摘要: Description　　The Taninthayi Forest Corridor (TFC) is one of the largest remaining areas of unprotected low and mid-elevation, seasonal evergreen forest in Southeast Asia. It is located in the Tanintha

Description

　　The Taninthayi Forest Corridor (TFC) is one of the largest remaining areas of unprotected low and mid-elevation, seasonal evergreen forest in Southeast Asia. It is located in the Taninthayi Range that straddles the southern Thai-Myanmar border and contains a multitude of globally threatened species. Taninthayi and Lenya National Parks (TNP, LNP) were proposed in 2002, followed by LNP Extension in 2004, but none have been gazetted. Between TNP and LNP Extension there is a 65-km gap. This gap, which is partially covered by the Thagyet Reserved Forest (TRF), covers 290,100 hectares. If this and the other proposed NPs were gazetted, they would form a contiguous 1 million-hectare corridor stretching from TNP in the north to LNP in the south, a distance of 280 km.

　　The TFC lies within the northern section of the Indochinese-Sundaic zoological transition zone, which divides Indo-Chinese flora and fauna from Sundaic species (Hughes et al. 2003). The corridor contains some of the southernmost dry seasonal evergreen forests before they transition to aseasonal wet evergreen forest further to the south. It provides habitat for several EN species including the Asian Elephant, Gurney’s Pitta, and Sunda Pangolin.

　　The four parts of the corridor are described summarized below:

　　TNP

　　Location: 12°41'16” N, 98°10'32” E; Area: 364,284 hectares

　　The northernmost of the four parts, TNP was proposed in 2002. It consists primarily of evergreen forest. It is home to the world’s smallest known mammal, the VU Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai). This species is only known from in small colonies in southern Myanmar and adjacent Thailand (Bates et al. 2008; Pereira et al. 2006-10). TNP is contiguous with 482,225-hectare Kaeng Krachan NP, which was added to Thailand’s TL in 2011 for criterion x (UNESCO World Heritage Centre 2013). The eastern boundary follows the Taninthayi River, which also forms the border between Myanmar and Thailand.

　　TRF

　　Location: 12°05'31” N, 99°21'24” E, Area: 290,100 hectares

　　The 65 km gap between TNP and LNP is unprotected. It is partly covered by the TRF. From inspection of satellite images, the forest cover is in good condition and the area is believed to have similar values to TNP. But no biodiversity surveys have been carried out here for security reasons. It would lie next to Kuiburi NP in Thailand.

　　LNP Extension

　　Location: 11°35'37" N, 99°19'30 E, Area: 185,258 hectares

　　L NP and LNP Extension were proposed following the discovery of a large population of Gurney’s Pitta (Pitta gurneyi), which resulted in its conservation status changing CR to EN. LNP Extension (also known as the Nawun Reserved Forest) contains 99% of the global population of the species (the other 1% is in Thailand). The extension includes similar habitat to both TNP and LNP. LNP Extension is contiguous with Thailand’s Sadeth Naikrom-Krom Luang Chumporn (North) Wildlife Sanctuary.

　　LNP

　　Location: 11°08'47” N, 99°03'01" E, Area: 184,792 hectares

　　L NP shares a border with Namtok Huai Yang NP in Thailand and is composed of seasonal lowland and mid-elevation seasonal evergreen forest. It shares the natural values and characteristics of the other parts of the corridor. Some of LNP is being used for logging and has been allocated for palm oil plantations.