Northern Bald Ibis Conservation and Reintroduction workshop
3rd IAGNBI Meeting Palmyra 2009
Eds. C. Boehm & C.G.R. Bowden1
Northern Bald Ibis Conservation and Reintroduction Workshop
Proceedings of the International Advisory Group for the Northern Bald Ibis (IAGNBI) meeting Palmyra, Syria November 2009
Editors:
Christiane Boehm Alpenzoo Innsbruck-Tirol Weiherburggasse 37a A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria [email protected]
Christopher G.R. Bowden Royal Society for the Protections of Birds The Lodge, Sandy Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL United Kingdom [email protected]
2010
Published by: RSPB The Lodge, Sandy Bedfordshire, UK
Suggested citation: Boehm C & Bowden C G R (eds). (2010). Northern Bald Ibis Conservation and Reintroduction workshop. Proceedings of 3rd Meeting of International Advisory Group for Northern Bald Ibis (IAGNBI), Palmyra, Syria November 2009 pp.91. ISBN 978-1-905601-27-1
Cover picture: Gianluca Serra © ISBN 978-1-905601-27-1
2 Northern Bald Ibis Conservation and Reintroduction Workshop
Proceedings of 3rd Meeting of International Advisory Group for Northern Bald Ibis (IAGNBI), Palmyra, Syria November 2009
Eds. Boehm, C. & C.G.R. Bowden
Introduction and acknowledgements ...... 5
Participants list of the ...... 6
IAGNBI its role and committee...... 9
Developments since the previous IAGNBI meeting and the scope of this report ...... 11
Updated statement of the conservation priorities for the Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita in 2009 ...... 13
Release methodology – Update on the current state of knowledge 2009...... 15
How IAGNBI is recognised internationally: The IAGNBI homepage ...... 20
Twelve-month emergency action plan to avoid extinction of the wild NBI colony from eastern range: Nov 2009 – Oct 2010...... 23
Northern Bald Ibis Conservation Project in Souss Massa region ...... 25
Northern Bald Ibis conservations efforts in Syria 2002-2009: ...... 29
Variation in prey availability for Northern Bald Ibises in the central Syrian desert...... 34
Mortality of four Ibis chicks during breeding season 2009 and recommendation for 2010 breeding season...... 38
Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus ermita in Yemen...... 46
Recommendations of the regional meeting of the BirdLife Middle East Partnership (Saudi Arabia – Nov 2009) ...... 47
Conservation program for globally threatened species in the region - The Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita...... 48
Northern Bald Ibis Project at Birecik Breeding Centre: yesterday, today and tomorrow 49
Sensitization aspects on the Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) in Algeria...... 52
3 Update report of Proyecto Eremita (March 2010) ...... 53
Veterinary aspects of Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) and causes of mortality in free flying trials in southern Spain...... 56
On the experimental introduction of migratory Northern Bald Ibis colonies...... 62
Conservation Status of the Northern Bald Ibis at its Wintering Site in Ethiopia: Is there a really concern of threat?...... 69
Bechar el Kheir project, Morocco - an update...... 71
Captive NBI populations as a source for research and release projects ...... 73
Proceedings of the Northern Bald Ibis Eastern Population Meeting, 4th November 2009, Palmyra, Syria ...... 76
Posters...... 87
4 Introduction and acknowledgements
Celebrating ten years since the creation of IAGNBI, and with all the recent developments and progress, this review meeting of the progress and developments for Northern Bald Ibis (NBI) was always destined to be a special one. When the Syrian Desert Commission (DC) offered to host the meeting since our creation with logistical support from the Syrian Society of the Conservation of Wildlife (SSCW), this was very warmly accepted and much appreciated by IAGNBI. The third full IAGNBI meeting was combined with the Species Action Planning meeting for the Eastern population, which was held immediately afterwards on day four.
We were all made to feel extremely welcome, experiencing Syrian hospitality, and giving us the opportunity to visit Talila Reserve and the new ibis aviaries, as well as a brief sightseeing tour of spectacular ancient Palmyra. I would like to make special mention of the Turkish government delegation that made the effort to attend the meeting adding important profile and impetus to the discussions relating to the Eastern population.
The generous offer by DR ALI HAMMOUD of the use of the wonderful Desert Commission meeting room as well as facilities at Talila and some catering costs were tremendous support. SSCW staff successfully coordinated and ensured that participants were transported between Damascus and Palmyra as well as the meeting locations within Palmyra. Many participants were able to cover their own costs of reaching the meeting, but special thanks to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Chester Zoo for covering the costs of several key participants.
Chris Bowden IAGNBI Chairperson
5 Participants list of the
3rd IAGNBI meeting SAP Eastern population meeting
IAGNBI meeting: 1st November– 3rd November, 2009, SAP Eastern population meeting 4th November 2009 Palmyra, Syria
Name Institution/country email ABDALLAH Ahmad Commission for Steppe [email protected] Development & Management Syria ABDALLAH Mahmoud Commission for Steppe [email protected] Development & Management Syria ABDEL-HADI Maysa State Planning Commission [email protected] Syria AKCAN Cemal Ministry of Environment and [email protected] Forestry Turkey ALATTAR Walid Syrian Society for [email protected] Conservation of Wildlife Syria AI-SAGHIER Omar Yemen Society for the [email protected] Protection of Wildlife & GEF [email protected] Small grant Program Yemen ALNATOUR Adnan Homs governate [email protected] Syria ALQAYEM Gazl Commission for Steppe [email protected] Development & Management Syria ANHOURY Marwan Syrian Society for [email protected] Conservation of Wildlife Syria BOEHM Christiane Alpenzoo [email protected] Austria BOWDEN Chris Royal Society for the [email protected] Protection of Birds United Kingdom
6 CHERKAOUI Imad Sociedad Espanol [email protected] Ornitologia/Birdlife Morocco CRIADO Juan Sociedad Espanol [email protected] Ornitologia/Birdlife Spain DERELIEV Sergey United Nations Environment [email protected] Programme / African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement, Bulgaria DIETL Johannes Waldrappteam [email protected] Italy EL BEKKAY Mohammed Parc National de Souss Massa, [email protected] Morocco FELLOUS Amina Algerian Ecological Movement [email protected] Algeria FRITZ Johannes Waldrappteam [email protected] Austria HAMMOD Ali Commission for Steppe [email protected] Development & Management Syria HATIPOGLU Taner Ministry of Environment and [email protected] Forestry Turkey HMIDAN Hayan Syrian Society for [email protected] Conservation of Wildlife, Syria JBOUR Sharif BirdLife Middle East [email protected] Jordan KANANI Ahmed Commission for Steppe [email protected] Development & Management Syria KHODR Ibrahim BirdLife Middle East [email protected] Jordan MOHSEN NAHHAS Muhammad Commission for Steppe [email protected] Development & Management Syria MUHAMMAD Muhammad Ministry of Environment [email protected] Syria ORUETA Jorge Sociedad Espanol [email protected] Ornitologia/Birdlife Spain OZBAGDATLI Nori Doga Derengi [email protected] Turkey PESKE Lubomir Czech Ornithological Society [email protected] Czechoslovakia QUEVEDO Miguel ZooBotanico Jerez, [email protected] Spain RAHMOUN Mohamad Commission for Steppe [email protected] Development & Management Syria
7 RAYA Roula Syrian Society for [email protected] Conservation of Wildlife Syria SANDERS Sarah Royal Society for the [email protected] Protection of Birds United Kingdom SERRA Gianluca IUCN International Union for [email protected] Conservation of Nature, research Italy SHEHAB Adwan Ministry of Agriculture and [email protected] Agrarian Reform Syria TALAL Ali Homs governate [email protected] Syria TURKLES Yasar Ministry of Environment and [email protected] Forestry Turkey UNSOLD Markus Waldrappteam [email protected] Germany WONDAFRASH Mengistu Ethiopian Wildlife & Natural [email protected] History Society Ethiopia YUKSEL Fehmi Ministry of Environment and [email protected] Forestry
8 IAGNBI its role and committee
The primary objectives of IAGNBI are to ensure international co-ordination of Northern Bald Ibis in situ and ex situ projects, and provide technical input to NBI Species Action Plans. IAGNBI is recognised by BirdLife International, AEWA and IUCN in this role.
IAGNBI was created on 12th March 1999 at the “International workshop on a strategy for the rehabilitation of the Northern Bald Ibis” held in Agadir, Morocco. Mission statement:
“Promoting the conservation of the NBI through international co-ordination and co-operation”
Terms of Reference for the IAGNBI are:
¾ Focus attention on the priority conservation problems ¾ Provide technical input for International and National Species Action Plans which are implemented by BirdLife International under the AEWA umbrella ¾ Facilitate communication and co-operation between concerned groups ¾ Maintain and update IAGNBI website including all NBI conservation and research initiatives ¾ Encourage applied scientific research to close gaps in knowledge on NBI and update on the most urgent priorities ¾ Update release guidelines for the NBI ¾ Review proposals for all NBI release/re-introduction projects/trials in relation to release guidelines produced for the species ¾ Support fund raising for the priority projects ¾ Committee composition – 2006
Chris Bowden Christiane Boehm Chair person/Research Biology Secretary / Captive population Mike Jordan Cathy King IUCN / REINTRODUCTION Captive population Miguel Quevedo / Andrew Cunningham Johannes Fritz, Kurt Kotrschal, Karin Pegoraro, Gianluca Serra, Lubomir Peske Veterinary Research Biology Mohammed El Bekkay / Mohamed Ribi Ahmed Kanani Moroccan population Syrian population
9 Taner Hatipoglu / Ozge Balkiz Amina Fellous Turkish population Algeria Mengistu Wondafrash Ethiopia
Contacting the committee: The contact should be directed via the Chairman or secretary Chris Bowden ([email protected]) Christiane Boehm ([email protected])
10 Developments since the previous IAGNBI meeting and the scope of this report
IAGNBI meetings allow us to bring together progress in NBI research and conservation measures over the previous three years and update perspectives on the implications of what these updates really mean for the species. For example, the ‘release guidelines and methodology’ section in this report includes very important updates. And although it may be the area of satellite tagging (especially the encouraging results from Birecik release trials) and other release trials that have brought the most spectacular jumps in our knowledge, it is equally important to remember the more gradual progress and needs of the still fragile but slowly increasing core Moroccan population.
The threats to the Eastern population posed by hunting currently overshadow the hopes to maintain this precariously small population, and the focus within the report and priorities is inevitably dominated by the urgent actions needed there. Producing conservation priority actions is an extremely valuable function we play, and making these more readily available is an area where I feel we are making good progress. It is a further challenge to then ensure these actions are implemented of course.
This report also includes the updated Species Action Plan meeting outputs for the Eastern population, which seems logical here since the meetings were held in succession, further demonstrating the integral role that IAGNBI plays. It is crucial to the success for updating the international and national action planning process that IAGNBI continues to play this key role.
We have updated our role and mission statements here in this report to reflect changes in relation to the action planning process and the more prominent role in communicating updates and priorities, exemplified by updating our excellent website which will be an ongoing challenge to maintain. I have explained further in the section below how the IAGNBI role has evolved, particularly in relation to the Species Action Plan process.
It has been a major step since the previous meeting to launch the website in 2008, and now (since the meeting!) we have been able to increase the languages of the site to three - English, Arabic and French. These have already helped attract a number of web enquiries, and even some new offers of external funds to directly support the more immediate priority conservation actions!
Finally, we are happy to welcome four new members to the enlarged IAGNBI committee, which was formalised at the meeting in Palmyra. Despite the fact that we are so widely
11 dispersed and can only usually meet every three years at these meetings, the level of contact and spirit of collaboration remains extremely good. We look forward to fulfilling our ongoing responsibility, which I hope you agree is worthwhile.
Chris Bowden IAGNBI Chairperson
Welcome in the Desert commissions headquarters in Palmyra
Visit of the NBI aviary in Talila reserve
12 Updated statement of the conservation priorities for the Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita in 2009
1. An overview of the current status of the critically endangered wild population of Northern Bald Ibis (NBI) clearly shows the overriding importance of maintaining the Souss-Massa wild population (South-west Morocco) which is still subject to numerous threats and pressures. The population has continued to slowly increase and the chances of natural re-colonisation of former breeding sites in Morocco are increasing. It is unclear where a significant proportion of the birds disappear to after the breeding season, and there is a clear need for satellite-tagging to identify the unknown areas.
2. The Syrian population has declined and is now on the verge of extinction. It is the probably last remnant colony of the eastern population, and is migratory. Three top priorities MUST be addressed in order to prevent the extinction: a. Protection of the breeding and feeding areas in Syria, including preventing nest predation following recently updated protocols. b. Supplementation using juveniles of Turkish origin. c. Control of hunting away from the breeding sites including sites in Saudi Arabia along the migration route. Saudi Arabia is now a priority range state for the species. i. A secondary issue is apparently electrocution from perching on poorly designed pylons
3. Every year some birds (juveniles as well as older birds) of the Birecik Breeding Station (Turkey) disappear and might not be dead but migrating south. Preliminary release trials of satellite-tracked birds have shown very promising results for potential reestablishment of a fully wild Turkish population and follow-up to this is an important priority.
4. There is an ongoing need to survey potential and former sites of the western (Morocco, Algeria) and eastern (Syria, Yemen, Iraq) populations for colonies but especially in Morocco where the population continues to increase.
5. An international Species Action Plan (SAP) for the NBI was elaborated in January 2004 with some updates proposed at the IAGNBI 2006 meeting which were approved in 2008. There is a need to revise this in an updated AEWA format incorporating outputs from recent meetings and the Morocco National Action Plan (PANIC).
6. Clearly defining the former distribution of NBI will affect considerations of introduction or reintroduction in the future. It was agreed at the previous meeting that local conditions should be considered ahead of exact historical site records in determining suitability of potential release sites. In view of recent progress in available release methodology, we are 13 now closer to having a potential release technique available. This increases the need for a review of whether and where any potential reintroduction would be most appropriate taking full consideration of IUCN guidelines. Release is still considered inappropriate for the Souss-Massa and Morocco where the population is far bigger and is slowly increasing.
7. It is recognised that there are two distinctive and separated populations, an Eastern and a Western population and that their respective ranges should be respected. There is an urgent need to clarify the genetic status of the Syrian/Turkish and Moroccan populations, (CITES and legal permissions will need to be clarified in advance to facilitate this). This should be extended to the captive populations held in zoos and will clarify whether there are potential inbreeding problems.
8. Research projects have demonstrated that techniques are available for establishing a sedentary free-flying colony. For a migratory colony they are also looking promising. The lessons and full protocols involved need to be published and fully reviewed in the context of their wider utility.
9. The captive population of Western origin NBI is managed through studbooks and continues to slowly increase. Sufficient birds can be made available for potential release or reintroduction programmes, but cooperation between holders is still essential to control inbreeding and maintain genetic variability in conjunction with the necessary genetic analysis.
10. Reintroduction may be the main opportunity to increase the range of NBI in a significant manner. Any reintroduction programme should have the goal of creating a self-sustaining wild population of NBI. There is no immediate urgency for reintroduction but the need for caution in areas close to the extant wild colonies is paramount.
11. There is an up to date pre-release veterinary protocol which has to be strictly followed prior to any experimental releases.
