Intact forests of the Hkakabo Razi Landscape are a hotspot of bat diversity in South-east Asia

The Hkakabo Razi Landscape, in northern Kachin, Myanmar, is one of the largest remaining tracts of intact forest in South-east Asia. In 2016, we undertook a survey in its southern margins to assess bat diversity, distribution and ecology and evaluate the importance of the area for global bat conserv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Oryx 2022-05, Vol.56 (3), p.390-395
Main Authors: Bates, Paul J. J., Soisook, Pipat, Oo, Sai Sein Lin, Suarez-Rubio, Marcela, Pimsai, Awatsaya, Dejtaradol, Ariya, Renner, Swen C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
21st century
Acoustics
Bats
Biodiversity
Biodiversity hot spots
Chiroptera
Forests
Landscape
National parks
New records
World Heritage Areas
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Summary:The Hkakabo Razi Landscape, in northern Kachin, Myanmar, is one of the largest remaining tracts of intact forest in South-east Asia. In 2016, we undertook a survey in its southern margins to assess bat diversity, distribution and ecology and evaluate the importance of the area for global bat conservation. Two collecting trips had taken place in the area in 1931 and 1933, with four bat species reported. We recorded 35 species, 18 of which are new for Kachin. One species, Murina hkakaboraziensis, was new to science and three, Megaerops niphanae, Phoniscus jagorii, Murina pluvialis, were new records for Myanmar. Our findings indicate high bat diversity in Hkakabo Razi; although it comprises only 1.7% of Myanmar's land area, it is home to 33.6% of its known bat species. This emphasizes Hkakabo Razi's importance for conserving increasingly threatened, forest-interior bats, especially in the families Kerivoulinae and Murininae. There is also a high diversity of other mammals and birds within the Hkakabo Razi Landscape, which supports its nomination as a World Heritage Site.
ISSN:0030-6053
1365-3008
DOI:10.1017/S0030605320000630