DOCSLIB.ORG

The Changing Status of Balearic Shearwater in Northwest European Waters Russell B.Wynn and Pierre Yésou

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Changing Status of Balearic Shearwater in Northwest European Waters Russell B.Wynn and Pierre Yésou The changing status of Balearic Shearwater in northwest European waters Russell B.Wynn and Pierre Yésou ABSTRACT Sightings data collated from the European Atlantic coastline reveal a recent change in the post-breeding distribution of the Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus, and provide evidence for a progressive northwards shift in dispersal patterns. Numbers recorded in the traditional post-breeding quarters, centred on the French Biscay coast, have declined since the mid 1990s and now show marked inter-annual variability. In contrast, numbers recorded from northwest European coastlines have increased since the mid 1990s, the majority being seen along the coasts of northern France and southwest Britain, with smaller numbers north to southern Scandinavia.Although variability in observer effort may have contributed to the observed increase in northwest Europe, the spatial and temporal consistency of the data suggests that the trend is real. Large numbers of this Critically Endangered seabird are now spending part of the year in British and Irish waters; this paper highlights the need for future effort-based surveys across the species’ non-breeding range, and will provide a baseline for conservation measures in northwest European coastal regions, where large concentrations now occur regularly. he Balearic Shearwater Puffinus maure- 2002; Yésou 2003). tanicus is one of the world’s most endan- Although the species has attracted the Tgered seabirds (Oro et al. 2004; IUCN interest of taxonomists and conservationists in 2006). It is a regular visitor in varying numbers recent years, there are, as yet, no comprehensive to west European (Atlantic) inshore waters studies documenting the numbers reaching during the summer and autumn, most com- northwest European waters (note that, for the monly seen off Iberia, France and the south- purposes of this study, ‘northwest Europe’ is western coasts of Britain & Ireland during its defined as the area north of 48°N, roughly coin- post-breeding dispersal. The species is gregar- ciding with the northern margin of the Bay of ious and found predominantly in inshore Biscay; fig. 1). An assessment of temporal and waters, the main food source being small spatial trends away from the breeding grounds shoaling fish, such as Sardines Sardina is crucial when considering whether ‘at sea’ pilchardus and Anchovies Engraulis encrasi- factors, e.g. increasing sea-surface temperatures cholus, obtained largely through plunge-diving and changing fishing practices, are contributing (Le Mao & Yésou 1993; Arcos et al. 2000; to the species’ apparent population decline (see Mayol-Serra et al. 2000). Trawler discards are below). Consequently, in this study we have also an important food source (Arcos & Oro attempted to assimilate the available data on the 392 © British Birds 100 • July 2007 • 392–406 The status of Balearic Shearwater in northwest Europe species’ status in northwest European waters, to persal involves mostly non-breeding immatures assess whether there has been any change in dis- and newly fledged juveniles; birds do not breed persal pattern and the number of birds until at least their third year (Aguilar 1999; Oro involved. These data are compared with those et al. 2004). Most Balearic Shearwaters undergo from elsewhere in the species’ non-breeding a full post-breeding moult between April and range and are intended to provide a baseline for October, occasionally November (Yésou 1986; future conservation-based surveys and studies. Mouriño et al. 2003; Sandoval 2005), approxi- mately coinciding with their presence in Taxonomic status Atlantic waters. The taxonomic history of the species is Recent estimates of the breeding population complex. In Britain, the first major step was a have varied: 1,300–2,800 pairs in 1984 (J. Mayol split from Manx Shearwater P. puffinus in 1991 per J. Muntaner in litt.); c. 2,100–4,500 pairs when, following a proposal by Bourne et al. between 1991 and 1999 (Ruiz & Martí 2004); (1988), it became known as the western race of 1,750–2,125 pairs in 2001 (Ruiz & Martí 2004) Mediterranean Shearwater P. yelkouan. Then, a and 2,000–2,400 pairs in 2005 (Rodriguez- decade later, a further split led to recognition of Molina & McMinn-Grivé 2005). Although the Balearic Shearwater P. mauretanicus and Yel- estimates show no obvious trend over the last kouan Shearwater P. yelkouan as separate two decades, the breeding range has contracted species (Sangster et al. 2002). Although Balearic and numbers at long-term monitoring