Le park enormously suffered at the time of the war of Vietnam when it was sprinkled weedkillers such as the defoliant orange agent.
ECOSYSTEM
The Vietnamese scientists identified 5 great zones of vegetation in the national park of Cat Tien :
The Evergreen Tropical Forest made up of trees such as : Dipterocarpus alatus, Dipterocarpus intricatus, Dalbergia alatus, Dalbergia mammosa, Pterocarpus macrocarpus and Afzelia xylocarpa.
The Deciduous Forest made up of trees with sheets which fall during the dry season, in particular : Lagerstroemia calyculata, Tetrameles nudiflora, Anogeissus acuminata.
The mixed forest of trees and bamboo : It is in fact a sector where a secondary forest cover following the forest esploitation pushes, the fires or after the use of the pesticides during the war. One finds there in particular : Mesua sp. (Clusiaceae), Lagerstroemia calyculata, Sindora siamensis and Xylia xylocarpa.
Zones of prevalence of the bamboo : Resulting from human activities. The cleared forests, then abandoned are replaced by bamboos which normally do not prevail in the zones prone to the floods.
Marshy zones : the park has vast marshy zones as well as great water resources pure. During the rain season, the flooded zone exceeds the 2 500 ha, in particular near the lakes (Bau Sau, Bau Bau Chim et Co).
THREATS AND PRESERVATION
Among the many threats which weigh on the park, most important are wild deforestation, the agricultural encroachment and the poaching. In an investigation carried out by the IUCN*, a large number of mammals and of primates living in Asia are at the great risk of extinction. WWF* indicated that more than 1 000 new species for science were recorded in the south-east of Asia and the area of the Mekong of 1998 to 2008, but that these species all are today threatened to disappear.
World Wildlife Fund* particularly concentrates its efforts on the conservation of the places and species in the process of disappearance which are important for the balance of the ecosystem of the park. WWf Vietnam* had launched a pilot program aiming at helping the people living in the central zone of the park. The stress is currently laid on practical solutions in order to preserve the environment so that the man and nature can thrive side by side.
Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre (VRTC)* works in Cat Tien since the middle of the years 1990 (dependant ecological studies in the forests of the state My Da has going back to the years 1980). The park of Cat Tien is seen like a key site to carry out the objectives of the team, namely : studies on the tropical ecosystem and the monitoring of the changes (use of grounds etc…). Nam Cat Tien provides an infrastructure for the long-term scientific studies with specialists currently working on subjects such as : Amphibians, bacterial ecology, botany, shellfish, mammals, ornithology as well as the biology of the grounds.
Wildlife At Risk (WAR)* is an association which began its operation in October 2008 by creating "Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary". The trees and arbutes of the zone are protected in order to provide shade for the Asian black bear or to enable them to climb as it is the case in their natural environment. With final, most these bears will be transferred in a larger sanctuary in the province from Kien Giang.
The French Global Environment Fund (FFEM)* project of conservation of wild bovids works on the genetic management and studies in the park. Association works especially on the bovids such as the banteng, the buffalo and the gaur. So for this last all seems to go for best, it is not the same for the two others whose no specimens could be recorded recently.
Association Forest Floor Lodge* deals primarily with the conservation of the forest. When in Winrock International*, its base of activity concentrates primarily in the plantation of trees in particular along the bordering zones.
FAUNA OF THE PARK
Mammals :
At least 25% of the species of mammals of the world are in danger of extinction and the Asian primates are for the majority in critical danger. An investigation carried out by the IUCN* showed that the greatest threat for these animals is the loss of their range. The need for protecting and for preserving intact sanctuaries such as Cat Tien became vital. The Javan rhinoceros*, including one small population still remains within the park east is the typical example.
The forest provides a refuge for a good amount of other species threatened or unusual such as the Asian elephant*, the Asian black bear, the sambar, the Deer mouse, the Indian Muntjac, the leopard*, the tiger* (although no activity could be recorded these last years), the Sunda Pangolin, the Porcupines,, the wild boar or the banteng.
To download the list of the mammals present in the park => 
The primates :
The small island of Dao Tien on the river Dong Nai became the site of an important center of rehabilitation for the large monkeys. It is one of the rare places where one can still see the douc, the Yellow-cheeked Gibbon, the pygmy loris, the Crab-eating Macaque.
Birds :
Several species of birds are listed in sle park such as the Green Peafowl, White-winged Wood Duck, the Siamese Fireback, the Oriental Darter or the Orange-necked partridge. Several Lesser Adjutant were observed and it is thought that the species must nest in the center of the marshes as well as the heron, the Woolly-necked Stork and the ducks which are frequently present during the dry season to nest.
The reserve is also rich in birds of prey* such as the osprey, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, the Grey-headed Fish Eagle, the Crested Serpent Eagle and many other species of falcons.
To download the list of the birds present in the park =>
Reptiles and amphibians :
The lake of the crocodiles, in the northern part of the park of Cat Tien, is a zone of reproduction for the Siamese crocodile which was reintroduced in 2000. Among the other reptiles, one also counts the Monitor lizards and a large range of Asian snakes. The Asian Leaf Turtle, the Tokay Gecko or the European tree frog also form part of the inhabitants of the park.
To download the list of the Amphibians present in the park =>
Insect :
The park shelters approximately 440 species of butterflies such as: : Cyrestis nivea, Vindula dejone et Lexias dirtea.
To download the list of the butterflies present in the park =>
EXTERNAL LINKS
http://www.indochinatravelservice.com
