Key Species: Three of the last five large
mammals to be discovered or
rediscovered world-wide occured in Nakai.
The most distinct of these remarkable
discoveries is the Saola. Other newly
discovered species are a small dark muntjac
and Giant Muntjac The Indochinese warty pig
was recently rediscovered in 1997 after being
considered extinct. At least nine species of
primates occur including pygmy loris, douc langur,
Francois’ langur and white-cheeked gibbon.
Habitat: There is a complex range of habitats in the
protected area which include evergreen forest, montane
fagaceous forest, cloud forest, riverine forest and everwet
forest'. Dominant geographic features are the Sai Phou Louang
(Annamite) Mountains with in the NPA running NW-SE dissected
by NE-SW oriented river valleys forming the bulk of the NPA.
As these rivers emerge through gorges in the
Dividing Hills onto the Nakai Plateau, the five
main rivers (Nam Sot, Nam Mon, Nam Theun,
Nam Noy and Nam One) widen and meander,
creating rich riverine forest habitat. The Dividing Hills are a NW-SE oriented range
up to 1,000 m in height that separate the Nakai Plateau
from the northern and central mountain area. The Nam Theun leaves the plateau at its north western end, turns to the west and eventually joins the Mekong River as the Nam Kading. Elevations in the NPA range from 500 - 2,200 m,
500 - 580 m on the Nakai Plateau, 600 -1,100 m in the Dividing Hills,
and 600 - 2,200 m in the central and southern mountains
Access: There is only one main road which enters the heart of the NPA,
and it is via Route 8B
(around Ban Kengdaeng, Khamkeut District) to
Ban Thamuang (on the Nam Sot) to Ban Navang
(on the Nam Mon). The Nakai Plateau can also be accessed
from Thakek via Route 12 and then Route 8 B to Nakai District
Town and the Nakai Plateau.