sites have Shearwater is presently listed at species level in clearly declined (Rodriguez-Molina & McMinn- most national and international avifaunas, Grivé 2005). A sharp drop in the numbers win- uncertainties over its true taxonomic status tering off northeast Spain has also been noted in remain. For example, recent studies have shown recent years, with 10,000–11,000 birds recorded that some birds breeding in Menorca resemble yelkouan in 70° plumage pattern but are interme- diate between mauretanicus and yelkouan in terms of both bio- metrics (Ruiz & Martí 2004) and genetics (Genovart et al. 2005, 2007). The field identification of Manx, Balearic and Yelkouan Shearwaters has been covered 60° 6,000 m previously in detail and will not be discussed here (see, for 4,000 m example, Yésou et al. 1990, 2,000 m Hobbs 2003, Gutiérrez 2004, Holmström 2005). 0 m -2,000 m Breeding and population trends 50° Balearic Shearwaters breed exclu- -4,000 m sively on the Balearic Islands, in -6,000 m the western Mediterranean, the breeding season being between 40° February and June. Post- breeding dispersal into Atlantic waters occurs from late May onwards (fig. 1), with a return to the Mediterranean (to 30° wintering grounds off the coast 20° 10° 0° 10° 20° of northeast Spain) between Sep- Fig. 1. Map showing post-breeding dispersal range of Balearic tember and November (Mayol- Shearwaters Puffinus mauretanicus. Bold lines delimit the core range Serra et al. 2000; Ruiz & Martí (Mayol-Serra et al. 2000); dashed lines show extended range in 2004). This post-breeding dis- northwest European waters (Yésou 2003; this study). British Birds 100 • July 2007 • 392–406 393 The status of Balearic Shearwater in northwest Europe Tom Brereton Tom 161. Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus, Lyme Bay, Dorset, July 2006. each winter in the early 1990s (Gutiérrez & water has recently been categorised as ‘Critically Figuerola 1995) halving to a peak count of c. Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List (IUCN 5,000 during the winter of 2002/03 (Gutiérrez 2006). 2003). A similar decline has been observed in traditional post-breeding concentrations in the Data collection coastal waters of the Bay of Biscay, the Land-based sightings of Balearic Shearwater, 8,000–10,000 recorded annually off southwest covering the period 1980–2003, were obtained France in the 1980s (Yésou 1986, 2003) having from nine countries along the northwest Euro- dropped to no more than half this number pean coastline (north of 48°N). Records were during census work in 1999/2000 (Yésou 2003). obtained mostly via the relevant national or The total world population is currently believed local ornithological records committee and in to be in the region of just 10,000 individuals many cases these records have been peer- (Rodriguez-Molina & McMinn-Grivé 2005) and reviewed before acceptance. Records which had it has even been suggested that the species could not been through an assessment procedure were become virtually extinct by 2040 (Oro et al. screened and any for which the identification 2004). However, there are clearly still many was in doubt were removed. In addition, an uncertainties surrounding existing population attempt was made to reduce the effects of estimates. As with all nocturnal, cave-nesting obvious duplication between sites, particularly species, breeding numbers are difficult to assess where records were received from closely spaced accurately. In addition, the species is apparently locations on the same date. prone to changing its favoured non-breeding There has never been any effort-based quarters over relatively short periods of time, survey of Balearic Shearwaters in northeast probably in response to fluctuating prey densi- Atlantic waters. As a consequence, the data ties (Mayol-Serra et al. 2000). utilised in this study are likely to be affected by The species’ apparent decline is thought to some degree of observer bias. Factors which be due to the low adult survival rate, which is in may introduce such bias include: variation in turn related to disturbance by humans and pre- observer effort and identification skills; a dation by introduced mammals on the breeding greater awareness of or interest in the species grounds, together with a lack of food resources following its elevation to species status; and the and accidental bycatch in long-lines at sea improvement of optical equipment. Such (Aguilar 1999; Oro et al. 2004). Unsurprisingly, factors are obviously difficult to quantify. given the above statistics, the Balearic Shear- However, after initial screening and analysis of 394 British Birds 100 • July 2007 • 392–406 The status of Balearic Shearwater in northwest Europe the data, it became Dungeness Portland Cape Clear clear that the spatial and temporal