Lophura erythrophthalma

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	GALLIFORMES	PHASIANIDAE

Scientific Name:

Lophura erythrophthalma

Species Authority:

(Raffles, 1822)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Crestless Fireback, Rufous-tailed Pheasant
Spanish	–	Faisán Colicanelo, Faisán de Carúncula Azul

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A2cd+3cd+4cd ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Davison, G., Hennache, A. & van Balen, B.

Justification:
The continuing rapid reduction in extent and quality of this pheasant's lowland rainforest habitat, across most of its known range, implies a rapid population reduction and justifies its classification as Vulnerable.

History:

2008	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable
1988	–	Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Lophura erythrophthalma occurs in Peninsular and East Malaysia, Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia, and Brunei. There are few recent records from Borneo, where it appears to be scarce and localised, mainly in the south and west. There are just a handful of recent records from Sumatra, all from Riau and Jambi provinces. At select sites it has been recorded at densities of up to six birds per km². However, it is not a widespread species and appears to be localised suggesting the total population is moderately small, although it is probably under-recorded owing to its occurrence in less accessible peat forest and karst forest (B. van Balen in litt. 2012). Continuing forest clearance throughout the Indonesian lowlands must be causing a rapid decline, which is also likely to be the case outside well-protected areas in Peninsular Malaysia.
Countries:	Native: Brunei Darussalam; Indonesia; Malaysia Regionally extinct: Singapore
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The population size is preliminarily estimated to fall into the band 10,000-19,999 mature individuals, although it is now likely to be at the lower end of this range (B. van Balen in litt. 2012). An estimate of 10,000-19,999 mature individuals equates to 15,000-29,999 individuals in total, rounded here to 15,000-30,000 individuals.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is an extreme lowland specialist, inhabiting primary and well-regenerated, closed canopy, evergreen forest. Birds in Malaysia are tolerant of logged forest, and it has been recorded in lightly logged forest on Sumatra. However, precise details of its habitat preferences, and its ecological interactions with its congener L. ignita, are lacking. Where L. ignita is present, L. erythrophthalma appears to avoid valley-bottom habitats.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It is an extreme lowland specialist, inhabiting primary and well-regenerated, closed canopy, evergreen forest. Birds in Malaysia are tolerant of logged forest, and it has been recorded in lightly logged forest on Sumatra. However, precise details of its habitat preferences, and its ecological interactions with its congener L. ignita, are lacking. Where L. ignita is present, L. erythrophthalma appears to avoid valley-bottom habitats.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The overriding threats are habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation as a result of large-scale commercial logging, even within some protected areas, and widespread clearance for plantations of rubber and oil-palm. Rates of forest loss in the Sundaic lowlands have been extremely rapid (Kalimantan lost nearly 25% of its evergreen forest during 1985-1997, and Sumatra lost almost 30% of its 1985 cover), because of a variety of factors, including the escalation of illegal logging and land conversion. A significant issue currently is selective logging in an array of forest reserves (not protected areas per se) that results in habitat degradation, including degradation of any unknown features that influence habitat selection by this species, and opens the forest to fire risk, reduced value, and conversion to agriculture in future. Hunting for food may pose an additional, more localised threat.

Major Threat(s):

The overriding threats are habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation as a result of large-scale commercial logging, even within some protected areas, and widespread clearance for plantations of rubber and oil-palm. Rates of forest loss in the Sundaic lowlands have been extremely rapid (Kalimantan lost nearly 25% of its evergreen forest during 1985-1997, and Sumatra lost almost 30% of its 1985 cover), because of a variety of factors, including the escalation of illegal logging and land conversion. A significant issue currently is selective logging in an array of forest reserves (not protected areas per se) that results in habitat degradation, including degradation of any unknown features that influence habitat selection by this species, and opens the forest to fire risk, reduced value, and conversion to agriculture in future. Hunting for food may pose an additional, more localised threat.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway It occurs in several protected areas, including Taman Negara and Krau Wildlife Reserve (Malaysia), Gunung Mulu National Park (Sarawak) and Tanjung Puting National Park (Kalimantan). At the end of 2002 there were 49 individuals in captivity in Europe and a further 43 in Malaysia (A. Hennache in litt. 2004). The European captive population is not thought to be currently viable in the long term due to diminishing genetic diversity (A. Hennache in litt. 2004). Conservation Actions Proposed Advocate full protection under Indonesian and Malaysian law. Conduct further research into its ecological requirements, including its relationship with L. ignita. Conduct extensive field surveys to establish its distribution and population status in Sumatra and assess its use of recently burned areas Following surveys and GIS analysis, review whether key populations are adequately represented within the existing protected areas network, and advocate protection of further areas if necessary. Promote the concept of Forest Management Units in Sabah (99-year concessions of great size). Assist forest managers in habitat identification and zoning of concession areas. Develop support mechanisms for key IBAs in Peninsular Malaysia. Promote the careful management of captive stocks including the establishment of a studbook.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
It occurs in several protected areas, including Taman Negara and Krau Wildlife Reserve (Malaysia), Gunung Mulu National Park (Sarawak) and Tanjung Puting National Park (Kalimantan). At the end of 2002 there were 49 individuals in captivity in Europe and a further 43 in Malaysia (A. Hennache in litt. 2004). The European captive population is not thought to be currently viable in the long term due to diminishing genetic diversity (A. Hennache in litt. 2004).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Advocate full protection under Indonesian and Malaysian law. Conduct further research into its ecological requirements, including its relationship with L. ignita. Conduct extensive field surveys to establish its distribution and population status in Sumatra and assess its use of recently burned areas Following surveys and GIS analysis, review whether key populations are adequately represented within the existing protected areas network, and advocate protection of further areas if necessary. Promote the concept of Forest Management Units in Sabah (99-year concessions of great size). Assist forest managers in habitat identification and zoning of concession areas. Develop support mechanisms for key IBAs in Peninsular Malaysia. Promote the careful management of captive stocks including the establishment of a studbook.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Lophura erythrophthalma. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 June 2013.
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