12. There is a general need to raise the profile of NBI within range states in order to generate wider support for conserving the species.
These priorities reflect the main points of the AEWA International Species Action Plan (downloadable from the IAGNBI website) and the ongoing updating process of this.
14 Release methodology – Update on the current state of knowledge 2009
The Northern Bald Ibis is a species with a complex social structure with some elements being passed on from generation to generation. Only young birds have the ability to learn and accommodate new structures and environments. Older birds cope poorly with transfers and new environments. So the release of juvenile birds seems to be the only promising method and a release of a socially bonded group is considered important.
Major progress made since 2006 The major development over the past three years has involved the promising results of releasing Birecik juveniles, but there have been a number of important developments which influence potential plans for future release work:
• Birecik 2007-2009: The release trials of juvenile birds from the Birecik Breeding Centre made evident that the Turkish NBI have not lost the ability to migrate. The tagged juveniles have shown sensible behaviour in moving south and using the similar trajectory as the Palmyra birds in at least two of the three cases. The juveniles of 2007 came back in spring 2008. However, the tags did not work for unknown reason and therefore we do not know where the birds stayed during winter. (TAVERES et al. 2009)
• Migrating research program (Waldrappteam.at) 2004-2009: The juveniles remained in the first year in a very limited area in the Tuscany wintering site (similar to over-wintering Syrian adults in Ethiopia), but ranged more widely during the over- summering period. In 2007, 2008 and 2009 five birds returned around ±50km along the original human-led route (almost the whole way). They did not cross over the Alps but stayed south-east of the original natal area (Fagagna Friaul, Italy) where an aviary was established in which 1 respectively 2 pairs bred successfully reproducing 2 and the following year 3 juveniles. These juveniles migrated to the wintering area (Grosetto) in company with one adult female and one migration-experienced sub adult, however not with their parents. The speed of movement of the juveniles and for the adult bird accompanying juveniles was slower than that of adults alone. (www.waldrappteam.at) • Release technique research program, Proyecto Eremita: 2004-2009: From four tested release methods hand rearing and supplementing the group with parent reared birds seem to be the only working ones. Labelling the human foster parents with black T-shirts and an “ibis-helmet” seems to help the juveniles to recognize their “parents”. Leaving the juveniles outside during the dispersal period (till mid of August; which was stopped in 2009) caused extremely high losses (70-75%) due to dispersal. In
15 2008 and 2009 one pair bred in the cliffs close by and produced 1 and 2 juvenile(s) accordingly (QUEVEDO et al. 2006).
• Sedentary population, KLF, Gruenau: 1997-2009: High losses due to juvenile dispersal could be stopped by taking the birds into a closed aviary during the critical period. After 3 years hand rearing was stopped and no food was added during late summer and autumn when the birds were free flying. The birds started reproducing when 3 years old and after further three years (2003) the aviary was left open the whole year through. This population has remained sedentary despite no longer being enclosed during migration period. Plans for colony splitting in 2010 or 2011 may provide useful information but no major breakthroughs in recent work (KOTRSCHAL et.al.2006).
Genetic attributes The captive population is essentially derived from the western (Moroccan) population of the NBI and is going back to imports of about 150 birds in the early 1960s (BOEHM 2006). For a release project, genetically unrelated birds should be selected.
Health screening There already exists a pre-release health-screening protocol for NBI (see page 41, ). Health screening should be obligatory for any bird that is used for a release project or any relocation of a colony. Elements of the protocol also apply to the colonies that provide chicks and/or eggs for a project. Health screening is necessary as long as a project is running and samples of birds can be taken. Special care should be taken in nutrition, e.g. the feeding of day-old chicks can cause severe problems (e.g. salmonellosis).
Identification/marking of project birds Identification marks for all project birds should be obligatory. Most important is the permanent individual identification mark for each project bird, especially for cases when one gets lost. The three main methods are dependent on the questions involved, costs and the risks which free flying birds might present (closeness to wild colonies: Spain, Morocco, Birecik)
Rings: For the visual identification colour rings with colour and letter codes for each bird (Darvic, aluminium) have proved best. These rings are easy to recognize and individual identities can be reported by local birders as well if a bird moves farther away. Radio transmitters: Radio tracking is the best tool for monitoring the movements of birds that are part of a sedentary colony. Radio transmitters are much cheaper than satellite tags and can answer important questions of local movements, use of foraging sites, group composition, etc. Satellite tags: Birds which will not be enclosed during the dispersal period MUST all be fitted with satellite tags. Only satellite tags can give reliable information on long distance movements and the bird’s whereabouts.
Hand rearing method (a key tool for initial establishment of a population) Releases of adult birds have all been unsuccessful, leading to disorientated birds getting lost or dying (MENDELSSOHN 1994), whereas releases of hand reared, human-led young birds (THALER et al. 1992,1993; KOTRSCHAL 1999, 2001, 2004) have led to the establishment of free flying groups. There were several fundamental considerations involved in the development of the hand rearing method:
1) Age: To build up a good and intense social contact is only possible with hand rearing chicks. However even then age seems to be crucial. A NBI chick should not be older
16 the 10 days when to start with hand rearing. As rearing of newly hatched chicks is methodologically more difficult the best age is 3 - 4 days after hatching. 2) Intense social contact: The NBI is a highly social species; contact between parent and its chicks is intense and very close. Parents have direct contact with their chicks longer than 1year. Therefore intense social contact when hand rearing a NBI chick is crucial. No or very poor contact leads to behavioural deprivations of the bird. 3) Social contact: Within the Proyecto Eremita a time-saving method is being tested: Human foster parents wear black shirts and Ibis shaped helmets to be recognizable for the chicks as “parents”. The chicks follow and approach only these “parents” and can be handled and caught. The chicks seem to avoid contact with other humans. 4) Hand rearing guidelines: Huge knowledge is available on how to hand rear an NBI chick. There is a short overview of methods and problems of hand rearing (BOEHM 2006) but general guidelines and further details are need to be published.
Establishing a new colony
Sedentary colony A method has been developed to establish a sedentary colony. The experience of the Gruenau project (KLF) has proved to that with hand rearing, close management and enclosing during the dispersal period (July-September) for 3-4 years, the NBI establishes a tradition to stay within a restricted area, using nearby foraging areas. This NBI colony has bred successfully over the past 5 years and the unenclosed offspring of the colony maintained the tradition of not migrating. (see details below). Note this is largely in contrast to the recent experience of Birecik birds which despite having been enclosed for the migration time for the past twenty years, most unenclosed juveniles have still dispersed or migrated south.
Post fledging management The parent-offspring relation ship is -as already mentioned- very intense during the first year. Young NBI are guided to foraging sites, roosting sites and probably learn to avoid enemies and dangerous situations. It is not fully established but probably the ranking within a group is dependent on the offspring-parent rank as well. This illustrates why hand reared juveniles have to have such intense contact to their foster human parents in addition to avoiding social deprivation. Close contact makes it possible to lead the juveniles to suitable foraging and roost sites and to enclose them when necessary. How long the post-fledging management should last is in need of further testing.
Colony size Hand rearing is an extremely time consuming and expensive method. However, we know that juveniles born within a group easily take over the group traditions. From the experience in Gruenau, hand rearing can be terminated when the group size reaches 20 birds (KOTRSCHAL 2004). A colony with 20 - 30 birds should be a minimum.
Establishing a migratory population Five “migrations” of the waldrappteam.at with hand reared and high individually managed birds have been accomplished. The hand reared birds followed their foster human parents on motor trikes and were able to survive in the wintering area (Grosetto, Italy). Since 2007-2009 5 birds migrated North staying close to the way they had taken the year before, the maximum deviation of the migration route was 91km. However, they did not cross over the Alps but stayed ca. 200km south-east of the original natal area in Fagagna, Italy The targets reached so far are: 17 • Partial establishing of a migration route , birds followed the trikes • Distance seems not to be a problem for the birds, it would be more a technical problem for the microlites • The NBI seems quite adaptable in the wintering area. The birds explored the wintering area and found adequate foraging areas by themselves. However note that the birds have been young. Establishing a migrating tradition in an NBI group still faces unsolved problems and challenges: • The costs and logistics for establishing a migrating colony are very high • High individual attention and management is necessary for each bird • Only a small group of 10-12 birds per foster parent is possible • Breeding sites have to be provided and the birds need to recognize them • The birds have not yet found their own way back to the start point (but this may take further time?)
Integration Juveniles born into a hand-reared group take over the specific traditions of the group, like foraging grounds and roosting sites (KLF project, Rosegg free flying group + Proyecto Eremita). This also seems to be true for parent reared juveniles integrated in a hand reared group (Proyecto Eremita). Integration trials with sub-adults and adult birds into a well established free flying group however did not work, all of these birds disappeared and are most likely dead (KLF, Proyecto Eremita). The number of juvenile NBI which can potentially be integrated in a group is still untested. The number should certainly not outbalance the size of the colony to prevent changes in traditional movements or usages of feeding areas.
Moving a colony and colony splitting In 1970 the wild Birecik colony had to be moved due to road and housing construction. This led to a breakdown of the colony, and finally in the collapse of the wild colony in 1992. It currently seems that a wild colony cannot be moved without destroying it. Therefore colony moving (a transfer of a whole colony of NBI) and colony splitting (splitting a group in a minimum of 6-10 birds) seems to be possible only with a well accustomed, tame but free- flying colony. This has been partially done with hand-reared birds of the Waldrappteam.at project. The birds of 2003 and 2004, which were hand-reared, were settled in a new location (Rossegg, Austria) and were released after a short enclosing period. They did not disperse, are free flying now and started to breed in their 2nd year. No losses were documented and the birds have coped well with the transfer.
Supplementation Supplementation is still regarded as a difficult tool to enlarge an existing wild colony and has not been successfully tested. Supplementation should only be considered after breeding because early experience from Birecik showed that sub adult birds moved from a different sub-colony caused serious disruptions.
The situation of the small wild colony in Syria has now become so critical that the idea of supplementation with young birds is now considered appropriate. It will be tested in 2010- 2011.
18 REFERENCE
BOEHM, C. (2006): Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita 3rd EEP studbook: 19-22. KOTRSCHAL, K. (1999): Northern Bald ibis: trapped in Noah’s arch? A first report of the Gruenau Waldrapp project. EEP Studbook (ed. C. Boehm). Alpenzoo Innsbruck. KOTRSCHAL, K. (2001): The Gruenau project is in its 5th year: How to establish a Waldrapp Geronticus eremita colony from scratch. I.A.G.N.B.I. Newsletter 1. KOTRSCHAL, K. (2004). News from the Gruenau semi-wild colony of the Waldrapp Ibis. IAGNBI newsletter3 THALER E., K. PEGORARO & S. STABINGER (1992): Familienbindung und Auswilderung des Waldrapps Geronticus eremita - ein Pilotversuch. J. Ornithol. 133: 173-180. THALER, E., K. PEGORARO & S. STABINGER (1993): Comeback des Waldrapp? Ein Pilotversuch zur Auswilderungsmethodik. Nationalpark 79: 26-2 MENDELSSOHN 1994 ( TAVARES, J. & Ö. BALKIZ (Ed; 2009): the Middle East Northern Bald Ibis international meeting and progress report. Doğa Derneği, 26pp. http://www.waldrappteam.at/waldrappteam/indexl.htm Kotrschal, K. (2006): Northern Bald Ibis project 1997-2006: an Update. Northern Bald Ibis conservation and reintroduction workshop 2006: 54-63. QUEVEDO MUNOZ; M.A.; J.M. LOPEZ VAZQUES & E. AGUILERA PRIETO (2006): Update on Proyecto eremita. Northern Bald Ibis conservation and reintroduction workshop 2006: 64-66.
19 How IAGNBI is recognised internationally: The IAGNBI homepage
Christiane Boehm ALPENZOO INNSBRUCK-TIROL, AUSTRIA [email protected]
At the 2nd IAGNBI meeting in Vejer, Spain the IAGNBI committee decided to initiate its own website. As IAGNBI has no own financial budget this rather time demanding work had to be carried out by IAGNBI representatives. So, this website was composed and designed mainly by myself as the IAGNBI secretary and with support by R. Wilkinson, Chester Zoo, Cathy King and Chris Bowden, IAGNBI chair. The photos are by courtesy of the projects of Waldrappteam, Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Proyecto eremita, Alpenzoo, RSBP, G. Serra, L. Peske, F. Perco, K Pegoraro and C. Boehm. The IAGNBI homepage is financially supported by the Alpenzoo Innsbruck, RSPB, SEO/BirdLife and the company webforum.at which supports the homepage also technically.
Content of the IAGNBI homepage The IAGNBI homepage runs as an information homepage and comprises the following sections: a species account, general information about IAGNBI itself, the situation of the wild colonies in Morocco, Syria and Turkey, the NBI in zoos and finally the various research projects are presented. There is also a separate section for downloads of all the newest meeting reports and publications concerning the NBI. On the news section, up to date events are reported. The homepage has been online since February 2009.
Use of the homepage
Visitors
Where do the visitors come from? Since the homepage went online (February 2009) we had 2200 visits from 75 countries. Most users come from the USA, Europe and the Middle East. 65% of the visitors are new ones, 35% are returning users (fig.1). The users are visiting on average 8-9 sites and stay for 5 minutes.
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continent Visits Europe 1.543 Americas 319 Asia 240 Africa 55 Oceania 40
Fig. 1 visits to the IAGNBI homepage
Language
As IAGNBI is an international group, the homepage was started in English. However regarding the distribution of the wild colonies in North Africa, the Middle East and especially the peculiar conservation problems on the migration route of Syrian NBI it seemed imperative to translate the homepage into Arabic and French. This was quickly done after the meeting in Palmyra in 2009 by Adwan SHEHAB (Arabic) and Amina FELLOUS (French). Many thanks to them!!
Traffic sources:
How do the visitors find the homepage? The name IAGNBI and that of our homepage respectively, are of course not easy to find. Nevertheless nearly 40% of all users have found our homepage directly because we have advertised our homepage by mailing the link to all IAGNBI members, EEP zoos and friend of the NBI. However, in future referring sites will be more and more important. Until now the NBI projects, zoo members and other NGO´s like AEWA and BirdLife International have put a link on their homepages on their NBI section. This results in over 40% of our visits coming via referring sites (fig. 2) and 20% with the help of searching machines. The search for the IAGNBI homepage was handled via 187 keywords, mainly the words IAGNBI, Northern Bald Ibis, Bald Ibis, Bald Ibis Turkey, Waldrappteam and Proyecto Eremita was used. Now putting into “Google” the word “Northern Bald Ibis”, the IAGNBI homepage is listing on rank 6 which is a very good result for a not commercial homepage!
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Fig.2. Traffic sources via other internet media
Content:
Which homepage sections are visited most? The news and the situation of the wild populations are the most visited sections. The top contents are listed in fig. 3. This indicates that the IAGNBI homepage has to be updated regularly if it shall be recognized as a reliable source for information about the NBI. Therefore all partners are invited and encouraged to support the homepage with their newest information and situation reports of the NBI!!
Fig.3. The most visited pages of the IAGNBI homepage
A homepage board was established during the IAGNBI committee meeting in Palmyra in 2009. C. Bowden and J. Fritz offered their support.