consis- 1,000 tency of the results was high. Data from sites where experi- 100 enced seawatchers have been recording seabirds for many years are especially 10 valuable, and records no. reported (log) birds from three such sites, the bird observa- 1 tories at Dungeness 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 (Kent), Portland Fig. 2. Numbers of Balearic Shearwaters Puffinus mauretanicus recorded at (Dorset) and Cape Dungeness (Kent), Portland (Dorset) and Cape Clear (Co. Cork) Bird Clear (Co. Cork), are Observatories during 1980–2003. Note that a logarithmic scale has been used presented in fig. 2. on this plot to enable the time-series data for the three observatories to be plotted together and the trends at each site to be compared.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • New Population Estimates of a Critically Endangered Species, the Balearic Shearwater Puffinus Mauretanicus , Based on Coastal Migration Counts
    Bird Conservation International (2016) 26 :87 –99 . © BirdLife International, 2014 doi:10.1017/S095927091400032X New population estimates of a critically endangered species, the Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus , based on coastal migration counts GONZALO M. ARROYO , MARÍA MATEOS-RODRÍGUEZ , ANTONIO R. MUÑOZ , ANDRÉS DE LA CRUZ , DAVID CUENCA and ALEJANDRO ONRUBIA Summary The Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus is considered one of the most threatened seabirds in the world, with the breeding population thought to be in the range of 2,000–3,200 breeding pairs, from which global population has been inferred as 10,000 to 15,000 birds. To test whether the actual population of Balearic Shearwaters is larger than presently thought, we analysed the data from four land-based census campaigns of Balearic Shearwater post-breeding migration through the Strait of Gibraltar (mid-May to mid-July 2007–2010). The raw results of the counts, covering from 37% to 67% of the daylight time throughout the migratory period, all revealed figures in excess of 12,000 birds, and went up to almost 18,000 in two years. Generalised Additive Models were used to estimate the numbers of birds passing during the time periods in which counts were not undertaken (count gaps), and their associated error. The addition of both counted and esti- mated birds reveals figures of between 23,780 and 26,535 Balearic Shearwaters migrating along the north coast of the Strait of Gibraltar in each of the four years of our study. The effects of several sources of bias suggest a slight potential underestimation in our results.
    [Show full text]
  • Endemic Shearwaters Are Increasing in the Mediterranean in Relation to Factors That Are Closely Related to Human Activities
    Global Ecology and Conservation 20 (2019) e00740 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Global Ecology and Conservation journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/gecco Original Research Article Endemic shearwaters are increasing in the Mediterranean in relation to factors that are closely related to human activities * Beatriz Martín a, , Alejandro Onrubia a, Miguel Ferrer b a Fundacion Migres, CIMA, ctra. N-340, Km.85, Tarifa, E-11380, Cadiz, Spain b Applied Ecology Group, Donana~ Biological Station, CSIC, Seville, Spain article info abstract Article history: The aim of this study was to estimate global population trends of abundance of two Received 20 March 2019 endemic migratory seabird species breeding in the Mediterranean Sea, Balearic and Received in revised form 22 July 2019 Scopoli's shearwaters, from migration counts at the Strait of Gibraltar. Specifically, we Accepted 31 July 2019 assessed how regional environmental conditions (i.e. sea surface temperature, chlorophyll a concentration, NAO index and fish catches), as proxies of climate change, prey availability Keywords: and human-induced mortality factors, modulate the interannual variation in shearwater Chlorophyll numbers. The change in the migratory population size of both shearwater species was Climate change fi Fisheries estimated by tting Generalized Additive Models (GAM) to the annual counts against the fi Seabird year of observation. Speci cally, we modelled daily counts of migrant shearwaters during Monitoring the post-breeding season. Contrary to current estimates at breeding colonies, coastal-land based counts of migrating birds provide evidence that Baleric and Scopoli's shearwaters have been recently increasing in the Mediterranean Sea. Our results highlight that de- mographic patterns in these species are complex and non-linear, suggesting that most of the increases have happened recently and intimately bounded to environmental factors, such as chlorophyll concentration and fisheries, that are closely related to human activ- ities.
