Cát Tiên National Park (Vietnamese: Vườn quốc gia Cát Tiên) is a national park in southern Vietnam. It is located in the provinces of Đồng Nai, Bình Phước, and Lâm Đồng. The park is about 150 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh City. It covers an area of approximately 720 square kilometers and protects one of the largest remaining areas of lowland tropical forests in Vietnam. Since 2011, Cát Tiên National Park has been part of the Đồng Nai Biosphere Reserve.

History

The area around Cát Tiên National Park was originally home to the Ma people, especially in the region now known as Cat Loc (in the 1960s, eastern Nam Cat Tien was described as "uninhabited"), and the Stieng people in western Dong Nai Province. After the park was created, many of these people were moved to Talai village, located to the south-west of Nam Cat Tien.

Cát Tiên National Park (CTNP) was first protected in 1978 as two areas: Nam Cat Tien and Tay Cat Tien. A third area, Cat Loc, was designated as a rhinoceros reserve in 1992 after a group of Vietnamese Javan rhinoceroses was discovered there. This event increased global awareness of the park. The three areas were combined into one park in 1998. Nam Cat Tien is connected to the Vĩnh Cửu nature reserve, creating a larger area for animals to live and reproduce. The forest is now protected by the Kiểm lâm (Vietnam Forest Rangers), who manage issues like illegal hunting, fires, and other threats.

Parts of the park were damaged during the Vietnam War when large amounts of herbicides were sprayed over the land. Additional harm occurred due to logging activities that continued until the 1990s. Today, these areas have large areas of bamboo and grassland, and trees have not yet returned.

Archaeology

The Cát Tiên archaeological site is near the park's edge on the north side of the Dong Nai River, between Cat Loc and Nam Cat Tien, with the area facing Nam Cat Tien. Excavations from 1994 to 2003 discovered a group of temples belonging to a Shaiva Hindu civilization that was not known before. This civilization likely lived there between the 4th and 9th centuries AD, possibly later. Many items made of gold, bronze, ceramic, colored stone, and glass are now on display at the Da Lat Museum.

Habitats and flora

Cát Tiên National Park (CTNP) includes seasonal tropical forests, grasslands, and riparian areas. Park Authorities have identified five major habitat types:

• Primary evergreen forest areas may cover only about 2% of the Nam Cat Tien area. These areas are highly diverse but dominated by trees from two plant families:
• Fabaceae: Includes Afzelia xylocarpa (Caesalpinoidea) and rosewoods (Papilionoideae), such as the endemic Dalbergia mammosa.
• Dipterocarpaceae: Includes Dipterocarpus alatus, which grows naturally and is used for replanting. Hopea odorata is also used for replanting.

• Primary and secondary mixed or deciduous forest (dry season): In well-drained soils, common trees include:
• Lagerstroemia calyculata (Lythraceae),
• Tetrameles nudiflora (Tetramelaceae), which includes large trees,
• Anogeissus acuminata (Combretaceae).

Lagerstroemia calyculata is often found in secondary forests, as noted by Blanc et al. This tree is a strong competitor that can grow in areas where the soil has been disturbed, such as along roads or farmland that has been abandoned. Human activities have mainly affected Dipterocarpaceae for resin and Fabaceae for their wood.

In low canopy and understory areas, species like the endemic Cycas inermis and several palms (Caryota mitis, Licuala, Pinanga spp.) are common. Fruit species, such as figs (Ficus racemosa) and wild bananas (Musa acuminata), are also present and provide food for animals.

• Secondary forest with abundant bamboo species: This habitat results from human activities, such as logging, forest fires, and wartime defoliants, which have replaced the forest canopy with bamboo. Common trees include Lagerstroemia calyculata, Mesua spp., and Xylia xylocarpa, along with bamboo species.

• Bamboo forest (about 40% of the park): This area may have been affected by human activity, such as clearing land for farming, which created conditions favorable for bamboo growth. Common species include Bambusa balcooa, B. procera, and Gigantochloa spp.

• Seasonally flooded grasslands: CTNP includes about 10% grassland and wetland areas, such as disused farmland.
• During the rainy season, water from the Dong Nai River floods a 2,500-hectare area in northern Nam Cat Tien, along the Da Kluo, a reverse-flow stream similar to the Tonlé Sap. This flooding replenishes lakes such as Bau Sau (crocodile lake), Bau Chim, Bau Co, and surrounding grasslands.
• In the flat eastern half of Nam Cat Tien, there are swamps and poorly drained open areas (3–10 hectares) surrounded by swamp forest and sometimes vernal pools.

The park has many epiphytes, such as ferns, orchids, and "ant plants" like Myrmecodia. Lianas are common, including Ancistrocladus tectorius, Entada spp. (box beans), Lasiobema scandens ("monkey ladders"), and Calamus spp. (rattans) in wet areas.

In flat lowland areas and along streams, freshwater swamp forests include trees such as Ficus benjamina, Livistona saribus, Crateva, Syzygium, and Horsfieldia spp. Naturally occurring patches of Bambusa blumeana (tre gai or tre la ngà) are also found in riparian and flooded forest areas. Other plants include Schumannianthus dichotomus ("cool mat"), which grows in muddy areas near streams.

Many species found only in CTNP have been described by Vietnamese and international scientists, including those at the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre. Over 20 species have names ending with "catienensis" or similar, such as two palms (Licuala), the bracket fungus Tomophagus cattienensis, two reptiles, and four insects.