22 Twelve-month emergency action plan to avoid extinction of the wild NBI colony from eastern range: Nov 2009 – Oct 2010
Gianluca Serra [email protected]
1. Background
Radio-tracking of tagged ibises from eastern range during period 2006-09 (n=4) + observation of a yearling in Djibouti in January 2008 + radio-tracking of Turkish young in 2008 and 2009 have clearly shown that: - adults and juvenile ibises migrate and winter separately - adults and subadult ibises can start migration together and then split later.
Historical data collated by WELCH & WELCH (2004) + radio-tracking of Odeinat in 2009 + Djibouti observation in Jan 2008 suggest a likely scenario where young ibises disperse around the southern Red Sea basin and along the Rift valley in Eastern Africa for 2-3 years before returning to their birth place in Palmyra (homing), once they are close to sexual maturation. Only after they finally breed in Palmyra they might start following their partner to the already known wintering site on the Ethiopian highlands.
A mounting body of evidences is showing that the most severe threat to the survival of this colony is the high mortality rates of young and adult birds due to hunting within Syria and Saudi Arabia – while Yemen, Eritrea and Sudan still have to be assessed in these regards (Ethiopia seem fine).
In general terms, a very high rate of failures of migratory returns by adult birds have been observed during period 2003-09 in Palmyra: out of 7 migratory returns to Palmyra, 6 times at least one adult failed to return, about one each year. Not to mention juvenile/young ibises: out of 24 juvenile which left Palmyra during 2002-07 only 4-7 have made a come back. Most compelling specific evidences of high mortality rates due to hunting in Syria and Saudi Arabia are:
- killing of a breeding adult in July 2003 at breeding grounds in Palmyra, Syria - failure of migratory return of a breeding adult (the partner of tagged female Salam) in March 2007 – the bird had been observed at Ethiopian wintering site in November 2006 - failure of migratory return of a breeding adult (Scheisch) to Palmyra in February 2009 together with his partner - in late January 2009 it was observed still alive at Ethiopian wintering site - evidence of killing of a tagged subadult bird (Julia) during her first day of southward migration in 2009, at an agriculture farm in northern Saudi Arabia
23 - probable killing of Turkish tagged young in August 2009 in northern Saudi Arabia.
By making good use of satellite locations of 4 tagged ibises during period 2006-09, the key nodal sites of the migratory route have been identified and ranked according to their importance (SERRa et al. in prepar.).
2. Problem statement
If the trend of breeding failure in Palmyra and mortality rates during migration is not reverted starting from early 2010, the ibis colony of Palmyra will vanish completely during the next 1-2 years
3. Objectives and activities
It is recommended to give priority to following emergency objectives during next 12 months:
Objective 1: ensuring good breeding in Syria in next years, starting from 2010 Activity 1.1: endorsing recommendations included in Standard NBI Protection Program in Palmyra, recently prepared for the benefit of local authorities Activity 1.2: fix ibis nests according to L. Peske advise Activity 1.3: finding out causes of high chick mortality in 2009: following up post mortem analysis done at Hama University by expert IAGNBI ibis veterinary Activity 1.4: fund raising for technical assistance of ibis breeding protection in 2010
Objective 2: ensuring supplementation in Palmyra is carried out in 2010 Activity 2.1: renewed diplomatic efforts are carried out in Turkey to assist DD in overcoming the bureaucratic impasse Activity 2.2: implementing training of selected Al Talila staff in Austria in ibis husbandry Activity 2.3: fund raise to implement supplementation in 2010
Objective 3: minimizing uncontrolled hunting in Syria and Saudi Arabia at identified known nodal points of migration route Activity 3.1: fund raising and implementing an emergency awareness raising at most dangerous sites along the migratory route before next spring migration in February 2010.
Note: focusing on survival of adults during migration is the only chance we have at this stage, as it would be unrealistic to attempt promoting conservation of young ibises due to their probable nomadic and quite unpredictable behaviour – not to mention that, because of the recent 2 breeding failures, very few young ibises are expected to be still alive and likely to make a come back in the next years to Palmyra.
24 Northern Bald Ibis Conservation Project in Souss Massa region
Haut Commissariat aux Eaux et Forêts et à la Lutte Contre la Désertification
Mohammed EL BEKKAY, Widade OUBROU, Imad CHERKAOUI, Jorge OURUETA SOUSS MASSA NATIONAL PARK, MOROCCO BIRDLIFE /SEO, SPAIN [email protected], [email protected] [email protected]; [email protected]
The Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) conservations project started in 1993. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Sociedad Espanola de Ornitologia (SEO) are the sponsor organisations of the project. The Souss Massa National Park (SMNP), with the collaboration of RSPB and SEO, is responsible for the field activities and day to day management. The aim of this project is to rehabilitate the Northern Bald Ibis population in Souss Massa region by the following actions: ¾ To convince the local population about their interest behind ibis conservation ¾ To integrate the ibis potentiality in the ecotourism conception ¾ To ensure suitable breeding sites ¾ To ensure suitable feeding areas ¾ To ensure suitable roosting sites ¾ To ameliorate the breeding success ¾ To decrease the risks of accidental mortality
BALD IBIS POPULATION A sedentary population? A coordinated count of the birds in all roosting sites in SMNP and Tamri regions is done twice a week. The graphic of year-round counts shows that a large fraction of the ibis population remains in the Agadir region throughout the year, but a minority do appear to disappear for certain periods.
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Population on the rise: The number of the breeding pairs has increased almost every year since the start of the project. The factors behind this increase are: 9 Productivity: it’s very different from year to year, but we have still good productivity at least once every three years for the Tamri colony, and once every five years for the Park’s colony. Note the variation (dips) in productivity generally reflect years of lower rainfall. 9 Predator control: For the Park’s colony ravens have not been a serious problem over the past ten years, and no predation case was registered in the past 3 years. For the Tamri colony, in 2006, we registered some disturbance due to 7 pairs of cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) which tried to evict some bald ibis nests from the breeding cliffs. 9 Provision of water points: we managed water points beside all the breeding sites since 2003 in accordance with studies demonstrating the positive effect (Smith et al. 2008), and the numbers of breeding pairs is on rise each year which may well be partly a result of this intervention. 9 Maintaining current land-use system of feeding areas: Earlier work has shown how the system of 2 or more years fallow areas and adequate steppe which support high lizard densities close enough to the breeding colonies is probably crucial for the ibis (Bowden et al. 2008), and this is an ongoing priority and challenge to maintain these areas both within SMNP and Tamri areas. Prevention of major development activities on such areas is an ongoing concern, and one that the National Park continues to successfully address so far. The department of SMNP has tried to convince the others partners to adopt sustainable approach for any future project.
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Post nuptial dispersion survey: Because of the big difference between the number of the ibis before and after every breeding season, we seriously suspect that there may be some birds another Moroccan sites.. For these reasons, a catching and tagging operation was tried on May 2004 by Souss Massa National Park and SEO/BirdLife teams. Three birds were caught and tagged (Plastic ring and satellite transmitter), but unfortunately, these birds weren’t involved in any post nuptial dispersion. In 2009, the project team has been seeking new funds to try tagging some juvenile birds, and this activity is reflected in research priorities by IAGNBI elsewhere in this report and within the draft National Action Plan (PANIC).
Feeding survey All the surveys of the ibis in the feeding data from 1994 to 2006 have been inputted to a MapInfo data base, and this analysis allows us to further confirm the importance of the PNSM site for the ibis (Bowden et al. 2008).
Feeding study A calibration experiment carried out using captive birds has began in 2004 at Temara Zoo. The aim is to find out the relative detectability of the common prey fragments in faecal samples of birds fed known food items, and therefore to reconstruct the diet from the result of faecal analysis that were taken form the field.
f) Others activities
Many other activities were planed and achieved with the collaboration of our partners (Administrations, local NGOs…etc), for example: - Ibis presentations at many schools in Souss Massa Region - Production of a new ibis poster in 2008 - Help with sustainable development initiatives for the local people : ¾ Sustainable tourism in Massa estuary, ¾ Sustainable fishing activities in SMNP, ¾ Bee keeping
27 ¾ Local artisan products for sale to tourists
Summary The NBI population continues to increase at both of the known colonies, and ongoing wardening and local interventions (such as provision of water points by the wardens) undoubtedly contribute to this being the case. There is still a need to investigate movements of the birds as some of the population appear to use other areas and could even establish further colonies elsewhere which would be a priority to be aware of. Meanwhile, engagement with local communities has increased, promoting compatible (sustainable) rural development activities immediate region, as well as increasing awareness work on the ibis. A national action plan for NBI (PANIC) is currently being finalised which will further elaborate priorities within Morocco over the coming five years.
REFERENCES
OUBROU, W., EL BEKKAY M., (2006) Rapport sur la reproduction de l’ibis chauve Geronticus eremita dans la région du Parc National de Souss-Massa, Saison 2006. (Internal report) OUBROU, W., EL BEKKAY M., (2007) Rapport sur la reproduction de l’ibis chauve Geronticus eremita dans la région du Parc National de Souss-Massa, Saison 2007. (Internal report) OUBROU, W., EL BEKKAY M., (2008) Rapport sur la reproduction de l’ibis chauve Geronticus eremita dans la région du Parc National de Souss-Massa, Saison 2008. (Internal report) OUBROU, W., EL BEKKAY M., (2009) Rapport sur la reproduction de l’ibis chauve Geronticus eremita dans la région du Parc National de Souss-Massa, Saison 2009. (Internal report) BOWDEN, CGR, SMITH, KW, EL BEKKAY, M, OUBROU, W, AGHNAJ, A, & JIMENEZ-ARMESTO, M. (2008) Contribution of research to conservation action for the northern bald ibis Geronticus eremita in Morocco: Bird Conservation International 18: 74-90. SMITH, KW, AGHNAJ, A, EL BEKKAY, M, OUBROU, W, RIBI, M, JIMENEZ-ARMESTO M & BOWDEN, CGR (2008) The impact of the provision of supplementary fresh water on the breeding success of Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita at its main breeding colonies in the Souss-Massa National Park, Southern Morocco. Ibis 150: 728-734.
28 Northern Bald Ibis conservations efforts in Syria 2002-2009:
Gianluca Serra [email protected]
The Northern Bald Ibis (NBI), one of the rarest bird globally, since 1994 listed as “Critically Endangered” by the IUCN’s Red List (BirdLife 2004), until 2002 was known as surviving in the wild only in a few scattered colonies in Morocco - for a total of about 100 breeding pairs (Bowden et al. 2003). That same year a relict colony of 7 individuals of this bird species, belonging to a sub-population separated from the Moroccan one centuries ago, was unexpectedly discovered in Syria (SERRA 2003) - from where it was believed it had become extinct more than 70 years before (AHARONI 1928-29, SAFRIEL 1980).
The news attracted the attention of the conservation community and of international media: NBI suddenly “reappeared” in Eurasia where it had been declared extinct in 1989 (last NBI colony known, the one from Birecik, Turkey). Post-1989 occasional NBI sightings in western and south-western Arabia had led some to believe that an NBI “lost colony” was possibly still breeding somewhere in Arabia or Eastern Africa: this mysterious breeding colony had been even emphatically defined as the “Tutankhamun’s tomb” of Arabian ornithology (MARTINS 1993).
The successful decoding of the traditional naturalistic knowledge of the Bedouin nomads, crucial to discover the NBI relict colony of Palmyra (Serra et al. 2003), triggered an interesting international debate about the need to include this type of knowledge in the scientific naturalistic surveying and research (BLAIR 2005). In particular, it was the “confession” by a Palmyra hunter about the killing of an ibis in the late 1990s which draw the attention of Serra on the chance that the ornithological literature might have been wrong in listing the NBI as extinct from Syria since long time ago.
If the NBI as a species was already listed as Critically Endangered before this unexpected discovery, the handful of ibises breeding in the middle of the Syrian Desert could be well defined as “Hyper-critically Endangered”: certainly, in 2002 NBI suddenly became the rarest and most threatened bird (animal?) of the Middle East. The discovery was especially significant from a conservation point of view, as it revived the hopes to save this iconic species in its native habitats of the Middle East. Information collected during extensive surveying evidenced that this bird was most likely a 29 common and awe-inspiring sight of al Badia landscapes until only 20 years ago (Serra et al. 2003 a). In facts these fascinating birds have always co-existed with the herds of the Bedouin nomads since time immemorial: these people not only use a specific name for the bird in their idiom (“nug”) - only elder pastoralists still recall it - but they still use this name to identify several desert sites.
This bird has always had symbolic and cultural values attached in the whole region. The ibis in general was a symbol of wisdom according to the ancient Egyptians (hence the ibis-headed god of wisdom and knowledge Toth). NBI in particular was known by ancient Egyptians as shown by its unmistakable graphic representation in 4500-year-old hieroglyphs: NBI was actually the incarnation of the spirit akh who was responsible for escorting the soul of the departed to the after-life.
In fact, the handful of ibises discovered in Palmyra are the last living descendants of those revered by pharaohs. These ancient myths about the ibis and the NBI are still alive in the region: Muslims from southern Anatolia (Turkey) still believe that NBI used to guide the souls of the departed towards the Mekkha (the holy town in Saudi Arabia); moreover, an elder Bedouin of Syrian desert reported to the wildlife team in 2003 that its tribe used to held the NBI as a symbol of wisdom. NBI seems even cited in the Old Testament as the legendary messenger of fertility released by Noah from the ark. NBI can be regarded as a keystone species of the Syrian al Badia, not only culturally but also ecologically.
In the past this bird species certainly used to play an important ecological role within the Syrian steppe land: being a relentless insectivore, it was probably key in controlling the insect populations of the steppe, and in so doing maintaining the ecological health and productivity of the pastures on which the nomads rely on for their livelihoods. Interestingly, MAAR recognized the beneficial role of the ibises for agriculture in decree n. 28 issued in 1967. The last NBI survivors of Palmyra are a flagship (and a stark symbol) of the dramatic and still on-going desertification of the Syrian steppe ecosystem which affects in first place the indigenous mobile people, whose livelihoods completely rely on its natural resources– the same resources also key for the survival of ibises: cultural and biodiversity heritage of the Syrian desert are both critically endangered due to a complex cocktail of problems ultimately reflected in the current over-grazing of pastures, uncontrolled and extensive uprooting of shrubs as firewood and uncontrolled (& illegal) hunting.
The ibis protection program in operation in the Palmyra desert since the year of the discovery (2002), have involved the traditional indigenous people (i.e. Bedouins pastoralists from amur tribe) and Palmyra hunters (BOWDEN et al. 2002, SERRA et al. 2003 B), receiving international acknowledgements at the 2004 Bangkok IUCN World Conservation Congress. The awareness on the global/national importance of these birds has been steadily raised in the country since 2002. A 400-km² Ibis Protected Area (IPA) was established by MAAR in spring 2004 (SERRA 2002). The inauguration by H.E. Mrs Asma al- Assad, the Syrian First Lady, of a photo-exhibition in Damascus in October 2006 (“Syrian al Badia: a cultural and natural heritage under threat”) clearly indicated that the issue had became of national relevance in the country.