    [Show full text]
  • The Feather Lice of the Levantine Shearwater Puffinus Yelkouan And
    68 Zonfrillo & Palma Atlantic Seabirds 2(2) The feather lice of the Levantine Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan and its taxonomic status Veerluizen van de Yelkouanpijlstormvogel Puffinus yelkouan en de taxonomische status daarvan 2 Bernard Zonfrillo1 &Ricardo+L. Palma ‘Applied Ornithology Unit. Zoology Department. Glasgow University, Glasgow G12 8QQ. Scotland. U.K.; 'Museum ofNew Zealand, P.O. Box 467, Wellington, New Zealand. lice Four species of feather (Insecta: Phthiraptera) were found on one fresh dead and five museum skins of Levantine Shearwaters Puffinus yelkouan from various localities in the Mediterranean. Two of them, Halipeurus diversus (Kellogg, 1896) and Saemundssonia (Puffinoecus) kosswigi Timmermaan, 1962 (uniqueto P. yelkouan), had been recorded previously from this host; the other two, Austromenopon paululum (Kellogg & Chapman, 1899) and A. echinatum Edwards, 1960, represent new host-louse records. One bird collected fresh in Cyprus yielded the most lice, including 20 specimens of A. echinatum. The taxonomic position of the Levantine Shearwater is discussed it briefly and the opinion that be regardedas a distinct species is supported. Zonfnllo B. & Palma R.L. 2000 The feather lice of the Levantine Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan and its taxonomic status. Atlantic Seabirds 2(2): 68-72. INTRODUCTION Two species of feather lice (Insecta; Phthiraptera) have been recorded from Puffinus shearwaters in the Mediterranean.The Levantine Shearwater Puffinus is host diversus yelkouan to Halipeurus (Kellogg, 1896) and a unique louse, Saemundssonia (Puffinoecus) kosswigi Timmermann, 1962 (on the status of Puffinoecus, see Palma 1994). Palma et ai (1997) recorded only a single species of feather louse H. diversus) on 19 systematically deloused specimens of Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus Lowe, 1821 from the Balearic archipelago.
    [Show full text]
  • Varnham, K. J. & Meier G. G. 2007. Rdum Tal-Madonna Rat Control
    Rdum tal-Madonna rat control project December 2006 - March 2007 Final Report to BirdLife Malta & RSPB Karen Varnham Independent Invasive Species Consultant & Guntram G. Meier InGrip-Consulting & Animal Control, Senior Consultant March 2007 Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Methods 4 3. Results 8 4. Future of the rat control project 12 5. Recommendations 12 6. References 13 7. Acknowledgements 13 Appendices 1. Text of warning signs displayed at the site 14 2. Distribution of rat activity 15 3. Warden’s manual 19 Suggested citation: Varnham, K. J. & Meier G. G. (2007) Rdum tal-Madonna rat control project, December 2006 – March 2007, Final report. Unpublished report to BirdLife Malta & RSPB, 28pp. Contact details: [email protected] Front cover illustration: rock pool on the South Cliffs of the Rdum tal-Madonna SPA 2 1. Introduction Rat control at the Rdum tal-Madonna Special Protected Area (SPA) was carried out as part of BirdLife Malta’s ongoing project to protect the Yelkouan shearwater, Puffinus yelkouan (EU Life Project LIFE06/ NAT/ MT/ 000097, SPA Site and Sea Actions saving Puffinus yelkouan in Malta). These cliff-nesting birds are known to be at great risk from rat predation, with annual losses of eggs and chicks between 40 and 100%. Around one-third of Malta’s 1500 breeding pairs of P. yelkouan nest at this site, making it an obvious focal point for conservation efforts (references in EU Project Proposal). The relatively small size of the SPA (75.3ha), and that it is surrounded by the ocean on three sides, make it a good site for rat control.