Between the park headquarters and Ta Lai village, there are replanting areas, including a 200-hectare site supported by the European Community from 1996 to 1998.

Fauna

The park is home to many types of mammals. Some of the animals you might see include:

Primates (mammals with hands and feet that are adapted for grasping):
– Golden-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae)
– Black-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nigripes)
– Indochinese lutung (silvered langur) (Trachypithecus germaini)
– Stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides)
– Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis)
– Northern pig-tailed macaque (Macaca leonina)
– Pygmy slow loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus)

Tree shrews (small mammals more closely related to primates than to shrews):
– Northern smooth-tailed treeshrew (Dendrogale murina)
– Northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri)

Other mammals:
– Sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)
– Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) – found in the bear sanctuary, though its wild status is uncertain
– Large-toothed ferret badger (Melogale personata pierrei)
– Yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula subsp. indochinensis)
– Oriental small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinerea)
– Crab-eating mongoose (Herpestes urva)
– Binturong (Arctictis binturong)
– Large Indian civet (Viverra zibetha)
– Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)
– Small-toothed palm civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata)
– Leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis)

Bats (confirmed species):
– Fruit bats (Pteropodidae): 4 species
– False vampire bats (Megadermatidae): 2 species
– Horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae): 5 species
– Leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae): 3 species
– Evening bats (Vespertilionidae): 12 species

Rodents and Lagomorphs (mammals like squirrels, mice, and hares):
– Squirrels (Sciuridae): 5 species
– Mice and rats (Muridae): 14 species
– Porcupines (Hystricidae): East Asian porcupine (Hystrix brachyura), brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus macrourus)
– Siamese hare (Lepus peguensis)

Other notable mammals (some are vulnerable or endangered):
– Sunda flying lemur (colugo) (Galeopterus variegatus)
– Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) – Endangered (EN)
– Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) – Critically Endangered (CR)
– Gaur (Bos gaurus) – Vulnerable (VU)

Even-toed ungulates (mammals with an even number of toes):
– Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa)
– Lesser mouse-deer (Tragulus kanchil)
– Barking deer (red muntjac) (Muntiacus muntjak annamensis)
– Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor)

The park once had Javan rhinoceroses, but the last one was killed by poachers in 2010. Records also mention banteng and kouprey, though kouprey may now be extinct. Wild Asian water buffalo no longer live in the park. Some sources list Indochinese tigers, leopards, clouded leopards, and dholes, but recent surveys did not confirm their presence.

Birds (many species):
– Red junglefowl
– Green peafowl
– Pheasants (Phasianidae): Germain's peacock-pheasant, Siamese fireback, orange-necked partridge
– Kingfishers: Tree kingfishers (Halcyon: 4 species), blue-eared kingfisher (Alcedo meninting), pied kingfisher (Cerylidae: Ceryle rudis)
– Bee-eaters (Meropidae)
– Hornbills: Great, Oriental pied, and wreathed hornbill
– Pittas: Bar-bellied, blue-rumped, blue-winged pitta
– Broadbills: Black and red, dusky, and banded species
– Red-vented barbet (endemic subspecies)
– Grey-faced tit babbler
– Woodpeckers: Pale-headed, white-bellied, black-and-buff, heart-spotted woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus)
– Asian fairy-bluebird
– Lesser adjutant, herons, and egrets
– Milky stork and woolly-necked stork
– Resident and migratory waterfowl (white-winged ducks may no longer be present)
– Birds of prey: Osprey, lesser fish eagle, grey-headed fish eagle, crested serpent eagle, falconets

Reptiles (notable species):
– Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis)
– Vietnamese leaf turtle (Cyclemys pulchristriata)
– Endemic species: Cat Tien bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus cattienensis), Cat Tien slender gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus cattien)

Note: The "Cat Tien kukri snake" is now considered a color variation of Oligodon cinereus.

Other reptiles:
– Agamidae (lizards): Species include those in the family Agamidae
– Snakes, lizards, and turtles

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Threats

Cat Tien National Park is an important reserve in Vietnam because it protects many species and their habitats. Even though the Javan rhinoceros no longer lives there, the park is home to 40 species listed on the IUCN Red List, which includes animals at risk of extinction. It also protects about 30% of Vietnam's animal species. However, the park faces challenges such as people from nearby communities moving into the area, illegal cutting of trees, and hunting of animals. Additionally, the park is too small for some large animals, which has caused these animals to either disappear from the area or come into conflict with people outside the park. This issue is especially serious for the park's elephants, which often wander outside the park and are too few to survive on their own.

Starting in the early 1990s, international donors and the Vietnamese government began investing more money in protecting Cat Tien National Park. This included helping manage forests near the park, such as Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve, and working with local communities. Efforts have been made to create a management plan that allows for both protecting the park and letting local people use some natural resources, including groups like the Stieng, Chau Ma (now mainly in Ta Lai), and Cho'ro minorities.

In 2008, the Forestry Protection Department, along with the Endangered Asian Species Trust (UK), Monkey World Ape Rescue (UK), and Pingtung Wildlife Rescue Centre (Taiwan), established the Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre. This center helps rescue, care for, and release four endangered primates found in Cat Tien: the golden-cheeked gibbon, black-shanked douc, pygmy loris, and silvered langur. It also creates guidelines for releasing primates back into the wild. The center offers daily educational tours where visitors can learn about its work and see young gibbons being cared for in trees.