The primary problem to the survival of this invaluable NBI colony is that adults are still decreasing steadily (from 7 in 2002 to 5 returned in early 2009) while fledged young, migrating to their unknown wintering grounds in July, seem to reappear in very low
30 numbers the following years at the Syrian breeding grounds. An ibis protection program against hunting and disturbance has been implemented successfully during periods 2002- 2004 (MAAR/FAO/DGCS) and 2006-07 (MAAR/BirdLife/RSPB) (Serra and Peske 2006 b).
Differently from the Moroccan ibises, which are living in resident colonies, the Syrian ibis survivors are migratory: a behaviour that makes them unique globally, but also very vulnerable from a conservation point of view. The protection program appeared to be not sufficient: the fact is that the creature had to be protected also in the rest of its unknown range. The only way to discover the rest of the distribution range of this species was to trap and tag with a satellite transmitter one or more birds.
Following a determined advocacy campaign in Syria during the winter 2005-06, which even prompted the direct interest and support from H.E. the Syrian First Lady, as already mentioned, a field mission was implemented in 2006 which succeeded in trapping and tagging three adult ibises: the migratory route and the wintering grounds of the NBI colony was therefore unveiled during July-August 2006, and followed on-line by bird enthusiasts from all over the world (thanks to a web page prepared by RSPB): the ibises flew southward over 3000 Km to reach a remote site on the Ethiopian highlands, at an altitude of about 2700 m asl, where they spent almost 6 months (Lindsell et al. 2009).
A preliminary survey (National Geographic, RSPB, Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society), conducted in the Ethiopian wintering grounds in November 2006 (Serra et al. 2007), found only the four adults in place, evidencing that 1st year young and sub-adults winter separately from adults in a still unknown site. Another 2 expeditions were carried out in November 2008 and January 2009 (in the framework of an IUCN/DGCS NBI project, SERRA et al. in prepar.). These 3 field visits showed that the adult NBIs entirely rely on pastureland and that no immediate threat is present at the wintering site.
Sightings of NBIs on the Ethiopian highlands were not uncommon in the past: some of these records are as early as from the nineteenth century (Welch and Welch 2004). Interestingly, the two most recent records of NBIs in the region (Eritrea in 1994, and Ethiopia highlands in 1977) are from sites where the tagged birds have passed by during the past winter. The 3 tagged ibises returned to their Syrian breeding grounds in February 2007, using a partly different route. One of the four adults (the untagged one) was lost during the return migration, evidencing that there are threats in place along the migration route. The same has happened during return migration in February 2009 (SERRA in prepar.). Another interesting fact clearly emerged: the Ethiopian wintering grounds of adult ibises are significantly smaller (ca. 15 Km²) than the Syrian breeding grounds (ca. 400-600 Km²) (Serra et al. in prepar.). The site of Djibouti coast where a young first-year ibis had been photographed in January 2008 has been extensively searched in January 2009, with no detection (SERRA et al. in prepar.).
Recently released NBI International Action Plan (JIMENEZ ARMESTO et al. 2006), and the NBI National Action Plan for Syria that will be hopefully soon prepared, must be implemented as a matter of urgency before it is too late. From the survey done in Ethiopia wintering grounds, it appears clear that if we want to save the eastern population, in the years to come we have to focus on the breeding grounds in Syria and on the migratory route along Arabia peninsula. Known threats at breeding grounds in Syria are reduced but still present. Moreover, socio-economic issues should not be neglected: in fact, the indigenous local community living at the NBI breeding grounds in Syria live on a
31 subsistence economy and their livelihoods depend on the unsustainable over-exploitation of natural resources due to a complex array of reasons independent from their will.
IPA and its indigenous local community (mainly from amur tribe) hold a good potential for promoting the revitalization of the traditional customary pasture management system known as hema system. Once (and if/when) secured the survival of this globally valuable and unique piece of Middle Eastern biodiversity, responsible and small-scale ecotourism in the Palmyra area could become a mean to promote sustainable development and raise much needed ecological awareness locally. Potential for ecotourism in the Palmyra desert has been recently assessed, through an initiative by BirdLife International, and a feasibility study has been produced (SERRA 2007).
Due to the successful protection efforts of past years (2002-04; 2006-07), the natural recruitment of the colony, not recorded in years 2002-04 (Serra 2005) revitalized starting from 2004: since then a total of 8 sub-adults have returned to the colony (2004- 07), partially compensating the loss of adults in past years (SERRA & PESKE, 2006 b, SERRa et al. 2009). A semi-captive population of about 20 pairs of NBIs, most likely belonging to the same genetic stock of Syrian relict colony, are kept by Doga Dernegi (BirdLife partner in Turkey) in the village of Birecik (Southern Anatolia), not far from the Syrian border.
Despite a number of technical and conservation concerns still unresolved (IAGNBI 2004), there is growing consensus among the IUCN’s International Advisory Group on Northern Bald Ibis (IAGNBI) that the Syrian colony could be soon supplemented and reinforced with Turkish individuals, mainly with the aim of reducing in-breeding risks: a feasibility study is in preparation (Fritz et al,, In prep.). This project stands now at an exciting turning point: it could be the last chapter of the long-term decline of NBIs in the Middle East OR the beginning of a spectacular (almost miraculous) recovery plan.
Restoring a viable population of NBI in Arabia and Eastern Africa, starting from the last surviving wild birds of Palmyra, could turn to become a world-class conservation achievement. Similarly ambitious conservation projects have been attempted on mainland only in the USA so far (for example restocking of California Condor and Sandhill Crane).
Following protection successes of 2006 and 2007, a significant setback occurred in 2008, when the ibis colony failed the breeding – in similar circumstances than in 2005 - under a BirdLife/RSPB assistance project. Four chicks died suddenly disappearing from their nests due to unclear reasons. Consequently, also the planned trapping and satellite tagging of young birds also failed. At the same time an IUCN pilot initiative - funded by DGCS/Italian Cooperation (and partly by the Netherlands and Finnish embassies in Damascus), aimed at developing the IPA, started in autumn 2008. A socio-economic and anthropological survey was carried out in December 2008 and two expeditions at ibis wintering grounds in Ethiopia and in Djibouti have been implemented during November 2008 – January 2009.
Meanwhile, in autumn 2008, a new institution has taken over the responsibility of ibis protection and IPA management: the Desert Commission, headed by Eng. Mr. Ali Hamoud. A new era of fruitful cooperation with this news institution is expected, and both IUCN and BirdLife are ready to support it.
32 REFERENCES
BLAIR M. (2005): Editorial. Sandgrouse 27(1): 2. AHARONI, J. (1928): Der Waldrapp – Comatibus eremita (L.). Der Ornithologische Beobachter, 26, 58–60. AHARONI, J. (1929): Zur Brutbiologie von Comatibus comata Bp. (Geronticus eremita L.). Beiträge zur Fortpflanzungsbiologie der Vögel, 5: 17–19. BENYAMINI, D., SERRA, G. AND BRUSCHINI, C. (2007): Papilio demoleus in Palmyra, Syria. A new migrant to the Middle East. Bulletin of the Is. Lepidopterists Society, 24(2): in print. BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL (2004): Geronticus eremita. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
33 Variation in prey availability for Northern Bald Ibises in the central Syrian desert
Adwan H. Shehab1 & Jeremy A. Lindsell2 1General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Douma, P. O. Box 113, Damascus, Syria. 2The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Beds SG19 2DL UK [email protected] 2 [email protected]
Since its discovery in 2002, the small Northern Bald Ibis colony in Syria has not increased in size despite being protected on the breeding grounds and exhibiting good productivity. Although it appears that the population is being limited during migration and/or wintering, maintaining maximum breeding productivity is a priority for saving this colony. The ibises have a very large home range but forage at a relatively small number of sites within it, despite having access to larger areas of apparently suitable habitat. We investigated potential prey availability within the ibis home range in 2008, comparing sites used by the birds at different times of year (n = 3 with three plots in each) with those that are avoided (n = 3 with 3 plots in each). We measured terrestrial vertebrates and invertebrates using pitfall traps (5 traps per plot, fig.1), from observations along line transects (800 m per plot) and during focal searches under stones (20 stones per plot). We also monitored prey levels using these three methods throughout the breeding season.
Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Used Unused Used Unused Used Unused
Fig. 1: Schematic presentation of the sampling design. Each plot has 5 pitfall traps set along the eastern edge. Transects were walked around the boundary of each plot.
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Fig. 2. Used (left 3 images) and unused (right three images) areas at one of the sampled sites. This demonstrates the apparent similarity in general appearance between used and unused areas.
Ninety pitfall traps were inspected 19 times between mid April and mid July, resulting in 1674 sampling events. 20,179 invertebrates of 17 families and 198 vertebrates of nine species were sampled in the traps. During 122.4 km of transect there were 794 encounters with invertebrates and 276 with vertebrates (all reptilian). There was a strong time of day effect during transect surveys. A total of 3245 stones were searched between 12 April and 24 July resulting in 1239 records of invertebrates and vertebrates.
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Fig. 3: A selection of frequently encountered potential prey types. Bottom left shows the contents of a pitfall trap.
We found that used sites were twice as rich in vertebrate and invertebrate prey than the unused areas. Prey levels declined by 40 – 85 % over the course of the breeding season, but we found that levels remained relatively higher in the preferred locations throughout the season. Sites closer to the breeding cliff tended to have lower levels of prey available, which explained the long commutes that the adults undertook for foraging.
This work highlights the vulnerability of the birds at this site - the ibises really do need a very large area in order to support themselves and this is a conservation challenge. Degradation of the patches they use could reduce food supply below critical levels and alternative sites may be hard for the birds to locate, being relatively scarce. At present we don’t know how large these good patches are but analysis suggests they may represent as much as 15% of suitable looking areas (i.e. discounting mountainous areas). Ensuring these patches are well managed for the birds is critical for the survival of this population. We urgently need to determine how to increase the size, prevalence and robustness of good quality patches
The birds are also vulnerable to shortening of the season in which adequate food is available. There is already little time post-fledging to prepare for migration. Low food availability later in the season makes the birds dependent on key resources found around local reservoirs and these have failed recently. Breeding failures in 2009 and 2009 may have been mitigated by improved feeding conditions on the breeding area.
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There’s a high risk that the habitat requirements of the Syrian ibises could be lost in the near future – recent breeding failures may indicate we are approaching that point. This may arise from habitat disturbance and degradation interacting with dry weather conditions. Conversely, there is great potential for improving conditions on the breeding grounds. Boosting productivity in Syria may be the only way to offset high mortality outside Syria until threats on migration can be reduced.
Acknowledgements We are grateful to the Desert Commission of the Government of Syria, the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, BirdLife Middle East and the many individuals who assisted us in the field. This work was funded by a grant from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds with support from the Desert Commission.
37 Mortality of four Ibis chicks during breeding season 2009 and recommendation for 2010 breeding season
G. Serra1, A. Shehab2, L. Peske3, A. Kanani4 1 IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature, research, Italy 2 General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Douma, P. O. Box 113, Damascus, Syria. 3 Czech Ornithological Society Czechoslovakia 4 Commission for Steppe Development & Management, Syria 1 [email protected] 2 [email protected] 3 [email protected] 4 [email protected]
1. FACTS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
¾ 14 May: 4 chicks observed in 2 nests (2 each) from the top of nesting cliff by G. Serra, most likely hatched on 10-11 May. ¾ 19 May: 3 chicks observed from top of cliff by G. Serra, one chick disappeared from n-1 during period 14-19 May (Chick 1) – no remains of chicks was found below the nests, on a 2-min visit done by G. Serra on the same day: a piece of nest fallen down was seen, seemingly from n-1. ¾ 25-26 May: adults start leaving the chicks alone in the nest for the first time, for almost half of the day. ¾ 29 May: during the first day of intensive nest protection by rangers a chick is found freshly dead on the ground below nest n-2 (Chick 3). It was discovered due to observation of behaviour of vultures evidently attracted by something on the ground. On the same day it was realized that another chick was missing from nest n-2: this chick have died during period 20-28 May (Chick 2); ranger Mahmud Abdallah referred that the ibis adult non breeding individual had been observed in many instances disturbing the chicks at both nests, and the parents were observed fighting this individual back. This same observation was made also few hours before the finding of the chick fallen down. ¾ 15 June: during the whole day the last surviving chick is seen in the nest. When the adult female Zenobia returns to the nest after sunset, the guard and the ranger Ahmed Abdallah notice from behaviour of adult that there was no chick anymore in the nest. At the same time they notice a black spot on the ground below the nest: the agonizing chick is then found on the ground below the nest (Chick 4).
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Chick 3 found freshly dead under nest n-2 on 29 May 2009.
2. NOTES AND COMMENTS
Overall, one ibis chick was lost every 7-10 days during the course of 5 weeks following hatching. This mortality pattern is very different from the one occurred in 2008, when all 4 chicks disappeared during the course of 2 days.
Chick 1 disappeared from nest n-1 during the first 8 days after hatching, while one adult was still spending all day in the nest: this most likely means it was not depredated by ravens or vultures. On 14 May G. SERRA observed from top of the cliff that the difference in size between the 2 chicks was very remarkable. The older brother could have easily pushed down the younger one – a common behaviour among birds, especially when food is scant.
We do not have any data on what happened with the Chick 2 disappeared from nest n-2 during period 20-28 May: in fact this nest is quite well hidden and impossible to be monitored constantly from the tent. It could have been depredated during the first 2 days after the chicks were left alone in nest, during days 26-28 May, or it could also be fallen down. Nest n-2 did not seem in fact very well built: it was actually overbuilt. The pair who built it is composed by an experienced adult female (Salam) and an inexperienced subadult at his first breeding.
We are quite sure about the proxy cause of death of this Chick 3: it fell down from the nest, and died by hitting the ground on 29th May between 15.00 and 17.00. It fell down most probably due to disturbance by the single unpaired sub adult. The freshly dead chick looked in healthy conditions and even quite fat, weighting 815 gr. Feathers were at their first stages of development (see photo).
Chick 4, full feathered and weighting 590 g, was only one week before fledging. Inspection of skin revealed presence of several ecto-parasites of different species, whose quantity, according to L. Peske, could have been regarded as normal. According to L. Peske the weight of Chick 4, 200 g less than Chick 3, which was younger of 2 weeks, shows that this chick was underweight. However, considered the stomach content of this chick, it did not
39 look underfed – also considering that being the last chick survived, it was getting all the food from both parents. Moreover, L. Peske did not find any indication of food shortage by examining the feathers. An interesting hypothesis: this last chick survived in nest n-1 could also have been the weaker one of the 2 observed on 14 May?
The safest way to assess the number of chicks in nests, employed as early as 2002, is through careful observation from the top of the cliff of Mayuf - after a breath-taking ascent of a very steep slope of at least one hour. This operation has been done 3 times during present breeding season by experienced G. Serra taking all precautions to not disturb the birds in nests and at a very safe distance from them (more than 250 m).
During period 10-25 May Dr Kanani and rangers, assisted by G. Serra, discussed on how to manage the known risk of depredation by ravens and vultures during the time chicks are left alone in nests. On 29 May the first dawn-to-sunset intensive protection program of nests against depredation was started.
It should be here noted that ranger Ghazy Al Qaim soon after the death of chicks 3 and 4 started spreading his own personal opinions about the causes of chick mortality. His extravagant explanations included disturbance of ibises at nests by ranger Mahmud Abdallah from below the cliff and by G. Serra from top of the cliff.