    [Show full text]
  • ORL 5.1 Non-Passerines Final Draft01a.Xlsx
    The Ornithological Society of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia (OSME) The OSME Region List of Bird Taxa, Part A: Non-passerines. Version 5.1: July 2019 Non-passerine Scientific Families placed in revised sequence as per IOC9.2 are denoted by ֍֍ A fuller explanation is given in Explanation of the ORL, but briefly, Bright green shading of a row (eg Syrian Ostrich) indicates former presence of a taxon in the OSME Region. Light gold shading in column A indicates sequence change from the previous ORL issue. For taxa that have unproven and probably unlikely presence, see the Hypothetical List. Red font indicates added information since the previous ORL version or the Conservation Threat Status (Critically Endangered = CE, Endangered = E, Vulnerable = V and Data Deficient = DD only). Not all synonyms have been examined. Serial numbers (SN) are merely an administrative convenience and may change. Please do not cite them in any formal correspondence or papers. NB: Compass cardinals (eg N = north, SE = southeast) are used. Rows shaded thus and with yellow text denote summaries of problem taxon groups in which some closely-related taxa may be of indeterminate status or are being studied. Rows shaded thus and with yellow text indicate recent or data-driven major conservation concerns. Rows shaded thus and with white text contain additional explanatory information on problem taxon groups as and when necessary. English names shaded thus are taxa on BirdLife Tracking Database, http://seabirdtracking.org/mapper/index.php. Nos tracked are small. NB BirdLife still lump many seabird taxa. A broad dark orange line, as below, indicates the last taxon in a new or suggested species split, or where sspp are best considered separately.
    [Show full text]
  • Shearwaters Yelkouan the Life Arcipelagu Garnija Project
    WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? THE LIFE ARCIPELAGU KEEPING YELKOUAN Avoid using bright lights and loud GARNIJA PROJECT SHEARWATERS music close to nesting sites SAFE AT SEA For the location of the nesting sites, The LIFE Arċipelagu Garnija project aims to see the map on this leaflet secure the Maltese Islands for the Yelkouan Shearwater. Through monitoring, conservation and awareness-raising actions the project is Dispose of litter and plastic responsibly working to reduce the threats faced by this to prevent marine pollution seabird species both on land and at sea. Take care when fishing close to seabird colonies, especially in the evening FOUND A SEABIRD CAUGHT The project is being carried out by BirdLife Malta over a five-year period (2015-2020) and is IN FISHING GEAR? part-funded by the EU (60%). If you accidentally catch a Yelkouan Shearwater while fishing, carefully Keep in touch: remove the hook and safely release www.birdlifemalta.org/arcipelagugarnija +356 2134 7646 | [email protected] CAUTION! facebook/arcipelagugarnija If the hook has been swallowed, do not Werde van Veerle @MaltaSeabirds pull it out. Instead call BirdLife Malta Design LIFE14 NAT/MT/991 immediately for assistance. Telephone number: +356 2134 7646 If you find a Yelkouan Shearwater Project partners: entangled in nets but otherwise • Tanti Aron & Paris Victor uninjured, gently free the bird and Photos release safely at sea Further information on seabird bycatch can be found The project is co-funded by: here: www.birdlife.org/bycatch Paulo Lago & Jessica Irwin • Irwin Jessica & Lago Paulo Text Gozo THREATS AT SEA Comino THE YELKOUAN The Yelkouan Shearwater faces an uncertain future.
    [Show full text]
  • Tracking, Feather Moult and Stable Isotopes Reveal Foraging Behaviour
    Diversity and Distributions, (Diversity Distrib.) (2017) 23, 130–145 BIODIVERSITY Tracking, feather moult and stable RESEARCH isotopes reveal foraging behaviour of a critically endangered seabird during the non-breeding season Rhiannon E. Meier1*, Stephen C. Votier2, Russell B. Wynn1, Tim Guilford3, Miguel McMinn Grive4, Ana Rodrıguez5, Jason Newton6, Louise Maurice7, Tiphaine Chouvelon8,9, Aurelie Dessier8 and Clive N. Trueman10 1National Oceanography Centre, European ABSTRACT Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK, Aim The movement patterns of marine top predators are likely to reflect 2Environment and Sustainability Institute, responses to prey distributions, which themselves can be influenced by factors University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK, 3Animal such as climate and fisheries. The critically endangered Balearic shearwater Behaviour Research Group, Department of Puffinus mauretanicus has shown a recent northwards shift in non-breeding dis- Zoology, University of Oxford, The tribution, tentatively linked to changing forage fish distribution and/or fisheries A Journal of Conservation Biogeography Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, activity. Here, we provide the first information on the foraging ecology of this Oxford OX1 3PS, UK, 4Biogeografia, species during the non-breeding period. geodinamica i sedimentaciodela Location Breeding grounds in Mallorca, Spain, and non-breeding areas in the Mediterrania occidental (BIOGEOMED), north-east Atlantic and western Mediterranean. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Cra. de Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Illes Methods Birdborne geolocation was used to identify non-breeding grounds. Balears, Spain, 5Balearic Shearwater Information on feather moult (from digital images) and stable isotopes (of Conservation Association, Puig del Teide 4 - both primary wing feathers and potential prey items) was combined to infer 315, Palmanova 07181, Illes Balears, Spain, foraging behaviour during the non-breeding season.
