Nong Hua Khu Non-Hunting Area
Location:
17°35'N, 102°37'E; near Ban Nong Hua Khu village, 20 km from the town of Ban Phu, Ban Phu District, Udon Thani Province.
Area:
11 ha.
Altitude:
185m.
Biogeographical Province:
4.10.4.
Wetland type:
14.
Description of site:
A small, permanent, natural pond surrounded by paddyfields. Inflow is from local run-off.
Climatic conditions:
Tropical monsoonal climate with an average annual rainfall of 1,282 mm (range 860-1,833 mm), 85.4% of which falls during the southwest monsoon (May to October). The mean annual temperature is 27.6°C (range 6.3-42.5°C).
Principal vegetation:
The pond is fringed with small areas of Saccharum arundinaceum, Cyperus spp and Scirpus mucronatus. Adjacent areas are chiefly rice paddy with a few patches of dry dipterocarp woodland.
Land tenure:
The wetland is state owned and open to public use; surrounding areas are privately owned farmland.
Conservation measures taken:
The site was established as a Non-Hunting Area in 1984. The local "kamnan" (Head of the Subdistrict) has safeguarded the waterfowl at the site from disturbance since 1974. By local agreement, fines of Bht.l,000 have been levied for illegal hunting.
Conservation measures proposed:
A major waterfowl site, worthy of regular censusing. The boundaries of the Non-Hunting Area should be extended to encompass adjacent woodlands if Sarkidiornis melanotos is found to be breeding in the vicinity.
Land use:
Some recreational use; the pond is also an important source of water for cattle. Cultivation (chiefly rain-fed, single crop rice paddy) in surrounding areas.
Possible changes in land use:
 
Disturbances and threats: No information.
Economic and social values: An important local amenity.
Fauna: At least 2,500 ducks were present in January 1987. The predominant species were Dendrocygna javanica, Anas querquedula and A. acuta. Also present were
single A. clypeata and Aythya sp (probably A. baeri). The local kamnan reported the occasional presence of up to 10 Sarkidiornis melanotos which may breed in nearby woodlands.
Special floral values: None known.
Research and facilities:  
References:  
Criteria for inclusion: 2b.
Source:
Jim Jintanugool and Philip D. Round.