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Assessing the status of the Green Peafowl’s “expected stronghold” in dry forests along the Salawin River, north-west Thailand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2022

Niti Sukumal Open the ORCID record for Niti Sukumal [Opens in a new window] ,
Somying Thunhikorn  and
Tommaso Savini Open the ORCID record for Tommaso Savini [Opens in a new window]
Niti Sukumal*
Affiliation:
Conservation Ecology Program, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 49 Soi Thian Thale 25, Bang Khun Thian Chai Thale Road, Tha Kham, Bang Khun Thian, Bangkok 10150, Thailand
Somying Thunhikorn
Affiliation:
Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, 61 Phaholyothin Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Tommaso Savini
Affiliation:
Conservation Ecology Program, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 49 Soi Thian Thale 25, Bang Khun Thian Chai Thale Road, Tha Kham, Bang Khun Thian, Bangkok 10150, Thailand
*
*Author for correspondence: Niti Sukumal, Email: niti_230@hotmail.com
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Summary

The suitable habitats of the Endangered Green Peafowl Pavo muticus have declined by 80% over the past century due to extensive anthropogenic degradation. Currently, only six strongholds remain in mainland South-east Asia. While there are estimates of the species’ presence and status in five of these, the sixth one, defined as an “expected stronghold” located in the suitable dry forest along the Salawin River between Thailand and Myanmar, is not well documented. This study assessed the status of the area as a stronghold for the Green Peafowl’s long-term survival by estimating 1) the population density, 2) the current extension of suitable habitats, and 3) the threats to its survival. The area had an estimated density of 0.27 calling males/km2 (CI = 0.07–1.01) inhabiting 9,154 km2 of a mosaic of forest types, including mixed dry pine, mixed deciduous, and dry dipterocarp forests. Higher estimates were reported in other strongholds, including 0.8 birds/km2 in Bago Yoma (Myanmar), 15.8 birds/km2 in north-east Thailand, 1.13–11.34 birds/km2 in HuaiKhaKhaeng Wildlife Sanctuary (Thailand), 0.15–1.7 birds/km2 in northern Cambodia, and 0.15–4.69 birds/km2 in eastern Cambodia / south-central Vietnam. Hunting, habitat disturbance, and the presence of humans posed the greatest danger to the species across the surveyed area. Our results confirm the potential of the area for the species’ long-term survival. However, this “expected stronghold,” which could sustain a population of over 10 calling males/km2 like other high-quality strongholds, is in dire need of a comprehensive management plan to help reduce anthropogenic pressure. Ultimately, transboundary management between Thailand and Myanmar is crucial for the long-term repopulation of this stronghold.

Keywords

Endangered speciesMixed dry forestStronghold populationDistance samplingSMARTPavo muticus
Type
Research Article
Information
Bird Conservation International , Volume 33 , 2023 , e32
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of BirdLife International

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Footnotes

The authors dedicate this paper to the memory of Atthapol Sunsernboon, ranger at HuaiOo Substation, DoiWiangLa Wildlife Sanctuary, who assisted during data collection.

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