    [Show full text]
  • What Genetics Tell Us About the Conservation of the Critically Endangered Balearic Shearwater?
    BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 137 (2007) 283– 293 available at www.sciencedirect.com journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/biocon What genetics tell us about the conservation of the critically endangered Balearic Shearwater? Meritxell Genovarta,b,*, Daniel Oroa, Javier Justec, Giorgio Bertorelleb aInstitut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avanc¸ats IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Miquel Marque`s 21, 07190 Esporles, Mallorca, Spain bDipartimento di Biologia, Universita` di Ferrara, Via Borsari 46, 44100 Ferrara, Italy cEstacio´n Biolo´gica de Don˜ ana (CSIC), Avda. Ma Luisa s/n, Aptdo. 41080 Sevilla, Spain ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: The Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus is one of the most critically endangered sea- Received 20 March 2006 birds in the world. The species is endemic to the Balearic archipelago, and conservation Received in revised form concerns are the low number of breeding pairs, the low adult survival, and the possible 5 February 2007 hybridization with a sibling species, the morphologically smaller Yelkouan shearwater (P. Accepted 18 February 2007 yelkouan). We sampled almost the entire breeding range of the species and analyzed the genetic variation at two mitochondrial DNA regions. No genetic evidence of population decline was found. Despite the observed philopatry, we detected a weak population struc- Keywords: ture mainly due to connectivity among colonies higher than expected, but also to a Pleis- Conservation genetics tocene demographic expansion. Some colonies showed a high imbalance between Introgression immigration and emigration rates, suggesting spatial heterogeneity in patch quality. Population expansion Genetic evidence of maternal introgression from the sibling species was reinforced, but Population structure almost only in a peripheral colony and not followed, at least to date, by the spread of the Puffinus mauretanicus introgressed mtDNA lineages.
    [Show full text]
  • Standard Data Form
    NATURA 2000 - STANDARD DATA FORM For Special Protection Areas (SPA), Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI), Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) SITE MT0000027 SITENAME Rdumijiet ta' Għawdex: Ta' Ċenċ TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION 2. SITE LOCATION 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION 4. SITE DESCRIPTION 5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS 6. SITE MANAGEMENT 7. MAP OF THE SITE 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION Back to top 1.1 Type 1.2 Site code A MT0000027 1.3 Site name Rdumijiet ta' Għawdex: Ta' Ċenċ 1.4 First Compilation date 1.5 Update date 2006-08 2018-05 1.6 Respondent: Name/Organisation: Environment and Resources Authority Address: Hexagon House, Spencer Hill, Marsa MRS 1441 Email: [email protected] 1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates Date site classified as SPA: 2006-08 Government Notice No. 859 of 2008, in accordance National legal reference of SPA designation with the Flora, Fauna and Natural Habitats Protection Regulations, 2016 (S.L. 549.44) 2. SITE LOCATION Back to top 2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]: Longitude Latitude 14.2616 36.0191 2.2 Area [ha]: 2.3 Marine area [%] 152.06 0.0 2.4 Sitelength [km]: 0.0 2.5 Administrative region code and name NUTS level 2 code Region Name MT00 Malta 2.6 Biogeographical Region(s) (100.0 Mediterranean %) 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION Back to top 3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them 3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them Species Population in the site Site assessment Scientific G Code S NP T Size Unit Cat.
