Discovering biodiversity in Ta Cu Nature Reserve

Ta Cu Nature Reserve , which covers  a total area of 11,888 hectares, is listed World’s 221 eco-regions  defined by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as priorities for conservation. This area includes more than 10,000 hectares of jungle and Ta Cu Mountain (covering about 1,000 hectares). However, scientifists have recorded 3 different types of forest in Ta Cu Nature reserve basing on its altitude, including open broad-leaved forest (at an altitude of 500 meter above sea level), evergreen and semideciduous broad-leaved forest evergreen (at an altitude from 300-500 meter above the sea level), and deciduous forest.

Besides a diversity of forests, Ta Cu Nature Reserve is the home of nearly 1,200 flora species and 454 fauna species, including many rare species listed in Red Book of Vietnam. Researchers have discovered  5 primates in this nature reserve, including Nycticebus pygmaeus, Macaca fascicularis, Macaca nemestrina, Macaca artoides, Trachypithecus villosus, Pygathix nigripes. The fauna system of Ta Cu Mountain consists of three regions: Area of Ta Cu-Ta Dang Mountains with a terrain of mountainous and steep hill where is the home of many animals such as: Macaca Nemestrina, Trachypithecus pharei, Viverridae,  Mustelidae, Sciuridae, Pavo muticus…; low hill area with thin forests where has many herbivores, as follows: Muntiacus muntjak, Tragulus javanicus, some species of rabbit, jungle fowl …; maquis and swamp area with many freshwater fishes and reptile species as snake, Indotestudo elongato, Trionychidae, … Ta Cu Nature Reserve is considesed as an ideal destination for eco-tourism development with its famous tourist attractions such as: Bung thi hot spring and Ta Cu MountainTourist area.

Pavo muticus is seen at Ta Cu Mountain

Dicaeum cruentatum

Pygathix  nigripes

Gecko lizard

Phuong Lan (Source: Binh Thuan Newspaper)