These explanations seemed absolutely pretentious and most likely due to the fact that Mr Al Qaim was deeply disappointed for not having being selected to be sent on training abroad by IUCN project. In fact, G. Serra, with more than 15 years experience in field ornithology, knows how to monitor nests without disturbing the birds, and have done the same way as early as 2002 with bald ibises without causing any harm to the breeding of birds.
On the other hand Mr Al Qaim admitted to G. SERRA on 19th May that he had visited, accompanied by a guard the basis of the ibis nesting cliff, below the nests, on his personal initiative some days before to assess n. of chicks. This operation is regarded as dangerous for the breeding of birds as the distance from nests is too short (equal or less than 100 m), the number of people involved is too high and, above all, this was an unnecessary and not urgent intervention. In fact, as learnt by experience, the best site to monitor the nests is from the top of the cliff. It is especially risky that 2 persons together reach the basis of nesting cliff while chicks are in nests.
Said meant that, that it is regarded as unlikely, that this intervention done on a personal initiative by Mr Al Qaim was the cause for any chick mortality. Pretentious statements of Mr Al Qaim about chick mortality have only created some confusion at the management level about the real causes of chick mortality: on the other hand, the agenda and the motivations of the ranger were clear to everybody since the very beginning.
Notably, L. Peske has developed a low-cost surveillance system, based on a tele-lens and a video camera. He has preliminarily tested it in the field this year: this system would allow monitoring nest n-1 from the guard tent in Mayuf. This could be a way to monitor nest n-1 in the future, but at the moment there are surely other major elements to be improved in the ibis protection program (such as the scientific coordination and other basic organizational issues).
40 3. STOMACH CONTENTS
On 22 June 2009 post mortem analysis was carried out on the bodies of Chicks 3 and 4 at the Veterinary University of Hama, under supervision of Dr Samer Hamoud and Darem Tabaa. The analysis gave negative results, and did not suggest any clear explanation for the death, except the impact on the ground due to falling from nest. Interestingly, toxicity analysis of stomach content was negative. From analysis, Chick 3 could hold some indications that it did not die due to impact, but this should be further understood. The stomach contents were given to G. Serra who preliminarily detected and identified the following prey items.
Chick 3 Species detected: ¾ Pimelia spp (Tenebrionidae, many individuals, see below) ¾ Trachiderma hispida (Tenebrionidae, many ind., see below) ¾ Adesmia sp. (Tenebrionidae, 1 ind.) ¾ Buthacus tadmorensis (3 ind.) ¾ Polyphaga aegyptiaca (Blattodeaa, Polyphagidae, 1-2 ind.) ¾ 8 stones of few cm of diameter (gastrolytes): these are most likely used to grind the cuticola of beetles -first time recorded
Total of individuals Tenebrionidae: 112 ind. of which surely 32 ind. of Pimelia spp. and then 75 ind. of either Pimelia spp. or Trachiderma ispida + 1 Adesmia sp.
Stones found in the stomach of Chick 3, together with thoraxes of Tenebrionidae.
Chick 4 Species detected: ¾ Pimelia spp (Tenebrionidae, 90 ind.) ¾ Trachiderma hispida (Tenebrionidae, 21 ind.) ¾ Buthacus tadmorensis (1 ind.) ¾ Solfugidae (1 ind.) ¾ Lacerta spp (2 ind.) ¾ Polyphaga aegyptiaca (Blattodeaa, Polyphagidae, 1 ind.) ¾ 3 stones of few cm of diameter (gastrolytes)
Total number of individuals of Tenebrionidae found: 112.
41
Some prey items from stomach content of Chick 3: first column from left, 3 Buthacus tadmorensis; second column from left, 2 Trachiderma hispida; the rest are all Pimelia spp.
On 25 May 2009 a visual transect of 20 minutes was carried out by G. Serra on ibis feeding habitat (Shana’a), detecting the following potential ibis prey on surface and under stones: ¾ 5-6 Akis sp. ¾ 3-4 Trachiderma hispida ¾ 2 Pimelia spp. ¾ 1 Mantoidea.
4. BREEDING SUCCESS, RAINFALL AND PROTECTION EFFORTS
Method Ibis breeding success: The ibis breeding success was calculated by dividing the number of successfully fledged and migrated chicks by the number of pairs which had laid eggs at the beginning of the season (breeding pairs) (Serra et al. 2009). For sake of simplicity, we here refer to “migrated chicks” as for healthy juveniles observed leaving the breeding area during the post-fledging period together with the adults (which does not necessarily coincides with the start of the migration).
Rainfall data: Three information sources of rainfall data and spring quality pastures were combined and averaged: ¾ Oct-Feb rainfall data (mm) from Al Talila whether station (seasons from 2002 to 2009) ¾ Oct-Feb rainfall data (mm) from Palmyra whether station (seasons from 2002 to 2009) ¾ perception by 7 different pastoralists from Ibis Protected Area about quality of pastures during springs from 2002 to 2009.
Amount and quality of protection efforts: The amount and quality of protection efforts afforded to the ibis colony during the study period was determined through the Index of Total Protection Effort (ITPE) defined by the following formula:
ITPE = [Degree of scientific coordination + n. and level of training/experience of rangers involved + n. and role of Bedouin guards involved] x relative duration of protection program (0-100).
42 The four parameters on which the ITPE is based were measured in the following way: Scientific coordination of protection program: 0= no sc. coordination, 1= remote sc. coordination, 2= partial sc. coordination in the field, 3= sc. coordination in the field Level of training and experience of rangers: 0= untrained/inexperienced ranger, 1= partially trained/experienced ranger, 2= moderately trained/experienced ranger, 3= highly trained/experienced ranger Roles of Bedouin guards relatively to rangers: 1= (untrained) Bedouin guard responsible for ibis protection under rangers supervision, 2= (untrained) Bedouin guard assisting rangers in ibis protection under no scientific coordination, 3= (untrained) Bedouin guard assisting rangers in ibis protection under scientific coordination. Relative duration: 5 months (whole duration of ibis staying) = 100%, 1 mo= 20%. The standardized definition of ITPE as shown above was discussed at length by the persons involved in the field ibis protection programs during period 2002-07 and is based on the following assumptions: ¾ scientific coordination in the field, performed by a qualified and experienced ornithologist, affects the efficiency and quality of the protection program ¾ level of training and experience of rangers – not to mention the motivation and passion - dramatically affects the efficiency of the protection program - which is based on intensive work from before dawn to sunset 7 days a week, for 5 months ¾ untrained guards cannot replace the duties of rangers in the ibis protection and monitoring, as are untrained and they have their family and livestock to take care of: the original and ideal duty for Bedouin guards is just to assist the rangers and complement them.
Results Graph below shows the variation in percentage of ibis breeding success, of average rainfall and of intensity and quality of protection efforts over the period 2002-09 (8 breeding seasons).
1,10
0,90
0,70
0,50 %
0,30
0,10
-0,10 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
breeding seasons
breeding success rainfall average protection effort
Spearman’s Correlation test gave no significant correlation between the 3 variables considered during period 2002-09 (r=0.445 and r=0.304, P > 0.05). On the other hand, a
43 strong correlation was found between the breeding success and the protection efforts during both period 2002- 07 and 2002-08 (Spearman Correlation Test: r=0.84 and 0.876, P < 0.001, respectively); while during the same 2 periods no significant correlation was found relatively to the breeding success and the rainfall (Spearman Correlation Test: r=0.4, P > 0.1). Not simple interpretation: data seem to suggest that below a certain threshold of rainfall (or above a certain threshold of drought intensity) efficient and intensive protection cannot prevent breeding failures - like for instance what has happened this year 2009. Surely, as shown by data, the last two springs (2008 and 2009) have been arguably the driest ever since the year of the discovery of the ibis colony. As a consequence, for the first time ever, the area has been devoid of pastoralists in both years. There is not general consensus whether 2009 was slightly better that 2008: according to L. Peske during 2008 spring there were significantly less birds than in 2009. For pastoralists, both seasons were the same: the fact that 2009 had some more rain than 2008 was negatively compensated by the fact that it was the second drought in a row.
5. PROBLEMS WITH NESTS
Ranger Mahmud Abdallah noticed that one egg was lost at nest n-1 of Gattar clif by Zenobia early in this season – due to falling down. Inspections from L. Peske undertaken on 10 July revealed that this nest might have some structural weaknesses. On the other hand, according to L. Peske nest n-2 of Gattar seems quite fine.
Nest n-2 of Mayuf seemed overbuilt, probably as a result of inexperience by the new young partner of Salam: because the size of the niche is very limited, as a consequence the space for the chicks inside the nest seemed very limited.
6. THE HYPOTHESES FOR CHICK MORTALITY OF 2009 SEASON
Chick/s Proposed Arguments pro Arguments contra Likelihood Notes possibly prox. involved cause Chick 3 Disturbance Several direct very Behaviour known by adult non observations by probable from literature, breeding ibis ranger Mahmud especially from Morocco
Chick 1 and Insufficient Last 2 years rainfall Ibises are able to find Possible 4 food was the worst of all food anyway (but the 8 breeding easier for them if seasons monitored without chicks!)
Chicks were left Chick 4 had alone for most day seemingly full since 2 weeks after stomach with no hatching versus 4 indication of weeks in 2002 starvation on feathers Few days after breeding failures L. Peske says that last ibises have year there were less abandoned Shna’a birds in the desert feeding site, and one than this year week later they
44 moved to Rkheime Chick 4 was the last survived one, getting all food from both experienced parents Chick 2 Possible, Impossible to Depredation during days monitor nest n. 2 26-28 May from the guard tent
Chick 2 Problems Nest n-2 in Mayuf Both nests produced Possible- Young adults at first with nests was overbuilt, very 3 chicks each in probable breeding are known little room for chicks 2006! to overbuild nests
Inspection of n-1 in Gattar form L. Peske
Chick 4 Inbreeding Chick 4 was Sultan and Zenobia related underweight, despite were a successful problems / probably not being breeding pair in 2006 genetic underfed and 2007 problems
7. FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE BREEDING SEASONS
¾ Ensuring Shna’a and Slem reservoirs are fixed during September-October 2009: reservoirs provide ibises with most probably important supplementary food, especially in the form of young toads (Serra et al. 2008). It seems likely that the past 2 breeding failures could be linked to the fact that during the past 3 years both reservoirs were dried and ibises could not exploit supplementary food ¾ A deeper interpretation of chick post mortem analysis seems needed: it is recommended to request assistance to veterinarians specialized in wild birds and better in bald ibises. ¾ Developing an efficient system to provide extra food to ibises, in cooperation with captive ibis projects (Austria, Spain etc.). To be discussed during next IAGNBI meeting in November 2009. ¾ Attempting to improve nests: it is recommended that this very delicate operation should be done only with technical assistance from BirdLife and IUCN, during period November 2009 – January 2010. In fact, this intervention, if done improperly, could cause more damages than benefits to nests, being the rock of the cliff fragile. To be discussed during next IAGNBI meeting in November 2009. ¾ Discussing agreement with military in order to avoid overlap of exercitations and occurrence of birds in Rkheime area in the years to come, during period mid June- July. Also important, advocating not targeting the ibis cliff during exercitations ¾ Carefully studying and discussing the recommendations on best efficiency of ibis protection program as proposed in Annex 1. Timely preparation for next 2010 breeding season according to recommendations. ¾ In particular: a stronger scientific coordination of rangers and guards is recommended in the future years. Rangers should not make decisions – at least those not linked to routine - without prior consulting an experienced scientific responsible. Especially critical are the visits below nests which should be avoided and - if necessary – must be done only by qualified and experienced staff. ¾ Rangers should collect data according to standard forms prepared by the scientific responsible and not in the form of personal notes.
45 Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus ermita in Yemen
Omar AL-SAGHIER Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife (YSPW) & GEF- SGP-Yemen [email protected] [email protected]
Yemen located in the south-west of the Arabian Peninsula nearest land tip close to the Horn of Africa. Bald Ibis of the eastern population have been using Yemen territory in their migration ever since. The first well documented observation in recent history was in 1985, where OSME expedition recorded 12 individuals in the TAIZ wetlands important Birds Area (IBA). There was a second observation where 7 individual birds were observed in 1987.
The species continue to use Yemen as site stopover during the autumn migration between its breeding sites in Turkey and Syria and wintering ground in the Ethiopian highlands. The satellite telemetry improves the tracking and enables the discovery of other IBA´s in the Tihama lowlands of Yemen. The Bajil area for roosting and Kadan (forging) are important sites for their survival while in Yemen. In 2006 six individual birds were observed includes 44 Adults and two Juveniles. The adults made their journey to Ethiopia whereas the Juveniles went to mysterious sites.
While in Yemen, the species is facing several threats of which are: Agriculture Intensification that exhaust water aquifers and use of excessive pesticides?; Land use changes that deplete most areas where the species spend forging and water pollution and industrial liquid waste; overgrazing of steppe associated with human disturbances in these areas that the species use for forging while in Yemen.
Taiz wetland 12 birds (1985)
It’s very important that range countries exert attention to protect this threatened species while in their respective country. This can be achieve through implementation of existing wildlife law, raise awareness among resources users and developers to safe guard the species and secure least disturbances and habitats losses while on passage migration.
46 Recommendations of the regional meeting of the BirdLife Middle East Partnership (Saudi Arabia – Nov 2009)
Together for birds and people BirdLife Middle East
A meeting about sustainable hunting in the Middle East took place in Saudi Arabia in December 2009. This meeting was hosted by the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation & Development (NCWCD). A special session during the meeting was dedicated for the threatened species in the region – their conservation and threats affecting them. The role of IAGNBI was explained and Palmyra meeting was presented as an opportunity of bringing all key stakeholders together to discuss and agree on the priority themes and actions to conserver the Northern Bald Ibis. For Syria partners of SSCW (Syrian Society for Conservation of Wildlife), for Jordan representatives of RSCN- (the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, for Saudi Arabia NCWCD, for Yemen: YSPW (Yemen society for the protection of wildlife) were present. But all network organizations attended (Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Bahrain).
Participants of the BirdLife Middle East regional partnership: The meeting was attended by BirdLife CEO and HH Prince Bandar Bin Saud the Secretary General of NCWCD.
47
This is part of the recommendations are concerning the protection and monitoring of the Northern Bald Ibis:
¾ Participants recognize the urgent need to develop and implement national action plans to protect and monitor the critically endangered Bald Ibis in Middle Eastern range countries. Immediate action measures are given in Annex1. ¾ Middle East Secretariat is urged to support partners facing challenges in controlling unsustainable hunting, through developing specific initiatives for capacity building to implement and develop what has been achieved through the regional sustainable hunting project.
Annex1
Conservation program for globally threatened species in the region - The Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita
A globally threatened species and is one of the rarest birds in the world included on the red list of threatened species and at the brink of extinction. The Bald Ibis breeds in Palmyra – Syria, after which it migrates to Ethiopia – Africa and is passing through Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. A perilous journey, where birds are exposed to several threats, including, electrocution through colliding with high power lines and illegal hunting.
