A rapid assessment of logging effects on bird species in Kelantan forests areas, Malaysia

Kelantan Forest Areas (KFA) are known to be the major portion of Taman Negara National Park, and it has been identified as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) rank 1 under Malaysia’s National Physical Plan (NPP). Since access to the forest areas is often lacking and vital forest information are often inadequate, this study aims to find a baseline data for macro EIA of KFA. This study consists of rapid assessment of logging effects on bird species. Based on the study, Kelantan forests are divided into (1) lowland evergreen rain forest, (2) lower mountain rain forest and (3) upper mountain rain forest, using general vegetation forms. A total of 321 species of birds were recorded in KFA using data collection from related agencies, Mist-netting Method, Transect survey Method (Distance Sampling Method; Point Count Method) and Secondary data. Out of this number, 220, 49, 7 and 1 species were falls under totally protected, nearly threatened, vulnerable and critically endangered categories, respectively. Out of the total recorded species, a total of 155, 292 and 128 species were recorded in lowland evergreen rain forest reserves, lower mountain rain forest reserve and upper Kelantan mountain rain forest respectively. The blue-banded kingfisher Alcedo euryzonia in the list of Kelantan birds was fall under critically endangered status. A total of 83 species were observed commonly in 3 kinds of habitat, 20 species were recorded only in Kelantan lowland forest reserve, which species Jambu fruit-dove was fall under nearly threatened. Furthermore, a total of 5 species were recorded just in upper mountain Kelantan rain forest. This study considered that Kelantan forests could be one of the `megadiversity’ places in Malaysia, and effects of logging on wildlife species as well as birds were cleared.