At least twomuntjacs, one of the rarest and most threatened mammal species of SoutheastAsia, were captured in 11 photos taken by camera traps set up by scientists andconservationists in the reserve since March, according to Tuan.
Sketchingacross an area of 11 hectares, the system of 110 camera traps was initially intended totrack Edwards’ Pheasant (Lophura Edwardsi), an extremely rare bird only foundin the lowland forests in central Vietnam.
The cameratraps unexpectedly captured muntjacs in at least 11 high-resolution photos –three in the day time and eight in the night time. Two muntjacts were evenpictured in one photo.
They are notlarge-antlered muntjacs as initially suspected, but more likely Truong Son muntjacs(Muntiacus truongsonensis) or Roosevelt’s muntjacs (Muntiacus rooseveltorum),said Saola Foundation Chief Technical Advisor Rob Timmins. Both are endemicungulates species discovered in Vietnam and Laos.
In addition tomuntjacs, some 30 rare bird and animal species were also captured in the photos,such as crested argus (Rheinardia ocellata),Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi), Indochinese serow (Capricornismilneedwardsii maritimus), stump-tailed macaque (Macacaarctoides), and Owston's palm civet (Chrotogale owstoni).
The findings are beyond expectation, Tuan said, adding that itshows the high biodiversity of Phong Dien Nature Park. As the area where cameratraps were set up was relatively small, the findings can be even moresurprising if it is expanded, he added.
Founded in 2002, Phong Dien Nature Park covers an area ofnearly 41,000 hectares in Thua Thien-Hue’s A Luoi and Phong Dien districts.
The muntjac, which was first discovered in central Ha TinhProvince in 1994, is endemic to evergreen forests in the Truong Son (Annamite)Mountains bordering Vietnam and Laos. The rare animal has been spotted in ThuaThien–Hue in 2013, Thanh Hoa in 2016, and Quang Nam in 2018 and Lam Dong lastyear.
The deer has been absent for years due to illegal snarehunting./.
VNA