These threats resulted in a significant decrease in bird numbers during the past few years, at present only two breeding birds exist. Partners have agreed on the following immediate conservation measures: ¾ Partners, particularly in the range countries of migration (Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen) will follow-up on awareness activities of the importance of protecting this critically endangered species through national awareness campaigns, which will also be merged into national conservation plans. ¾ Partners of range states, in coordination with BirdLife, will develop national action plans for protection and monitoring of the Ibis during migration. Priority activities will include field visits and apply effective protection measures within areas the Ibis use during migration.
48 Northern Bald Ibis Project at Birecik Breeding Centre: yesterday, today and tomorrow
Taner HATİPOĞLU General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks [email protected]
Northern Bald Ibis, Geronticus eremita, is a critically endangered species which suffered from habitat destruction, persecution and intensive agricultural applications and disappeared from most of its former range in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. In 1950s, population was widespread in south-east Turkey. Bald Ibis colony in Turkey had faced a dramatic decline starting from late 1950s. Main reason for its decline was the intensive application of DDT by the former Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of Health carried out simultaneously and independently against malaria and locusts. Following deaths and continuing reproductive failure resulted in the shrink of the breeding population down to 23 pairs in 1973.
Following this rapid decline, the responsible governmental authority in Turkey (General Directorate of National Parks and Game-Wildlife - MPG) started in 1973 with the help of WWF a program to save the remaining wild population of Birecik. In former days the NBI had been breeding around the town of Birecik in the rock ledges up to 3000 birds. But also this huge colony suffered dramatically under the use of pesticide.
49 In 1977 a breeding station was established 3 km at the northern end of the town. A total of 41 birds was caught between 1977 and 1989, 32 of them in the first three years. Birds were allowed to breed inside the rock shelf of the cage and artificial food was given twice a day. When released the birds foraged (and still forage) around the Birecik town, the forest nursery, agricultural fields and riparian zone of Euphrates but the artificial feeding twice a day continued.
After the sudden death of chicks and adult birds which occurred within 1998, 1999 and 2000 the total number of the population declined to 42 individuals. To avoid extinction of the Birecik colony the birds were prevented to leave the area and were brought into two cages before migration season starts. So the birds are released in middle of February. They are free flying and breeding outside the cages in the spring and summer times. Breeding occurs mainly in the nest boxes close to the breeding station and on rock ledges. At the end of the breeding season, birds are taken back into cages – in late July.
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry Turkey started a Northern Bald Ibis Protection Project together with Doğa Derneği (NGO) in 2001. The objectives of this project are:
To stop sudden decline in breeding station ¾ To increase the number over 100 ¾ to get the migration started again
50 Year Released in Juveniles Missing or death Released for February migration 2000 45 0 3 deaths 0 2001 42 19 1 missing 0 2002 60 17 10 missing 4 deaths 0
2003 63 14 10 missing 2 deaths 0
2004 65 9 2 missing 2 deaths 0
2005 70 19 6 deaths 0 2006 83 21 9 missing 4 deaths 0
2007 91 26 2 deaths 4 2008 111 8 15 missing 4 2009 90 23 6 missing 2 deaths 4 01-11-2009 101 - - Bald Ibis population at the Birecik Breeding station 2000-2009
In July 2009 104 birds individual were brought back in cages. 2007, 2008 and 2009 a total of 12 NBI´ s were released for migration with cps transmitters. 2007: 2 of them disappeared, 2 of them stayed around the breeding Centre in Birecik. 2008: 3 of the birds migrated south but were found dead near Amman (Jordan). They died by electrocution. In 2009 again 3 birds migrated south. The last information on their location came from north Saudi Arabia where they were shot by hunters.
Plans for the future in Birecik are: ¾ A further increase of the number of birds in the Birecik Breeding Center ¾ To ensure a safe migration in Middle East through cooperation between countries
51 Sensitization aspects on the Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) in Algeria
Amina Fellous Mouvement Ecologique Algerien [email protected]
Mouvement Ecologique Algerien
Summary:
Only few data’s are available up to now but still the NBI is known as a protected threatened bird species in Algeria (2006 protection by law), although there is no actual national action plan for research in the purpose of the rehabilitation on this bird.
A real need of investigation on the rocky cliffs of the Saharan Atlas mountains, to set up its status following the last occurring sites (western part of Algeria) with the objectives to:
¾ Continue to attract the local ornithologists in their priority research actions focusing on the NBI.
¾ Establish a national action plan of the rehabilitation of the species using objective and scientific evaluation criteria on the actual status of the NBI in Algeria.
¾ Work on the possibility of the reintroduction of the NBI in its natural habitat following the recommendations from the new evaluation status.
¾ Get more attention of sponsors in investigating on other possible –probable nesting sites.
¾ Work in collaboration between laboratories, specialized institutions, local administration, local and national NGO’s, including Algerian Zoo, BirdLife, IAGNBI
¾ Collaborate in a regional consideration with Moroccan partners in the context of the CMS convention ( AEWA agreement),and continue to launch sensitization actions , planed at a local first level, using the NBI bird as a local flagship species in the ecotourism perspective in arid region.
52 Update report of Proyecto Eremita, March 2010
Miguel A. Quevedo Zoobotánico Jerez, c/ Taxdirt s/n, Jerez 11404, Cádiz, Spain [email protected]
The “Proyecto Eremita”, is a study of different releasing techniques of Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) in the region of La Janda (Cádiz, South-Western Spain) starting in 2003. From 2004 to 2009 a total of 190 birds from the EEP population have been tested in the release experiment. At the moment 32 birds form a stable and sedentary free flying group in the release area. In May 2008 a single pair built a nest in a nearby cliff and the first reproduction in the wild took place. One chick was reared by their parents and joined the free flying group. In May 2009 another breeding pair reared a chick in the same cliff.
The Gruenau project (Austria) as well as Proyecto Eremita (Spain) have proven that it is possible to establish a colony from scratch using the hand rearing method. Furthermore, Proyecto Eremita has demonstrated that it is possible to establish a sedentary colony in a suitable habitat using both: (a) the hand-rearing method and (b) the integration of parent- rearing birds into an existing group as well. Proyecto Eremita was planned to finish in 2008 although in the light of experience and good results it was extended until 2010. Taking into account those findings, the global situation of the species and the recently demonstrated historic presence in Spain, a Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) in southern Spain will be conducted in the near future and a possible re-introduction will be studied.
Successful release methodology 1- Hand rearing technique: Group of hand reared chicks by characterized foster parents wearing black shirts and Ibis shaped helmets. The chicks follow and approach only these “parents” and can be handled and caught whereas they avoid contact with other humans. To avoid losses, the yearlings are enclosed in the aviary during the juvenile dispersal period (August – November). Releases are tested in two phases: November and February next year.
2- Parent rearing integration technique: It can be considered as a supplementation / integration trial into existing free flying group. Group of parent reared chicks incorporated into the hand reared group when the birds are kept in the aviary during the dispersal period. Releases are tested in two phases: November and February next year.
53 Results year Total Hand Parent Released Dead Strayed Remained in released or reared reared adults release site planned H.R. P.R. A. 2004 23 21 (10 2 0 14 7 2 with cattle (12 H.R. + 2 (H.R.) (H.R.) egrets) P.R.) 2005 24 17 (7 with 7 0 18 5 1 cattle (14 H.R. + 4 (2 H.R. + 3 (H.R.) egrets) P.R..) P.R.) 2006 34 25 3 6 14 19 1 (8 H.R. + 2 P.R. (17 H.R. + 2 (P.R.) + 4 A.) A.) 2007 28 28 (7 H.R. 0 0 14 6 8 Chester (H.R.) (H.R.) (H.R.) zoo) 2008 48 20 28 0 12 8 28 * (6 H.R. + 6 (3 H.R.+ 5 (12 H.R. + 16 P.R.) P.R.) P.R.). 2009 33 21 12 0 3 6 24 * (2 H.R. + 1 (5 H.R.+ 1 (14 H.R. + 10 P.R.) P.R.) P.R.) TOTAL 190 132 52 6 75 51 64
39.4% 26.8 % 33.6 %
* Wild born: - “Trafalgar”, male , hatched in Barbate cliff, may 2008 - “Breña”, female , hatched in Barbate cliff, may 2009
Mortality Of the190 released, 75 (71 juveniles and 4 adults) died. The causes of mortality have been mainly natural or accidental. There is not recorded any case of contagious disease. Bacterial infections E. Coli B-hemolitic and Clostridium sp. were found only in two birds. In both cases the disease took an acute onset course and death occurred within hours of detecting clinical signs. These bacteria can be part of the normal flora and in some cases, become secondary pathogens, penetrate the intestinal wall or produces endotoxins and induce systemic disease and death. There has been a high juvenile mortality rate (minimum 67 out of 184, 36.4%). Of those 67 juvenile, 49 were HR and 18 PR.
Strayed birds from the release area A total of 51 birds went missing from the release site. Of those missing birds little or scarce information has been received. Two birds were observed in Morocco (Afennourir Lake in 2005 and Larache 2007) and two birds were observed in Western Spain (2007). We assume that most of them could have died as no further observation occurred. Most of the strayed birds were missing during the dispersive movements (24 out of 43), with 19 out of 43 disappearing after the confinement period (after 30 Nov.). Enclosing the yearlings in the aviary during the dispersion period (August to November) clearly increases the chance to establish the birds in the release area.
54 Juvenile long-distance movements (dispersal) (compiled by E. AGUILERA (scientific advisor)
Confirmed long-distance dispersal in P.E. has involved 19 identified birds and 11 different localities. Dates of dispersal ranged between August 8 and May 13. Directions (n), according to localities were South (2), North (2), Northwest (5), Northeast (2) and according to number of birds South (2), North (4), Northwest (13), Northeast (10) (note that total n ≠ 19 because birds of 2008 were sighted in various localities NE and NW of El Retín). Mean distance between El Retín and those localities was 185 km (range: 82 - 456 km). In conclusion, dispersal is a natural behaviour observed in both the extant wild population of Morocco (El Bekkay & Widade 2007. 2nd IAGNBI Meeting, Vejer 2006) and among released captive birds (Austria and Spain works). Some birds returning from long-distance movements have been recorder: A parent-reared yearling (R02) left the study area in January 9, 2007, it was sighted on February in Hato Blanco (120 km NW of El Retín). At April 22, 2008, arrived at El Retín, where she joined to the group of ibis, where she remains until now. On January 1, 2008, 8 hand reared birds (not enclosed in the aviary during hat time) left the release area. On October 11, the 8 birds are sighted in Lagoes do Salgado, a golf course in El Algarve (Portugal, 243 Km NW of El Retín). On October 9, one of the yearlings comes back to El Retín, so, it had flied 243 km in one day!! On January 12, 5 birds still remain here. On June 28, the 4 birds are back to Retín aera and joined to the group. The two juveniles born in the wild during 2008 and 2009 respectively did not show any sign of dispersion and joined the free flying group.
Free-flying group In March 2010 the free-flying group will be formed by 64 birds: 2 HR from 2004, 1 HR from 2005, 1 PR from 2006, 8 HR from 2007, 28 (12 HR + 16 PR) from 2008, 24 (14 HR + 10 PR) from 2009, as well as the two birds (Trafalgar and Breña) hatched in the wild in 2008 and 2009.
No ecological impact of released birds There has not been any evidence of ecological impact on flora or fauna within the area studied.
Social response There is a public awareness about the species with the local people finding the birds and the experiment interesting.
What have we learned from those release trials? Special attention has to be paid during designing and construction of the release aviary to minimize causes of disease or mortality. This species is prone to ingest foreign bodies (wires) left in the ground. Fracture of mandible or bill related to trauma in the aviary due to inappropriate mesh netting (wire mesh versus fishing mesh). All these consideration will decrease the mortality rate. Hand rearing with characterized human foster parents is a good release method to establish a sedentary colony in the release area. Integration of parent reared chicks into the hand reared group while the birds are kept in the aviary is a promising method.
55 Veterinary aspects of Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) and causes of mortality in free flying trials in southern Spain
Miguel A. Quevedo, DVM Zoobotánico Jerez, Cádiz, Spain [email protected]
Introdutction “Proyecto Eremita”, a joint project between Zoobotánico Jerez and the Regional Government of Andalucia, Spain, aims to evaluate the efficacy of different releasing techniques in La Janda area, Southern Spain (QUEVEDO et al 2004). The project is scientifically assisted by Estación Biológica de Doñana, a prestigious scientific institution. Veterinary surveillance is essential to minimise the risk of accidental introduction of parasites or infectious diseases, especially given the proximity of the release site in southern Spain to the last residual wild population in Morocco.
750
56 Material and method
Birds used in this study come from the European Endangered species Programme (EEP), mainly from Zoobotánico Jerez (Spain). Other EEP institutions that have kindly collaborated with the project, providing birds for release and breeding are: Jersey (U.K.), Amersfoort (Netherlands), Doue (France), Innsbruck (Austria), Budapest (Hungary) and Chester (U.K.).
The project facilities are found at two sites. One at Zoobotanico Jerez where there is a Northern Bald Ibis enclosure, a nursery for egg incubation and hand rearing as well as veterinary facilities. The second is the release aviary, built in a military zone in La Janda area, Barbate. This enclosure is divided into several parts, designed not only for release but also to maintain a captive breeding colony as an additional attraction to the free-flying group. Their diet is composed of a mixture of minced heart of beef, chicken, carrots, pellets for insectivorous birds, multivitamins and carotene. During the breeding season minced mice, insects (mealworms), vitamin E and selenium are added.
Although various release techniques have been tested, the basic methodology is hand- rearing by characterized foster parents wearing black shirts and ibis shaped helmets. All the birds are individually marked using standard aluminium and plastic colour rings with an alphanumeric code. Also terrestrial radio-transmitters are attached to monitor the movement of the birds.
Veterinary procedures To minimise the risk of accidental introduction of parasites or infectious diseases to the last residual wild population in Morocco (750 km), a medical surveillance of released birds has been established to monitor for any signs of disease or mortality during the project so that risks can then be minimised accordingly. This surveillance protocol is based on:
1. Injured or sick birds are taken to ZBJ for examination, diagnosis & treatment., clinical cases. 2. Screening of birds to be released and preventive medical attention given (quarantine, physical examination, sampling and preventive treatment). 3. Any dead birds found are thoroughly analysed through a post mortem study.
57 Investigation into the “skin problem” in captive Northern Bald Ibis Due to the lack of previous veterinary data for this species, between 1999 and 2001 a survey of captive birds was sent to the EEP institutions in order to highlight the more common diseases and causes of mortality in zoos (2). Euthanasia was the most common cause of mortality (21.1%), in many cases (40 %) due to irreversible disorders such as chronic skin lesions. The causative agent of this process remains unknown. In 2008 and 2009 two cases of skin problems presented at Zoobotánico Jerez have been investigated. This study was conducted during 17 months of veterinary investigations, check- ups, skin biopsy, haematology, biochemistry, analysis of mineral elements in serum (Cu, Zn, Mg). During this time different drug protocols and treatments were administrated with promising results.
