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close| Location | Cambodia, Kampong Thom |
| Central coordinates | 104o 43.00' East 13o 1.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A3 |
| Area | 100,675 ha |
| Altitude | 4 - 70m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2003 |
Ornithological information Regionally significant species such as Woolly-necked Stork (12 birds recorded in 2002) and Asian Openbill (27 birds recorded in 2002).
Site description The IBA is located to the north-east of Stung/Chi Kreng/Kampong Svay Grasslands IBA (KH016), and comprises an area of deciduous dipterocarp forest, interspersed with patches of seasonally inundated grassland, seasonal pools and streams. The IBA is one of the only currently known non-breeding areas for Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis in Cambodia. The species visits the site when its breeding areas in the inundation zone of Tonle Sap Lake are flooded. In addition, the wetland habitats at the IBA are used as a feeding area by a number of large waterbird species, including Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala, Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus, Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans and Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus | non-breeding | 2002 | abundant [units unknown] | - | A1 | Vulnerable |
| Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis | non-breeding | 2002 | rare [units unknown] | - | A1, A3 | Critically Endangered |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beng Per | Wildlife Sanctuary | 249,408 | protected area overlaps with site | 4,200 |
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Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | Dry evergreen forest (tropical); Lowland evergreen rain forest (tropical); Semi-evergreen rain forest (tropical) | - |
| Shrubland | Secondary scrub | - |
| Grassland | Edaphic grassland; Secondary grassland | - |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Abandoned farmland, disturbed ground; Perennial crops, orchards and groves; Rice paddies; Small settlements, rural gardens | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| Notes: shifting and permanent | |
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
Management considerations Threats to biodiversity at the IBA have yet to be evaluated in detail. However, one of the major threats is thought to be opportunistic hunting of birds by local people fishing with spotlights at night, during the wet season. Bengal Floricans were at least formerly targeted by some hunters in this IBA.
Protection status IBA overlaps with Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary
Conservation response Recommendations Law enforcement and community awareness activities should be initiated based on the successful model at Stung Sen/Santuk/Baray IBA (KH021). These should focus on controlling the hunting and trade of key species, particularly Bengal Floricans and large waterbirds and the potential benefits to local communities
Further web sources of information
References Document nameHong Chamnan et al. (2002) Field survey for Bengal Florican in the wet season in Kampong Thom province. Wildlife Conservation Society, Cambodia. Unpublished
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Stung / Prasat Balang. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013
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