    [Show full text]
  • REHABILITATION COUNCIL Volume 38, Number 1, 2018 REHABILITATION
    JOURNA L OF ILDLIFE INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE W REHABILITATION COUNCIL Volume 38, Number 1, 2018 REHABILITATION IN THIS ISSUE: Does food provided to captive scavenging wildlife contain veterinary agent residues? First hand-rearing and translocation of the vulnerable yelkouan shearwater in Malta. Revisiting the meaning of “science” in the new political climate. ABOUT THE JOURNAL THE Journal of Wildlife Rehabilitation is designed to provide useful information to wildlife rehabilitators and others involved in the care and treatment of native wild species with the ultimate purpose of returning them to the wild. The journal is published by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC), which invites your comments on this issue. Through this publication, rehabilitation courses offered online and on-site in numerous locations, and its outreach to those in the profession, the IWRC works to disseminate information and improve the quality of the care provided to wildlife. On the cover: Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus). PHOTO © ZWEER DE BRUIN, FLICKR. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Left: Black bear cub (Ursus americanus). (See In the News, page 6.) PHOTO ©MIGUELB, FLICKR. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council PO Box 3197 Eugene, OR 97403 USA Phone: 866.871.1869 Fax: 408.876.6153 Toll free: 866. 871.1869 Email: [email protected] [email protected] www.theiwrc.org JOURNA L OF ILDLIFE Providing science-based education W and resources on wildlife rehabilitation to promote wildlife conservation REHABILITATION and welfare worldwide.
    [Show full text]
  • Balearic Islands Area
    Template for Submission of Scientific Information to Describe Areas Meeting Scientific Criteria for Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas Title/Name of the area: Balearic Islands Area Presented by: Greenpeace International as a submission to the Mediterranean Regional Workshop to Facilitate the Description of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs), 7 to 11 April 2014, Málaga, Spain. Contact person: Sofia Tsenikli, Senior Political Advisor, Email: [email protected]; tel: +30 6979443306 Information in this submission has been presented at the CBD Expert Workshop on Scientific and Technical Guidance on the use of Biogeographic Classification Systems and Identification of Marine Areas beyond national jurisdiction in need of protection, 29 September - 2 October 2009, in Ottawa, Canada, and is included in the official report of the workshop which can be accessed here. Abstract The Balearic Archipelago is one of the richest European regions in terms of marine animal species diversity and is characterized by a wide range of ecosystem types (e.g. maërl beds, Leptometra beds, soft red algae communities, Posidonia meadows, etc) (Aguilar et al.,2007b) . Some of these communities are considered rare on a European scale. The area’s complex oceanography results in high levels of productivity, reflected by its importance as a feeding ground for a wide range of species, including fin and sperm whales, loggerhead turtles and as a crucial spawning ground for threatened Bluefin tuna. The area is also an important breeding ground for the endemic Balearic shearwater. Introduction In 2006 Greenpeace published a proposal for a regional network of large-scale marine reserves with the aim of protecting the full spectrum of life in the Mediterranean (see Figure 1) (Greenpeace 2006).
    [Show full text]
  • Steffen Oppel A, , André F
    Biological Conservation 144 (2011) 2255–2263 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Biological Conservation journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/biocon Is the Yelkouan shearwater Puffinus yelkouan threatened by low adult survival probabilities? ⇑ Steffen Oppel a, , André F. Raine b, John J. Borg c, Helen Raine b, Elsa Bonnaud d, Karen Bourgeois e, André R. Breton f a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK b BirdLife Malta, 57/28 Triq Abate Rigord, Ta’ Xbiex, XBX 1120, Malta c National Museum of Natural History, Heritage Malta, Vilhena Palace, St. Publius Square, Mdina, MDN 1010, Malta d Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, n° 3 38206 La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain e A dos d’Îles, Association for the Study and Conservation of Insular Biodiversity, 12 rue de l’Europe, 29840 Porspoder and Institut Méditerranéen d’écologie et de Paléoécologie (UMR CNRS 6116), Université Paul-Cézanne, Europôle méditerranéen de l’Arbois, avenue Philibert, BP 80, 13545 Aix-en-Provence cedex 04, France f Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1484, USA article info abstract Article history: Many seabird species are experiencing population declines, with key factors being high adult mortality Received 14 December 2010 caused by fishery by-catch and predation by introduced predators on nesting islands. In the Mediterra- Received in revised form 21 May 2011 nean, both of these pressures are intensive and widespread. We studied the adult survival of an endemic Accepted 31 May 2011 Mediterranean seabird, the Yelkouan shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan), between 1969–1994 and 2007– Available online 24 June 2011 2010 in Malta and between 2004–2010 in France using mark–recapture methods.
    [Show full text]