Results During the 6 years of study (2004 – 2009) a total of 190 birds (184 juveniles + 6 adults) have been released. Of those 184 juveniles, 132 were Hand Reared (HR) and 52 Parent Reared (PR). At this point, the total number of free flying birds is 35 out of 190 released (18.4 %). During the first 3 years releases (2004 – 2006) we have encountered several problems. In 2004 foreign body ingestion: 13 affected birds (11 surgeries) out of 23 birds. 4 died because of perforation complications and 9 recovered after surgery (ventriculostomy). In June – July 2006 six birds died by electrocution and collision with a local power line (isolated afterwards).
Veterinary results in the surveillance protocol: 1- Clinical cases encountered during the development of “Proyecto Eremita“. All the veterinary work done on sick or injured ibis is summarised as follows: - Foreign bodies ingested and peritonitis. Northern bald ibis have the capability to find and then swallow pieces of tree branch and fragments of metal (wire, nails) especially in new or repaired aviaries. Once these foreign bodies are ingested they can cause obstruction or perforation of the stomach wall, producing perforative gastritis and eventually peritonitis. -
- Trauma registered in free flying birds is mainly due to accidents (power lines, hit by car). In birds kept in the aviary the trauma is related to some degree of disturbance (for example a predator near the aviary) provoking them to fly against hard objects, such as the mesh walls or part of the aviary’s structure. The main lesions founds are: fracture of
58 mandible or bill, dislocation of lumbar vertebra, liver rupture, and various wounds. The bill fractures led in most cases to bill amputation or in more severe cases to euthanasia. -
- Injuries from predators: These are observed in cases of unsuccessful attacks by Eagle owl (Bubo bubo), Bonelli’s eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus) and Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). - Parasites, mainly arthropods, such as ticks and lice: There has not been any parasitic disease. There are 4 malophaga species (lice) described in NBI, but just 2 of them have been found in captive birds: Ardeicola exilis and Colpocephalum eremitae. It is interesting that birds used in PE are free from these lice because of preventive treatment. Birds coming from European zoos generally have some lice.
Ardeicola exilis Colpocephalum eremitae
- Bacterial diseases:Two cases of acute death, one by E.coli B-hemolitic another by E.coli B- hemolitic and Clostridium sp. In both cases death occurred within 1- 2 hours of developing clinical signs. Clostridium sp. is a common secondary invader that requires a triggering factor to develop the infection. E. coli can be part of the normal flora and in some cases penetrates the intestinal wall or produces endotoxins. It then can induce systemic disease, septicaemia and death. It was not a contagious disease, just isolated cases.
2- Preventive medicine - Quarantine: birds from ZooBotánico Jerez have been under veterinary surveillance since 1991 offering ideal health conditions for this project, since no parasites or infectious diseases have been diagnosed. - - Physical examination and screening tests: coprological examination for parasites, microbiology (Salmonella, Shigella and Campylobacter), routine hematology and plasma biochemistry (1). These procedures are carried out for each bird two weeks before its release, also on adults kept as breeders, and for the free flying group captured every year.
59
- Preventive treatment against parasites and potential pathogenic bacteria: It is based on the treatment with: Ivermectin, 0.2 mg/kg s.c. (parasites), clazuril: 5 mg/kg p.o. (protozoan parasites), 0.5% permetrine spray (ectoparasites), enrofloxacine (Salmonella sp.), in drinking water 10 days before release. -
3- Post-mortem studies are carried out in every single bird found dead. The majority of causes of mortality have been natural or related to human activity. See causes of mortality in table.1.
Veterinary results in the study of skin problem in captive birds: A skin problem in captive birds was identified as a result of the mortality survey. A thorough necropsy should be performed on all Northern Bald Ibis which died at institutions housing this species in addition to the institution’s regular necropsy protocol. Unfortunately we have not received any response to the above requests there is nothing published and no further information found about this problem.
60
Between April 2008 and September 2009 a veterinary study was conducted on two birds suffering from the skin problem at Zoobotánico Jerez. Different treatment protocols were used without success. Feather picking and self-mutilation was suspected in both cases. The use of a prothesis (2 cm tube) fitted to the upper mandible to avoid feather picking stopped the process. Although we assume that the aethiology of this process is a compulsive disorder, further research is needed.
Discussion This experience on release techniques is promising and could be useful for future reintroduction programmes. The EEP zoos maintain and breed the species in good health, well balanced in age and sex. Therefore the captive population is a good source of birds to implement future reintroduction programmes. Special care must be taken in designing and construction of new aviaries in order to minimize the risk of trauma and ingestion of foreign bodies. Ibis, due to a long, curved bill, are prone to bill fractures. Up until present, no contagious disease has been diagnosed in the Spanish project (Proyecto Eremita, for causes of mortality see table at page 64). The skin problem, in captive birds, needs further investigation, specially focusing on the possibility of a compulsive disorder. This experience highlights the role that veterinarians have for minimising risks involved in release programmes.
REFERENCES 1. DUTTON C.J., ALLCHURCH A.F., COOPER J.E. (2002): Comparison of hematologic and biochemical reference ranges between captive populations of Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita). Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 38(3), pp. 583-588. 2. QUEVEDO M.A. (2001): Veterinary investigations and a request for information from zoos. Newsletter 1º of the International Advisory Group for the Northern Bald Ibis I.A.G.N.B.I. 3. QUEVEDO M.A., SÁNCHEZ, I., AGUILAR J.M., CUADRADO, M. (2004): A study of different release techniques for a captive population of NBI (Geronticus eremita) in the region of La Janda (Cádiz, southern Spain). In: 3rd Newsletter of the International Advisory Group for the Northern Bald Ibis (IAGNBI) (ed.C.Böhm). Published by the IAGNBI.
61
On the experimental introduction of migratory Northern Bald Ibis colonies
Johannes Fritz Waldrappteam & University of Vienna, Austria [email protected] www.waldrapp.eu
Human-led migration
On August 16th 2009 a group of scientists, pilots and volunteers started up the human-led migration (HLM) with a group of 11 juvenile Northern bald ibises (NBI). The journey departed from Burghausen in Bavaria and ended in the WWF Oasi Laguna di Orbetello in the southern Tuscany (Fig.1). It was the longest lasting migration journey ever since (Tab.1). On September 21st, after a 41 day journey, we reached the wintering area Laguna di Orbetello in the southern Tuscany with 11 birds. The juvenile birds remained in an aviary till the migration-motivation was decayed. On October 22nd they were released so that they could integrate into the free-flying group. During the last year we performed five successful HLMs in total (Fig.1; Fritz 2010). The first journeys started from Scharnstein in Upper Austria. Since 2007 we depart from Burghausen. This is a Bavarian city at the river Salzach, in the middle of the historical European breeding area. Since 2007 we use a new type of microlights with extraordinary low-speed characteristics. This was the technical reason to optimize the methodology of the HLMs. Different data indicate that the birds cope well with the specific conditions of a HLM. In particular, they have only a slight body mass decrease during migration, which is less than half of the body mass increase prior to migration. They show no physiological or endocrinological stress indication and no sign of immune system deprivation.
2004 2005 2007 2008 2009 Departure 2004-08-17 2005-08-18 2007-08-13 2008-08-17 2009-08-14 Arrival 2004-09-22 2005-09-08 2007-09-19 2008-09-22 2009-09-22 Total duration (days) 37 22 38 37 41 Flight days 14 10 12 13 22 Proportion flight:stopover 1 : 2.6 1 : 2.2 1 : 3.2 1 : 2.8 1 : 1.8 Total flight distance (km) 865 km 865 km 746 km 1205 km 1205 Daily flight distance (km) 62 km 86 km 62 km 93 km 52 km Ground speed (mean) 52 km/h 45 km/h 35 km/h 41 km/h 41 km/h Birds at arrival 7 7 17 10 11
Table 1: Statistics of the human-led migrations
62
Figure 1: Route of the human-led migration 2009; white line: flight-route, red dots: stop-overs.
Spatio-temporal pattern of free-flying birds
The data we got so far from our free-flying birds indicate an age-dependent annual spatial pattern. Every year a part of the sub-adult birds leave the wintering area between April and July, either in groups or as singles. The flights last for weeks or even months, but usually the birds return until November. Departure seemed to be triggered by external factors, mainly by reduced food availability due to aridity. We found no consistent patterns of these flights despite an overall direction towards North. During winter the birds show no motivation for longer lasting flights. With achievement of sexual maturation the birds start up with what we call a diurnal migration circle, which seems largely consistent and predictable. This migration circle usually starts in spring from the wintering area, so far between March 23rd and April 10th. In April 2007 adult birds from our first generation 2004 started up with the migration flights. The birds flew northwards, straight and fast, either as singles or as pairs. But none of the birds reached the breeding area in Scharnstein, north of the Alps. They ended up either south of the Alps or in the Alps, just 100 km linear distance from the breeding area. The failure to cross the central range of the Alps may have different causes, but any way it seems to be a serious barrier for the birds. As a consequence we led our new birds since 2008 around the Alps (Fig.1). The stuck birds were caught and transferred to Scharnstein in Upper Austria. One pair bred and raised three chicks. Our birds socialized with the free-flying, sedentary NBI colony of the Konrad-Lorenz research station Gruenau and, probably as a consequence, showed no motivation to leave the sedentary colony and to fly back south. So we decided to transfer them back to the area south of the central mountain range, where they ended up in spring.
63 There they continued further south. On Sep. 15th the group including the offspring was observed in Osoppo, Northern Italy. Some days later the adult birds arrived in the wintering area, but without the offspring. The juveniles remained vanished.
In spring 2008 the same pattern happened. But due to the experiences from 2007 we decided, to bring them to Oasi dei Quadris di Fagagna, a small conservation center in the small village Fagagna, located in Northern Italy along the course of the migration route. There is also a group of about 70 NBI living, but they stay permanently in an aviary. We assumed these NBI will not affect our birds in the way the free-flying NBI in Scharnstein did. Two birds were raised in Fagagna. On Sep. 28th 2008 the adult bird Medea left Fagagna together with the two juveniles. Two days later these three birds were sighted in the wintering area Laguna di Orbetello, 600 km further south. On October 2nd the two juveniles left the wintering area again and on October 11th they arrived back in Fagagna. Meanwhile, the remaining adults birds in Fagagna had relocated there roosting place from a location outside the centre to the roof of the NBI aviary in the centre. In the follow the birds showed no tendency to leave from Fagagna. It seems that even an enclosed NBI colony attracts the small group migratory NBI and causes most of them to stay. In February 2009 we caught the birds and transferred them to the wintering area.
In spring 2009 the adults migrated directly to Fagagna. One pair raised three juveniles. Beginning of September two subadults from Tuscany joined the group. One of them was raised in Fagagna in the previous year. On September 28th 2009 one of these two subadults left Fagagna, together with a juvenile. On October 12th 2009 one further juvenile, the remaining subadult and the adult Medea left Fagagna. The remaining birds (four adults and one juvenile) relocated there roosting place to the roof of the NBI aviary in the centre, as they did the year before. On October 22nd 2009 these five birds were transferred to the Padan Plain. We released them along the migration route, at a place well know to the four adult birds. We assumed, that the group will continue straight south to the wintering area, as birds did in a similar situation in 2007. However, only one subadult bird, which left from Fagagna on October 12th, arrived in the wintering area. All the other birds from Fagagna disappeared.
So, lacking motivation to leave the breeding area in autumn is a key problem to be solved on our migration project. We assume that the presence of sedentary birds, either free-flying or in an aviary, cause this problem (here we may be faced with an adaptive social factor accelerating the natural development of sedentary colonies under according conditions). So we are forced to find another suitable breeding-area south of the Alps, a place without sedentary NBI present!
2008 was the first year where two juveniles left the breeding area in company with an adult bird. And it was the first time that juvenile birds arrived in our wintering area in the Tuscany, accompanied by an experienced ‘leader’. To my knowledge it is the first evidence at all that free-flying juveniles arrived in a common wintering area. It was remarkable that the adult bird Medea was not one of the parents. We have no clear explanation why these two juveniles left the wintering area again to return to the breeding area. However, the (preterm) return indicates that these two juveniles learned the route from the ‘leader’ and were able to find the way back on their own. Also in 2009 juveniles left the breeding area, again in company with experience subadult or adult birds and again not with a parent. Unfortunately, in 2009 both the juveniles and ‘leaders’ disappeared.
64 Demography and Mortality
In the course of out five human-led migrations we guided 52 birds to the wintering area Laguna di Orbetello (Fig.1). Since 2007 our adult birds raised juveniles each year, eight birds in total. During the last six years we lost 28 birds in total. The losses were exceeded by the number of supervened hand raised birds and, since 2007, also naturally raised birds. So the group size increased (Fig.2). The mortality rate during the first and second year was on averages 24 % resp. 15 %. That means that on average of 65% of the birds reach sexual maturity. For adult birds the mean mortality rate is 11% (this analysis contains data till September 2009). From 28 lost birds 19 individuals are missed, while nine birds are known to be dead. From these nine birds one was killed by a bird of prey in the wintering area. Two birds died due to electric shock, while roosting at an electric line with obsolete isolators. One further subadult bird broke his bill during a flight in Northern Italy and died by starvation. The other five birds died by illegal hunting, all of them in Italy, partly near the wintering area and partly along the migration route. Thus, 56 % of the know cases of death are due to illegal hunting in Italy. The mortality rate in our migratory group so far is in an endurable range. The hand raised birds seem to cope well with the natural risks when independent. So our main concern is on illegal hunting, a factor which the birds can hardly cope with. As a consequence of the increased rate of missed birds since October 2009 we start up an information campaign to reduce illegal hunting on the birds in Italy. We also plan to equip our birds with electronic devices for real-time locating.
Figure 2: Demographic development up until September 2009; group size: blue, yearly augmentation: green, yearly losses: red; in 2006 no human-led migration took place and therefore no augmentation took place; since 2007 augmentation was caused by hand-raised and parent-raised chicks; losses were caused by dead or missing birds; during 2004 and 2005 there were no losses.
GPS Data on Spatio-Temporal Patterns
Since spring 2007 a part of the birds were equipped with GPS data logger. These devices store position, speed and sea level with an interval of five minutes into an internal data
65 logger. To get access to the data the birds have to be caught in order to demount the logger. In spring 2007 we could record the spring migration route of the adult male bird Speedy (Fig.3). The bird left the wintering area on April 9th. During four consecutive days he flew 915 km in total, with a daily maximum of 328 km. Daily flights regularly started at the later morning, when the thermal up winds started. Speedy mainly altered between soaring and gliding with vertical speed up to almost 100 km/h (Fig.3).
Figure 3: Flight pattern of the male bird Speedy; green line and red dots: human-led migration autumn 2004 with stopovers; turquoise and red line: spring migration 2007. The figure in the right corner shows a detail of the spring migration 2007 in the borderland Italy, Slovenia, Austria with vertical flight speed indicated by different colours.
For the female Aurelia we could record the spring migrations 2008 and 2009. Migration flights started on March 28th and March 27th resp. The pattern of migration in both years was fairly coincident. In both years Aurelia flew to the breeding area in Fagagna within three consecutive days, about 552 km in total. During both years the route followed almost exactly the same course, with the night roosts at almost the same locations (Fig.4). In 2009 Aurelia started each day at almost the same time in the early morning (08:42 am/08:21 am/08:22 am). Her vertical speed ranged between 20 and 50 km/h with a mean of 33/35/23 km/h during the consecutive days without regular vertical variation. The data indicate considerable differences in the flight styles for the two birds during spring migration. Speedy systematically used thermals and alternated between soaring and gliding, while Aurelia’s data strongly indicate an active wing flapping flight mainly at a constant sea
66 level. She showed an active flight pattern, which fairly fits to that of the juvenile birds during HLMs.
