Cat Tien National Park (CTNP) is located in southern Vietnam. It is situated approximately 150 km North of Ho Chi Minh City and nearly 150 km south of Dalat. The protected area totals 73,878ha, with a buffer zone of 183,479ha. The Park embodies three sectors: Nam Cat Tien (38,100ha) in Dong Nai Province, Tay Cat Tien (5,143ha) in Binh Phuoc Province and Cat Loc (30,635 ha) in Lam Dong Province. Cat Loc in the north is geographically disconnected from the southern part by a 10km band of heavily populated rural land.

In the last few years Cat Tien National Park (CTNP) has grown in work effort, achievement, and recognition. There has been an expansion and improvement of activities in all departments through training, investment, and support. This has been reflected in the achievements of the Park with a high level of forest protection maintained, an expansion of the information on the Park’s ecosystems, and support provided to local communities living within and around the Park. These achievements have been acknowledged nationally and internationally as demonstrated by the area being recognized as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve in 2001.

The flora of Cat Tien region is typical for the South-East of Viet Nam bio-geographic region (the eastern part of the southern Mekong Delta) with Dipterocarpaceae and Lythraceae are the most commonly represented families in areas where human modification is minimal. In forests disturbed by humans, the major families represented are Euphorbiaceae and Moraceae. One percent of the species found in Cat Tien region are endemic to Vietnam (FIPI, MOF & WWF, 1995). The variety of habitats supports a rich diversity of biological life. Currently 76 mammal, 320 bird, 74 reptile, 35 amphibian, and 99 fish species have been confirmed in the Park.

Of the fauna occurring in the area, 40 species are IUCN red listed. The key species amongst them are: the Orange-necked Partridge (Arborophila davidi), which is another endemic to this region of Vietnam; Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), which were locally extinct, but have been re-established in the Park; Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus); Black- shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix nigripes); Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon (Hylobatesgabriellae); White-shouldered Ibis (Pseudibis davisoni); and White-winged Wood Duck (Cairina scutulata). Especially, The Vietnamese sub-species of the Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus), which is the rarest large mammal on earth with a population of less than 7 only found in Cat Loc.