& W ries ild e lif sh e i S F c , i y e r t n l c Hussien, Poult Fish Wildl Sci 2015, 3:1 u e o s Poultry, Fisheries & P DOI: 10.4172/2375-446X.1000128 ISSN: 2375-446X Wildlife Sciences Research Article Article OpenOpen Access Access Birds of Dinder National Park from 2008-2011 Mohamed Elmekki Ali Elbadawi Hussien* Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Wildlife Department, University of Sinnar, Iran Abstract The study was conducted in Dinder National park. The meadows (Mayas) of Dinder National park (DNP) were studied during the dry season on 27/4-7/5/ 2008, /2009,8/3 - 18/3/2010 and 26/2-16/3/2011. The following seven mayas were studies and they are as follow: Ras Amer, Abdelgani, Gerarisa, Bet Elwahsh Simaya, Mayat Musa, Ein elshams and Abied. The park was traversed by car along the roads between meadows ecosystem and the Dehra riverbeds and Mayas region were patrolled on foot. The place where the birds used to feed and their habitat were also considered. Observations were made in early morning (6.30-10.00) and afternoon (16.00-18.00). Each maya’s visit took ten days for complete observation. The study showed that there is a wide variation in the total number of individual birds and the variation also existed in number of species(richness). It is impossible to predict the reason behind the distribution of the birds and the species richness as well except the water availability and the climate conditions Keywords:Ecosystem; Species; National Park; Habitat degradation; described as badly degraded and under serious threat from a number Poaching of ongoing problems including encroachment, habitat degradation and poaching. Introduction Until the 1960s, the area surrounding park was relatively The avian fauna of Sudan includes 931 species of birds of which uninhabited. Since then, however migration and irrational land use reported 127 species are common in Sennar, Gedarif and Blue Nile have resulted in development around the park, to an extent that around states [1]. forty villages now exist along its boundaries. The park is located approximately at between latitude 12° 42′ N Large-scale mechanized agriculture activities in the north and west and longitude 34° 48′ N was established in 1935 following the London has not only pushed traditional agricultural communities to the edge convention for the conservation of African flora and fauna. The park of the park, but by taking over most of the land previously used for is complete ecological unit but characteristically some of its wildlife grazing, has also led pastoralists to invade the park in large numbers. migrates during the rainy season where their movement is not impeded Livestock compete with wildlife for fodder and water and transmit by the tall grass and thick clay and they drift back to the mentioned diseases such as render pest and anthrax, while burning degrades the park in the dry season [2]. grassed woodland habitat. Poaching is also a major problem, as is the The park has three following major ecosystems:Firstly, the felling of trees for fire wood by trespassers and fires set in the course of woodland is largest in extent and characterized by Acacia seyal(taleh), honey extraction from the bee-hive. Balanites aegyptiaca (heglig) and Combretum species (habeel). The Methodology soil is characterized as a heavy cracking clay and it has tall coarse grasses including Sorghum species (Adar) and the Riverine ecosystem The study was conducted in Dinder National park. The meadows contains mainly doum palm ie; Hyphaenae the baica, Acacia siberiana (Mayas) of Dinder National park (DNP) were studied during the dry (kook), Ziziphus abyssinica, Ziziphus spinachristi (Sidir) and Momosa season on 27/4-7/5/2008, /2009,8/3-18/3/2010 and 26/2-16/3/2011. The pigra (shagrat Elfas). The dominant grasses are Sorghumand bracharia following seven mayas were studies and they are as follow: Ras Amer, (Umasabie). The third ecosystem is the Mayas that constitute an Abdelgani, Gerarisa, Bet Elwahsh Simaya, Mayat Musa, Ein elshams and important foraging ground for wildlife during the severe part of the dry Abied. The park was traversed by car along the roads between meadows season (March-June). Mayas are green meadows that hold water and ecosystem and the Dehra riverbeds and Mayas region were patrolled on provide green fodder throughout the dry season [3]. foot. The place where the birds used to feed and their habitat were also considered. Observations were made in early morning (6.30-10.00) and Only patchy information is available on the avian fauna of the afternoon (16.00-18.00). Each maya’s visit took ten days for complete Dinder national park, which is the closest northern national park to observation. Basic count (Direct count) is used as it is a good way to most urbanized centers in northern Sudan. The study of the area has estimate population size, detect changes in population size or species become basic necessity [2]. The aims of the study focus mainly on the identification of the birds *Corresponding author: Mohamed Elmekki Ali Elbadawi Hussien, Faculty of fauna, changes and quantification of these changes. Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Wildlife Department, University of Dinder National Park is the most important terrestrial protected Sinnar, Iran, Tel: 0118273000; E-mail: [email protected] area in the northern states of Sudan. Located on the Ethiopian border, Received December 19, 2014; Accepted April 01, 2015; Published April 30, 2015 straddling Blue Nile and Gadarif and Sennar states. It is approximately Citation: Hussien MEAE (2015) Birds of Dinder National Park from 2008-2011. 10,000 km² in size. The most important features of the park are a series Poult Fish Wildl Sci 3: 128. doi:10.4172/2375-446X.1000128 of permanent and seasonal wetlands known locally as Mayas which are Copyright: © 2015 Hussien MEAE. This is an open-access article distributed under linked to streams running of the Ethiopian highlands to the east. the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and The habitat and wildlife of Dinder National Park can currently be source are credited. Poult Fish Wildl Sci ISSN: 2375-446X PFW, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 1 • 1000128 habitat [2]. habitat inthe changes subsequent and changes climatic to associated probably 2). (Figure here role significant rainfall play of be the amount may but inthe park birds of distribution effecting the the factors about known reason No individuals. of number small 2008, whichrecorded year with variation remarkable is there and 2008 year the from fluctuation slight with and individuals of number Discussion Conclusion and Result birds. of guides field different three of plates with compared and telescope binocularand using by identified species are The transect the same again. re-measure to than sites counting other set to up better is [4].It locations the same at still be present may birds is, the same That “independent”. not are because these assessments population. abird of the status about information general they provide and techniques other to compared inexpensive less is easily and fairly be can completed counts Basic bird well. as is collected birds of the habitat to pertaining data The the environment. in the changes of the cause indetermining also helpful and diversity Citation: There were changes in the bird fauna in the Park which were were which Park in the fauna bird in the changes were There high 2011registered the year 1,that be can Figure seen from It Assessment of the same site twice on the same day is not better better not is day the same twice on site the same of Assessment 3 1 1 2 2 3 5 5 0 5 0 5 0 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hussien MEAE As is to be expected in and an arid country like the Sudan be countrythe to Sudan arid like is expected an As inand Figure 2: Common Ostrich A Little Grebe Total number of individualspark numberofinthe Total Saddle billed stork (2015) Birds of Dinder National Park from 2008-2011. PoultFishWildlSci3:128.doi: (2015)BirdsofDinderNationalParkfrom2008-2011. Abdim Stork B Black headed heron Great egret Sacred ibis Figure 1: Garganey C Pygmy goose Number ofindividualsinDinderNationalPark2008-2011 Hooded vulture White-backed vulture D Peregrine falcon Helmted guinea fowl Common morhen Little stint Senegal thicknee complicated. very are the Meadows at level it’s and water of between the amount besides the relationship birds, of the number and water of the amount between relationship The known. not is annually water store to capacity maya’s of variation the for reason exact in2011.The Simaya to addition dry in2010 completely they were in2008-2009but full water of were Ein ashams and musa maya of Inspite Simaya. and ashams Aein and Musa maya as such dry years two the last were for (maya’s) meadows many that the reason be for this may and the park visited that birds 1). (Appendix ( Comaroptera Green-backed leucocephala)and (Turdios Babbler chalcopilos ( Emerald wood like dove recorded be to disappeard, thought species some are There the in park. sources water at aggregate to tend species because increased the birds was of also rainfall, thenumber of the decrease amount to due inthe 2010is registered birds of number lowest The rains. the heavy to attributed mainly is 2009.It 2008 and inthe year innumber increase marked showed Stork Marabou 3).