Identified as one of the world's 200 most important ecological regions (WWF, Global Eco-regon 200), Phong Nha - Ke Bang is a prime example of biodiversity in the Truong Son mountain range. Its unique habitat, climate, hydrology, and limestone mountain forest ecosystem create an ideal environment for the local fauna. Phong Nha - Ke Bang has recorded the presence of 1,394 animal species belonging to 835 genera, 289 families, 68 orders, 12 classes, and 4 phyla. Of these, 82 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, 116 in the IUCN Red Book, 39 in Decree No. 64/2019/ND-CP, and 66 in the CITES appendices. The fauna of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park includes both vertebrates (shown by the diversity of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish) and invertebrates (arthropods, flatworms, mollusks).
Mammal diversity: there are 154 species belonging to 90 genera, 32 families, and 11 orders. Among them are 56 large mammal species, 46 of which are listed in the Vietnam Red Book (including 3 critically endangered, 19 endangered, and 21 near-endangered species), 93 species listed in the IUCN Red Book, 29 species listed in Decree 64/2019/ND-CP, and 39 species listed in the CITES appendices. This is also the habitat of 10 primate species, accounting for 50% of the total number of primate species in Vietnam. Among them, there are three globally endangered primate species: the Ha Tinh langur (Trachypithecus hatinhensis*), the brown-footed langur (Pygathrix nemaeus), and the white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys siki), of which the Ha Tinh langur is a narrowly endemic species found only in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang limestone mountain region and its surroundings.
Fish diversity: There are 215 species belonging to 108 genera, 38 families, and 10 orders. Of these, 5 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, 1 is critically endangered, 1 is endangered, and 3 are near-endangered; 33 species are endemic to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
Reptile diversity: There are 100 species belonging to 67 genera, 17 families, and 2 orders. Of these, 17 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, 11 are listed in the IUCN Red Book, 5 are listed in Decree 64/2019/ND-CP, and 15 are listed in the CITES appendices.
Amphibian diversity: There are 51 species belonging to 27 genera, 8 families, and 2 orders. Of these, 3 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, and 1 is listed in the IUCN Red Book.
Diversity in arthropods, flatworms, and mollusks: There are 571 species belonging to 377 genera, 139 families, and 28 orders.
Over the past nearly 20 years, 38 new species have been recorded and published worldwide, including 2 bird species, 3 amphibian species, 18 reptile species, 6 spider species, and 9 fish species. Notably, in 2012, scientists recorded a specimen of the Trường Sơn rock rat (Laonastes aenigmamus) belonging to the genus Laonestes in the expanded area of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park – this is a unique living representative of the ancient mammal family (Diatomyidae) considered extinct 11 million years ago. This is a newly discovered species in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park and a new addition to the Vietnamese mammal list. The discovery of the Trường Sơn Rock Rat is one of the important records of biodiversity in the National Park and in the world, confirming that this group of animals does not live only in Laos but also in Vietnam.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is located in the central part of Central Vietnam, within the northern Truong Son ecological zone of the Indo-Malaya biogeography; with a tropical monsoon climate, average annual rainfall exceeding 2,000 mm and average annual humidity exceeding 80%; along with the diversity of habitats such as forests on limestone mountains, forests on soil mountains, and transitional forests; geological processes have created limestone mountain formations, underground river and stream systems, and a diversity of soil types such as ferralitic soil, black macgallitic-ferralitic soil, and sloping soil. These are important factors contributing to the plant diversity and richness of endemic elements. Phong Nha-Ke Bang records the presence of 2,952 species of vascular higher plants, belonging to 1,007 genera, 198 families, 63 orders, 12 classes, and 6 phyla. Of these, 111 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, 121 species are listed in the IUCN Red Book, and 3 species are listed in Government Decree No. 64/2019/ND-CP dated July 16, 2019. The diversity of flora in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park includes diversity in taxonomic levels, genetic resources, and plant resources.
Diversity in taxonomic levels:
I) Psilotophyta
Psilotopsida: 1 species (Naked Pine).
II) Lycopodiophyta
2) Isoetopsida: 9 species, of which 1 is listed in the Vietnam Red Book.
3) Lycopodipsida: 11 species.
III) Equisetophyta (Equisetophyta)
4) Equisetopsida (Equisetopsida): 2 species, including broad-leaved Equisetophyta and weak-leaved Equisetophyta.
IV) Polypodiophyta/Pteridophyta (Polypodiophyta)
5) Marattiopsida (Marattiopsida): 14 species.
6) Polypodiopsida (Polypodiophyta): 135 species, of which 2 are listed in the Vietnam Red Book.
7) Pteridopsida (Pteridopsida): 99 species, of which 5 are listed in the IUCN Red Book.
V) Pinophyta (Pinophyta)
8) Cycadopsida (Cycadopsida): 2 species, including rocky cycad and submerged cycad, both of which are listed in the Vietnam Red Book (in the endangered and threatened groups) and the IUCN Red Book.
9) Class Gnetopsida: 6 species, of which 4 are listed in the IUCN Red List.
10) Class Pinopsida: 7 species, of which 1 is listed in the Vietnam Red List, and 6 are listed in the IUCN Red List.
VI) Phylum Magnoliophyta
11) Class Liliopsida: 555 species, of which 28 are listed in the Vietnam Red List, 16 are listed in the IUCN Red List, and 1 is listed in Decree 64/2019/ND-CP.
12) Class Magnoliopsida: comprises 2,111 species, of which 77 are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, 88 in the IUCN Red Book, and 2 are listed in Decree 64/2019/ND-CP.
Plant Genetic Diversity: Located in central Vietnam, Phong Nha - Ke Bang is a crossroads of plant life from the north and south. It marks the southernmost boundary for several northern plant species such as Burretiodendron hsienmu, Platanus kerrii, Dipterocarpus retusus, and Burcera tonkinensis, as well as the northernmost boundary for several southern species such as Dipterocarpus kerrii, Depterocarpus grandiflorus, Dialium cochinchinensis, and Pterocarpus macrocarpus. Furthermore, due to its relatively isolated limestone mountain range, Phong Nha - Ke Bang is also a distribution center for 419 endemic plant species of Vietnam (including 28 orchid species).
According to the geographical classification framework of plant elements by Nguyen Nghia Thin and Le Tran Chan (1999): The flora in Phong Nha - Ke Bang consists of 18 different geographical elements, of which the Indochinese endemic element has the most species with 509 species and the lowest is the temperate zone element with only 1 species.
Diversity of plant resources: Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park has over 800 species of resource plants, with scientific and economic value, belonging to 7 groups of uses such as: timber group, resin group, medicinal group, edible group, weaving and fiber group, ornamental and shade group, and dye group.
Notably, among the botanical research results is the discovery of four new species for science, including: Begonia vietnamensis, Aristolochia quangbinhensis Do, Mallotus phongnhaensis, and Polystichum quangbinhense. Additionally, a narrowly endemic species for the limestone mountain area was discovered – the 500-year-old Calocedrus rupestris Averyanov, which grows predominantly on limestone mountains at altitudes above 600m, covering an area of approximately 4,000 hectares. This is considered the most unique forest habitat due to its global importance and conservation value. This ancient and endemic plant species of Vietnam is now mainly found only in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. Additionally, there are findings of a single-species endemic genus Oligoceras belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family, with the species Oligoceras eberhardtii being very rare in Vietnam.
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