Con Dao Archipelago
Location:	8°37'-8°46'N, 106°32'-l06°45'E; 85 km off the coast of the Mekong Delta, 179 km SSW of Vung Tau and 220 km south of Ho Chi Minh City.
Area:	7,200 ha.
Altitude:	0-577m.
Biogeographical Province:	4.5.1.
Wetland type:	03, 04, 05, 07, 14 & 21.
Description of site:	Con Dao Archipelago consists of one large island (Con Dao) and fifteen small islands and islets, 85 km off the mainland coast of southern Vietnam. The islands are rugged and mountainous; much of the main island is over 200m above sea level and two peaks exceed 500m (Tranh Cia Mountain 577m Chua Mountain 515m). Gradients are generally steep, and the small coastal plains are very narrow. Numerous caves and grottos are found on the higher slopes. There are no permanent rivers or streams on the islands; the only water courses are short streams such as the Bung Beo, Co Ong, Ot, Dong Phuong and Chua Mien, which dry up in the dry season. However, during periods of heavy rainfall in the wet season, flooding can occur in the valleys. There is only one permanent freshwater lake on the islands, Quang Trung Lake. This small lake of 20 ha in extent has a mean depth of l.22m (maximum l.5m) and a capacity of about 200,000 cubic metres. However, the lake is gradually becoming overgrown with aquatic vegetation. Underground water is concentrated in the Con Son Valley, where the water table is about one metre above sea level. This source of water has been estimated at 18.4 million cubic metres.
Climatic conditions:	Tropical monsoonal climate with a pronounced maritime influence. The average annual rainfall is 2,200 mm (range 1,340-2,730 mm). Over 87% of the precipitation occurs during the rainy season from May to November, the rainfall reaching its peak in October. The dry season lasts from December to April. The mean annual temperature is 26°C; May has the maximum mean monthly temperature (28.3°C) and January the minimum (25.3°C). The absolute maximum and minimum temperatures recorded are 36.0°C and 18.4°C, respectively. The average humidity is 80%; the humidity remains high throughout the year, the minimum mean monthly humidity being 78% in January. The prevailing winds are westerly during the rainy season and easterly or east-northeasterly during the dry season. Strong winds are frequent in January and February. The mean annual evaporation is 1,033 mm.
Principal vegetation:	Some 361 species of plants have been recorded in the archipelago. The vegetation of the islands is similar in composition to that of comparable areas on the mainland. However, because of the great diversity in topography and micro-climate, the islands possess a wide range of forest types in a very small area. These include mangrove forest with species of Avicennia and Rhizophora on the coast, Melaleuca forest on sulphate soils in sand dune areas behind the mangrove forest, lowland moist tropical forest with species of Dipterocarpus and many other plant species typical of south and central Vietnam, and a forest type dominated by Chukrasia tabutalis, which otherwise occurs only in the north-central and northern parts of the country. On sheltered slopes with a deep layer of humus, the forest grows to a considerable height and often contains two or three strata, whereas on exposed slopes, the trees are stunted and the canopy is very dense and even. As a result of 100 years of exploitation, the forests are now much degraded. Recent figures give the total area of forest as 6,324 ha, representing 87.8% of the whole area of the archipelago. This includes 2,096 ha of poor forest, 916 ha of secondary forest, 675 ha of montane forest, 2,331 ha of shrubs and young trees, 161 ha of forestry plantations and 17 ha of mangrove and Melaleuca forest.
Land tenure:	Public land.
Conservation measures taken:	On the recommendation of the Ministry of Forestry and Committee for Rational Utilization of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, the Government has given protected status to the forests on the main island.
Conservation measures proposed:	A proposal that the entire archipelago be designated as a National Park has recently been approved by the Government. A management plan for the National Park is currently being prepared for submission to the Government.
Land use:	Fishing and tourism; also some subsistence agriculture, collection of firewood and hunting. The only people resident on the islands are government employees working in administration, forestry, fisheries, tourism and transportation.
Possible changes in land use:
Disturbances and threats:	Because of difficulties in supplying the islands from the mainland, the government employees resident on the islands have cleared forest to grow their own crops. They also exploit the forest for construction materials and firewood, and hunt the wildlife for food. Over the years, this exploitation has resulted in the degradation of the forests, their wildlife and the marine fauna. Populations of the macaque Macaca mulatta and Edible-nest Swiftlet Collocalia fuciphaga have declined rapidly in recent years as a result of this exploitation.
Economic and social values:	The waters around the islands support an important fishery, producing finfish, shrimps and molluscs not only for local people but also for the markets in Vung Tai and Ho Chi Minh City. With their spectacular scenery and diverse fauna and flora, the islands have considerable potential for both domestic and international tourism. The development of tourism should be given high priority, since it would generate income to improve the standard of living of the government employees on the islands and thereby reduce the need for exploitation of the islands' limited natural resources.
Fauna:	In general, the fauna of the Con Dao Archipelago is rather poor in species. A recent list of the species known to occur includes 18 mammals, 62 birds, 19 reptiles, six amphibians, 150 bivalves (27 of which are of economic importance), 34 snails, five crabs, one shrimp, two limuloids, two scorpions, four spiders, two Acarina, four Polypoda, 28 insects and eight corals. Noteworthy mammals include an endemic species of squirrel and an endemic form of the Great Black Squirrel Ratufa bicolor. Dolphins Delphinus sp and Finless Porpoise Neophocaena phocaenoides regularly occur close inshore around the main island. The macaque Macaca mulatta was common on the main island as recently as the late l970s, but has decreased rapidly in numbers since then due to excessive hunting and human disturbance. Some of the islands, notably Hon Trung Islet, support large breeding colonies of sea-birds including Phaethon aethereus, Sula dactylatra, Sterna dougallii, S. sumatrana and S. anaethetus. The archipelago lies on a major bird migration route and provides resting and feeding areas for large numbers of birds during the migration seasons. Waterbirds known to occur on the islands include Ixobrychus flavicollis, Andeola speciosa, Egretta sacra, E. ganzetta, Dendrocygna javanica, Pandion haliaetus, Haliastur indus, Haliaeetus leucogaster and a variety of shorebirds. Resident land birds include the Pied Imperial Pigeon Ducula bicolor, a species which is scarce throughout much of its range but still rather common on Con Dao. The Edible-nest Swiflet Collocalia fuciphaga (francica) nests in caves on some of the islands, along with two other species of swifts, Apus affinis and A. pacificus. The numbers of swifts are, however, decreasing rapidly due to the collecting of their nests for export. Reptiles include the sea turtles Eretmochelys imbricata and Chelonia mydas, two species of monitor lizard Varanus spp and two species of pythons Python spp.
Special floral values:	The vegetation includes many plants of medicinal value, such as Oroxylon indicum, and ornamental species sold throughout southern Vietnam and abroad. The wild grape thrives on the islands, the vines producing bunches of grapes weighing more than two kilograms. A distinctive grape has been produced by crossing domestic stock with wild grapes on Con Dao.
Research and facilities:	Several faunal and floral surveys have been carried out on the islands.
References:	Vo An ha et al. (1983 & 1987).
Criteria for inclusion:	1b, 2a, 2c, 2d.
Source:	Le Dien Duc.