Tham Chiang Dao: A Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in Northern Thailand

Abstract

The Doi Chiang Dao massif, which became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2021, is the highest karst mountain in Thailand. Tham Chiang Dao cave is located at the foot of this massif and is among the best-known caves in Thailand, having been visited since prehistoric times, and being a sacred place for the local Shan and Thai people. The cave consists of five main interconnected passages with a total length of 5342 m which ranks it as the 11th longest cave in Thailand. Tham Chiang Dao is the best studied cave in Thailand with a long series of explorations, investigations and zoological collecting. Here, we summarize the 110 years of biological exploration and investigation devoted to this cave. A total of 149 taxa have been recognized in Tham Chiang Dao, of which 61 have been identified to species level. The cave is the type locality for 14 species. The obligate subterranean fauna includes 37 species, of which 33 are troglobionts and 4 are stygobionts. Conservation issues are addressed in the discussion. This work is intended to provide a reference for the knowledge of cave fauna of the Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary and a tool for its management by the local cave management committee, the National Cave Management Policy Committee, and the Department of Mineral Resources. It also documents the biological importance of Tham Chiang Dao in the Doi Chiang Dao UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.