pardus ), gaur ( Bos gaurus ), saola ( Pseudoryx nghetinhensis ), gibbon ( Hylobates spp., Nomascus spp .), Siamese crocodile ( Crocodylus siamensis ), Irrawaddy dolphin ( Orcaella brevirostris ), and white winged duck ( Cairina scutulata ). The Lao PDR is also located within the centre of the domestication of Asian rice ( Oryza sativa L. ). The centre of origin of the glutinous rice types is, moreover, recognised to be within the Lao PDR and northern Thailand. Rice is a globally important crop species and the Lao PDR probably has the highest number of varieties amongst any country of a similar size in the world.
Over 13,000 samples were collected between 1995 and 2000, and stored at International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) gene bank (ABP, 2015). Wetlands in the Lao PDR, like many other countries, play an important role in water regulation, and combating droughts. The country has about 30 significant wetland sites, which cover and estimated 1 million hectares (Claridge, 1996). These wetland habitats support a remarkable level of biodiversity. More than 481 fish species have been identified in the Lao PDR, including 22 introduced species, and new species are regularly discovered.
Among other aquatic animals, approximately 37 amphibians, 7 species of crab and 10 species of shrimps have been recorded, but these records cover only about 15% of the estimate total (Phonvisay, 2013). Though much of the population of the Lao PDR relies heavily on the social and economic benefits derived from use of its biological resources, there has been little progress in ensuring that these benefits are evenly distributed. Examples of these important resources include Non- Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) such as medicinal plants, orchids, rattan, and bamboo species which are traded domestically and internationally.
Although some taxes are collected on these items, there is no system in place to ensure that communities from which the materials originate benefit financially from their sales (IUCN, 2011). Although the Lao PDR is still rich ecologically, biodiversity has been significantly reduced by a range of factors, including population growth, land use change, resource extraction, and the transition from subsistence farming to a market economy.
The government, nevertheless, has been quick to realize the need to protect biodiversity, aquatic animals and wildlife in the Lao PDR by establishing the national protected area system in the country and it has enacted laws, decrees, directives and regulations on the management of forests, aquatic animals, and wildlife all over the country. Moreover, in 2015 the decree for Protected Areas (No.:
134/G) was published in order to make the Protected Areas become abundant and sustainable by focusing on environmental protection, watershed protection, prevention from erosion, protection of soil quality, protection of strategic zones for national defence & security, adaptation and reduction of climate changes, global warming mitigation measures, contributing to the improvement of living conditions for people of all ethnic groups, and developing the national socio-economic status (Lao PDR, 2015). 4