IUCN Laos

Over 40% of the primary forest in Lao PDR remains but this is under increasing pressure. Floristic diversity is poorly known and botanical work almost non-existent. This checklist is the outcome of a programme aimed at training some 30 Laotians participants in tropical taxonomy through field work and herbarium base work. One of the outputs of this project is this checklist which has more than 4800 species from 232 families.

The Lao People's Democratic Republic lies at the heart the Mekong River basin. It has an abundance of natural resources including water, wetlands, forests and biodiversity. Managing these rich resources in a sustainable manner is essential to the efforts to meet its development objectives of reducing poverty while promoting economic growth.

Compiles recent data and reviews past information to provide annotated species lists of all amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals of Lao People's Democratic Republic. Each species account considers seasonal status, distribution in the country, altitude range, and habitats used. Species of national conservation concern are identified and the account is expanded to a synthesis of recent and historical status information. The issues are summarised for taxa considered under several names in recent sources.

This publication gives an account of the challenges currently being faced by Lao PDR - an oasis of biodiversity richness nestled amid a group of countries whose biodiversity assets have been severly depleted as a result of economic and/or population pressures - as it struggles with the options between trying to ensure the equitable economic and social development of its peoples, while using its resources sustainably and ensuring that exploitation of its resources by neighbouring countries does not deplete these same resources further.