We welcome the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park, one of the last remaining wildernesses in Southeast Asia, commitment to join the IUCN Green List.
The Nakai-Nam Theun National Park is an area of pristine forest spanning over 4,000 kilometers across Khammouane and Bolikhamxay provinces in central Lao PDR. Identified as one of the key biodiversity areas within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, the Nakai-Nam Theun features a unique climatic pattern and ecosystem rich in species.
Due to its location in the Annamite Mountains, the area features some of the latest mammals discovered by science, including the endangered Saola, Large-Antlered Muntjac, and the Annamite Striped Rabbit. 31 villages are located within the protected area, representing 7,000 people from nine different ethnic groups, each with their own distinctive languages, including the Saek language which is known only to the area.
Image credit: (c) Nakai-Nam Theun National Park