Bái Tử Long National Park

Bái Tử Long National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Location	Vietnam
Nearest city	Hạ Long
Coordinates	21°6′0″N 107°38′0″E / 21.10000°N 107.63333°E / 21.10000; 107.63333Coordinates: 21°6′0″N 107°38′0″E / 21.10000°N 107.63333°E / 21.10000; 107.63333
Area	157.83 km²
Established	2001

Bái Tử Long National Park (Vietnamese: Vườn quốc gia Bái Tử Long) is a protected area zone in northeastern Vietnam. It was established in 2001, succeeding from the former Ba Mun National Conservation Zone. It is one of seven Vietnamese amphibian national parks which has both terrestrial zone and aquatic zone.

It is located within Bái Tử Long Bay, which with Hạ Long Bay forms an impressive scenery of sea and islands. Including thousands of islands and rocks, they create one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

According to legend, an immense dragon descended to Hạ Long Bay (meaning ‘’Descending Dragon’’) millions years ago, dropping numerous eggs. These eggs hatched forming thousands of rocks and islands. The tail of the dragon extended far to the sea, forming Bạch Long Vĩ island (meaning "The Tail of the White Dragon"). As she returned to heaven, she said good bye to her offspring at the Bái Tử Long Bay (means "The dragon parts the offspring").

Now the park is part of Vân Đồn District, 20 km distant from Cái Rồng town.

During the 27th meeting of ASEAN Senior Officials on Environment in 2016, Bái Tử Long was officially endorsed as the 38th ASEAN Heritage Park.^[1]

Geography

The exactly geographical position is in a rectangle between 20°55'05" and 21°15'10" North latitude, 107°30'10" and 107°46'20" East longitude. It administratively consists of 3 communes: Minh Châu, Vạn Yên and Hạ Long of Vân Đồn District.

It is composed from a terrestrial area of 61.25 km² and an aquatic area of 96.58 km². The zone includes over 40 islands and rocks. They form three groups: Ba Mùn group, Trà Ngọ group and Sậu group. The aquatic area includes the sea zone between the islands and the narrows between the park area and the land area which has boundary of 1 km offshore. The national park also includes a buffer zone of approximately 165.34 km², which is located in a larger area including five communes: Minh Châu, Vạn Yên, Bản Sen, Quan Lạn and Hạ Long. The total population of the core zone and the buffer zone is around 24,000.

Ecosystem

The national park includes five kinds of ecosystems: rain/broad-leaf forest, limestone forest, littoral forest, coral area and shallow water area.

The rain/broad-leaf forest area is mostly secondary forest. The average canopy covers 50 – 90%. 494 species belonging to 337 genera of 117 families have been found in this type of ecosystem. Some endangered species include Cycas balansae, Radix marindae officinalis, Ardisia sylvestris Pitard, Smilax glabra, leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), Indian muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak), small Indian civet (Viverricula indica), large Indian civet (Viverra zibetha).

The limestone forest area is forest growing in poor soil with particles of limestone on rocky islands. Some rare animals found there include serow, rhesus macaque.

The littoral ecosystem in the park is small areas surrounding the islands. It has a rather large tidal variation and is biologically highly diverse with 251 species including 19 species of mangrove, 17 species of seaweed, 29 species of marine worms, 149 species of molluscs, 22 species of crustaceans and 15 species of echinoderms.

The coral area is located from the water depths of low tide to 10m deep. 409 species have been found including groupers, sea bass, crabs, snails, abalone and seaweeds.

The shallow water area covers a large area around the islands, beyond the tidal area and extending from 1 km to around 4 km. These areas have not been profoundly researched but 539 species have been found.

References

↑ ASEAN Secretariat (9 August 2016). "ASEAN reaffirms calls for clean and green environment". Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Retrieved 15 May 2017.

External links

Official website
Vietnam National Parks & Reserves
Environmental capacity Halong Bay - Bai Tu Long. Publisher: Natural Science and Technology. Hanoi. Editor: Nguyen Khoa Son, ISBN 978-604-913-063-2 – In Vietnamese
Halong Bay cruise

National parks of Vietnam
Ba Bể Ba Vì Bạch Mã Bái Tử Long Bến En Bidoup Núi Bà Bù Gia Mập Cát Bà Cát Tiên Chư Mom Ray Chư Yang Sin Côn Đảo Cúc Phương Hoàng Liên Kon Ka Kinh Lò Gò-Xa Mát Mũi Cà Mau Núi Chúa Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng Phú Quốc Phước Bình Pù Mát Tam Đảo Tràm Chim U Minh Hạ U Minh Thượng Vũ Quang Xuân Sơn Xuân Thủy Yok Đôn

ASEAN Heritage Parks
Brunei	Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park
Cambodia	Preah Monivong National Park Virachey National Park
Indonesia	Gunung Leuser National Park Kerinci Seblat National Park Lorentz National Park Way Kambas National Park
Laos	Nam Ha National Protected Area
Malaysia	Gunung Mulu National Park Kinabalu National Park Taman Negara National Park
Myanmar	Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park Indawgyi Lake Wildlife Sanctuary Inlay Lake Wetland Sanctuary Khakaborazi National Park Lampi Island Marine National Park Mein-ma-hla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary Nat Ma Taung National Park
Philippines	Mount Apo Natural Park Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary Mounts Iglit–Baco National Park Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park Mount Makiling Nature Reserve Mount Malindang Range Natural Park Timpoong and Hibok-Hibok Natural Monument Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
Singapore	Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Thailand	Ao Phang Nga National Park Kaeng Krachan National Park Khao Yai National Park Tarutao National Park
Vietnam	Ba Bể National Park Bái Tử Long National Park Chư Mom Ray National Park Hoàng Liên National Park Kon Ka Kinh National Park U Minh Thượng National Park
Association of Southeast Asian Nations Centre for Biodiversity

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