Liang Wei

Conservation of Hainan Hill Partridge Arborophila Ardens in Nanweiling Forest, Hainan Province, China

Hainan Hill Partridge.

Farmland bordering Nanweiling Forest.

Town/RegionCountryCategoriesDate
Nanweiling Forest, Hainan ProvinceChinaAsia, Birds, Education, Forests8 Jan 2002

The main aim of the proposed project is to conduct extensive surveys to determine the Hainan Hill Partridge’s distribution and habitat use throughout the forest, and especially to identify which protected areas support significant populations.  On the basis of information gathered, the team will assess whether the existing protected areas network is adequate and, if necessary, will seek to establish more protected areas for this species.

Further objectives are to make recommendations on upgrading Nanweiling forest to provincial level nature reserve, and to conduct public awareness programmes on the plight of the threatened and endemic forest wildlife of Hainan, with the aim of reducing hunting and using Hainan Hill Partridge as a flagship for wildlife conservation on the island

Contact the team at liangwei@hainnu.edu.cn

Project Update: October 2003

Line transects were used to survey Hainan Partridge whilst point count surveys was used in spring (January to May) to assess the breeding densities of partridge.

In total 22 birds were found in the field, with most of them (18 birds) being found in the primary rain forest and four birds in the secondary forest. No partridges were seen in the plantations. Our data shows that the primary rain forest is the most important habitat for Hainan Partridge and it should be well protected.

When most of wood consumed must be collected from the forest, the local people still live in poor condition. As one of the objectives of this project, the Hainan Partridge was recommended and voted by public as Hainan’s Provincial Bird.

Recommendations on making Nanweiling forest as a Provincial Nature Reserve (PNR) based on this project was adopted by Forestry Department of Hainan Province (FDH) and it has been listed as a PNR of Hainan.

A public awareness programme for local people and school (Yongzhong elementary school, with a total of 300 students), including topic exhibition, wildlife conservation concerned movies, videos and a contest.

Our surveys showed that, deforest and plantation (with exotic tree species) for developing economics were the most important threats to Hainan Partridge in Nanweiling forest. Illegal hunting in this area has also a negative effect on Hainan Partridge and it should not be just only from the local people but also from the market. Hunting pressure on this partridge is still high but the fact that poaching in Nanweiling forest was stopped by the local people suggested that local people should play a key role in the conservation of Hainan Partridge and other wildlife.


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