Figure 4: Flight pattern of the female bird Aurelia; red line: part of the human-led migration route 2004; red quads: spring migration 2009 with two stopovers; white line with plane symbols: part of the human-led migration route 2009 (for comparison). The figure in the right corner shows the route of the spring migration 2008 for the same female Aurelia.
Perspectives and Implications The project Waldrappteam is an experimental research and conservation project. During the next years we plan to build up two stable migratory NBI groups in Europe, with breeding areas south and north of the Alps and a common wintering area in the southern Tuscany. A major part of our research topics is related to actual needs in the context of the international NBI conservation efforts. Our data and experiences are relevant where mere protection and habitat-conservation is not sufficient. One example is the situation in Syria. The size of this remaining Syrian group is very close to the brink of extinction. An urgent action plan was developed in order to supplement this migratory group with offspring of a Syrian zoo population. This plan is based on experiences with the experimental NBI colonies in Europe (see FRITZ this volume). In Morocco one wild colony with up to 500 individuals is remaining, located at the Atlantic coast near Agadir. The historical breeding colonies were mainly located inland throughout the Atlas. More than 40 breeding colonies disappeared during the last century. Some European Zoos (Waldrapp AG) started up and financed a project in the Northern Atlas to work out the basics for a reintroduction of NBI colonies in their former breeding range. We currently prepare for collaboration with the Waldrapp AG in the context of this Moroccan project. This should become a further focus of our conservation project. Moreover, the human-led migration is increasingly used as a methodology for general migration research. It offers the unique opportunity to follow individual birds and sample
67 them day by day. In an ongoing project, financed by the Austrian Science Foundation (FWF P20633), we use blood- and faecal samples as well as the double labelled water technique to investigate various hormonal, physiological and energetic parameters during migration flights and consecutive recovery phases (FRITZ et al. 2010; LORETTO et al. 2010). At time reintroduction of NBI in Europe is a secondary topic, relative to the urgent conservation needs in other regions. However, extensive investigations on feeding ecology in different European regions, the experiences with the sedentary free-flight colonies at the Konrad-Lorenz research station and at the Zoo in Rosegg indicate, that reintroduction is possible and sustainable from an ecological point of view. And the successful development of our migration project makes the reestablishment of migratory NBI colonies in Europe more and more to a realistic methodological option. It has a strong principal appeal to repatriate a species which disappeared centuries ago, mainly due to human persecution. The main handicap for a reintroduction of NBI in Europe from an actual point view is illegal hunting and it is tragic that at that point presence meets the past.
Acknowledgement We are grateful to all members, voluntaries and sponsors of Waldrappteam. The work has been supported by several people, associations and institutions, including Alpenzoo Innsbruck, American Association of Zookeepers, Austrian Agricultural Ministry, Austrian Science Foundation (FWF P 20633), Austrian Science Ministry, Austrian Zoo Organization (OZO), Bund Naturschutz in Bayern e.V., City Burghausen, Game park Rosegg, Heinz Sielman Stiftung, H.I.T. Umwelt- und Naturschutzstiftung GmbH, Inn-Salzach EUREGIO, Conrad- Lorenz Research Station, Schram Maria, Verband Deutscher Zoodirektoren, Verein für Tier- und Naturschutz in Österreich, World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), WWF Italy, Zoo Vienna.
REFERENCES
FRITZ, J. (2010): Ultraleichtflieger weisen den Weg –Der Waldrapp in den Alpen. Der Falke, 3/2010: 95-105.
FRITZ J., DIETL. J., FEURLE, A., KOTRSCHAL, K., BERNROIDERD, F.: Fecal corticosterone monitoring in Northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita) undergoing human-led autumnal migration. Public Library of Science, subm.
LORETTO, M.C., SCHLOEGL, C. & BUGNYAR T. (2009): Northern bald ibises follow others’ gaze into distant space but not behind barriers. Biology Letters; 6, 14-17.
68 Conservation Status of the Northern Bald Ibis at its Wintering Site in Ethiopia: Is there a really concern of threat?
EWNHS
Mengistu Wondafrash Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society [email protected]
Literature review indicates that there are historical sightings of the Northern Bald Ibis at a few places in Ethiopia in the past. However, as the species has not been encountered in the last several decades, it was concluded that it no more occurs in Ethiopia. Consequently, the species was excluded from the bird checklist of Ethiopia. Thanks to modern technologies and the indefatigable efforts of devoted researchers and scientists, the bird was rediscovered in 2006 to have been over-wintering in the central highlands of Ethiopia, about 150 km from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Continuous researches in the Middle East in the past indicated that the Ibises do not winter in the area. The riddle of the disappearance of the species during the winter season has been revealed only in 2006. Repeated visits of the wintering site in Ethiopia confirmed that the birds over-winter in the northern central highlands of Ethiopia.
Given the prevalence of high level threats to the birds at their breeding sites in the Middle East, there has been a concern that there could be the same problems at the wintering site as well. Intensive studies conducted in 2006, 2007 and 2008 at the wintering site in Ethiopia, however, do not provide any vivid evidence that the birds are under threats currently or will be exposed to potential threats in the near future. On the other hand, the preliminary analysis of existing objective realities on the ground is not supportive of the postulate that there could be threats to the birds at their wintering ground.
The cultural set up of Ethiopians towards birds is that birds are seen as good heritages, except Owls and they are not eaten except a few species of Francolins & Guinea fowls. Furthermore, birds are not hunted for fun or sale, are not deliberately persecuted or disturbed, and the local communities do not even know that the Northern Bald Ibises visit them every year. For example, the owner of the roosting trees, Mr Feyissa and his family, are not aware that these unique birds are roosting on the trees inside their compound. Thus, there will not be any fear that people will recognize and target them.
69 As far as natural enemies are concerned at the wintering site, the birds usually feed strategically in the open and control everything in their surroundings alertly. They camouflage themselves among other species and are always in association with birds such as Wattled Ibises, Egyptian Goose, Sacred Ibises and Blue-winged Goose. The area has been under intensive use by local communities for grazing and cultivation for thousands of years in the same manner as it is today, and the possibility of the area to be changed into other forms of land use practices that can compromise with the survival of the species is minimal. As the area is bitterly cold and naturally waterlogged, it will not be convenient for development of any sort.
The birds roost on Eucalyptus globulus and E. grandis tree species. Despite being fast growing, these species are of high economical importance for the community and hence there will not be any concern at all that the communities will ever clear-cut these species from the area. If trees in one neighbourhood are cut, the birds can move to trees in other neighbourhoods.
The wintering site of the birds is, fortunately, out of the way and accessibility is extremely difficult due to lack of infrastructure in the area. Moreover, the site has not been promoted at all to be visited by tour operators, birdwatchers and researchers to minimize the risk of disturbance and avoid unnecessary popularity of the species among the local people, who are not aware of its existence in their surroundings.
In conclusion, all the aforementioned points of argument justify that treats on the species at the wintering site in Ethiopia is nonexistent. Thus, it is highly recommended to give due attention to safeguard the breeding site and the migration flyways of the species.
70 Bechar el Kheir project, Morocco - an update
Regina Pfistermueller TIERGARTEN SCHÖNBRUNN, AUSTRIA [email protected]
It was thought that due to insufficient nutrition no offspring survived within the aviaries even though fertile eggs were present. Therefore in 2006 food was changed from fish to beef heart, cheese and poly vitamins. Still, out of 14 eggs 6 hatched, but none survived. Therefore, in June of 2006 two members of the Northern Bald Ibis Project in Mezguitem were invited to come to Austria for husbandry training and visited Zoo Vienna, the Gruenau projects and the Alpenzoo Innsbruck. One visiting project associate was Mr. Nour Eddine Haddou, a college teacher at the University of Taza who is the local project manager in Bechar el Kehir. The other one was Mr. Abdelmajio el Azzouzi, the responsible keeper, who also lived at the station Bechar el Kehir. Mr. Azzouzi disappeared during his stay at Innsbruck and did not return to Morocco. He was replaced by another keeper immediately.
In 2006 from November 11th to November 16th Dr. Johannes Fritz from the Waldrappteam.at and Mag. Regina Pfistermüller from Vienna Zoo visited the Northern Bald Ibis Project in Mezguitem to talk about further scientific opportunities and strategies and to get an impression about the local conditions. (Travel report in 2nd IAGNBI report, 2007)
In 2007 5 nests could be observed by the keeper. Out of 11 eggs, 6 were broken, 3 fell out of the nests, 2 offspring hatched after 32 days. Fortunately those two survived and fledged on 1st of June. In 2008 again 5 nests could be observed. 10 eggs were laid and out of these 8 offspring hatched. All offspring died within the first 22 days, even though great attention was paid to food and hygiene.
In addition two adult birds died within the aviary because of sharp ends on the central pole. Those sharp ends were covered with pieces of a rubber hose to prevent further injuries. To date a total of 18 Northern Bald Ibis are kept in the aviaries in Mezguitem.
71
Fig.: the aviary in Mezguitem, Taza, Morocco
The project Bechar-el-Kehir was founded by the AgWaldrapp, a union of Zoo Munich, Zoo Berlin, Zoo Nürnberg, Zoo Bern, and Zoo Vienna under the lead and initiator Prof. Dr. Wiesner. As of November 2008 Dr. Wiesner retired. In addition Hans Peter Müller, a former member of the GTZ who lived in Morocco and was the liaison moved back to Germany. Due to these circumstances it is unclear in which direction the project will proceed. The AgWaldrapp will need to define further steps in 2010.
72 Captive NBI populations as a source for research and release projects
Christiane Boehm ALPENZOO INNSBRUCK-TIROL, AUSTRIA [email protected]
In the 1970s/80s it became evident that - for legal as well as for ethical reasons- . import of wild animals and especially of endangered species into zoos were getting more difficult and /or impossible The zoo community therefore started to build up their “own” zoo populations to get independent of imports and brokers.
The Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita, NBI) has been a “zoo bird” since the early 1940s. Probably due to the long transfer distances and the poor keeping standards in the early 1940s the newly imported birds (very likely all adult birds!!) died within few days after arriving. The imports of juvenile birds to Basle zoo in the early 1950s however, survived and became the origin of the captive NBI population. Although the NBI became quickly a precious zoo bird, well and regular breeding of the NBI during the 1960s/70s was restricted to only few zoos (Basle, Jersey, Alpenzoo Innsbruck, Tel Aviv). At the beginning of the 1980s the general keeping standard was improved and in ever more captive NBI colonies birds started to breed.
When an Endangered Breeding Program (EEP) for the NBI was initiated in 1988, already a rather numerous captive population of 333 birds distributed in 30 colonies has been build up. The studbook coordination was given to the Alpenzoo Innsbruck which ever since 1962 is keeping and breeding the species well and has carried out and published a lot of scientific work mainly about the behaviour of the NBI.
Origin and import Following the origin of all NBI living in European Zoos, we found out that all birds stem from the western population of Morocco. Overall 72 successful imports (birds which survived) happened till the 1960s, maybe further two during 1960-70. Last imports took place in 1976/1978 and were brought to Zoo Rheine. Unfortunately, data on individually basis were not taken at that time. The birds were not individually marked and ringed and reproduction events and success can be traced back only for very few specimens. We can only roughly
73 assume that probably half of the imported birds did reproduce, as well as did the birds (about 50 birds) separately imported to Rabat Zoo and Tel Aviv Zoo. Because only few zoos had reproducing NBI´s in these early days, we can separate now all captive birds into three “bloodlines”. These lines originating from zoo colonies which bred and had their offspring transferred to other zoos: are termed: Basle stock, Rheine stock and Rabat stock.
All three “bloodlines” have been mixed now in most of the colonies, and nowadays most zoos keep at least descendants of two different bloodlines.
Captive population: size The captive population increased over 22 years from 330 in 1988 up to more than 1100 birds in 2010. This remarkable increase is owned to good breeding success (about 100-130 offspring each year), a low death rate and the longevity of the species. The NBI is still a very popular “zoo bird”: it is big, somehow beautiful and ugly at the same time, gregarious and its behaviour can be observed easily. Each year about 2-3 new colonies in European zoos are founded. Beside the EEP there are 2 further studbooks, one in Japan and one in North America, However, these organisations have much smaller numbers of birds (104 and 140 specimens).
Captive population: managing An EEP studbook keeper has to collect data of all birds kept in EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) institutions, to write husbandry guidelines and develop a managing plan for the zoo population. In the case of the NBI there has to be a self-sustainable captive population because further imports are and will not be possible. On the other hand space in EAZA zoos is limited as well. So reproducing has to be managed on the whole captive population level as well as on the single colony level.
The NBI is a long living (up to 30 years) and long reproducing bird species (4-29 years). The captive population has the typical age structure of a young and fertile population: 80% of all males and females and 60% of the still unsexed birds are and will be in the best age to reproduce. So there are good chances of future growth of the captive NBI population.
40
35 male (n=526) female (n=536)
30
25
20
age (y) age 15
10
5
45403530252015105 0 5 101520253035404550 number
Fig.1: age of the NBI EEP population in 2010
The sex ratio (males : females) is nearly even (1:1) However, really “good” breeders are found in only one third of all colonies. Therefore we should aim for a more equally
74 distributed breeding success within the NBI EEP and an improvement of husbandry for some colonies is still important.
1,6
1,4
1,2
1,0
0,8
0,6
0,4 sex ratio male/female (%) 0,2 88 90 9 2 94 96 9 8 00 02 0 4 06 08 10 19 19 19 1 9 19 19 2 0 20 20 20 20 20
Fig.2.: sex ration within the NBI EEP (1988:n=330, 2010: n=1110)
Captive population: a pool for research and release projects As mentioned above, three different captive populations of NBI exist: one in North America, one in Japan and one in Europe. All of them are of western population origin. The European studbook is the most numerous one with the biggest number of imports of founders. Since 1997 from EEP sources quite a number of juveniles have been donated to three different research projects: in 1997 - 2000 48 birds went to the KLF (Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Austria, 99 chicks were handed over to the Waldrappteam, Austria (2002- 2009) and 171birds to Proyecto Eremita, Spain (2004-2009). Although this total of 318 birds is a remarkable quantity, there was no noticeable effect on the EEP captive population development. This fact also clearly indicates that shortages in birds for further projects and /or release programs will be unlikely in the future. Although captive breeding is that successful nowadays, the NBI must still be regarded as a critically endangered species and projects and release programs have to be carried out elaborately in design and method to prevent unnecessary high losses.
For the eastern population of the NBI the situation is a bit different. There exists a semi-wild population (situated in Birecik Breeding Station) which reproduces on a regular basis. However the numbers of birds (100 in 2010) and especially that of breeding couples (13-18) are still rather low. The need for surplus birds in order to learn more about NBIs migration ability and especially to rescue the Eastern NBI population will increase during the next years. It is high priority to establish a studbook for this semi-wild population and to create a “backup” group, so that donating surplus birds, release trials and losses have no negative consequences on the growth and stability on this NBI population which is even regarded as an own population.
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Proceedings of the Northern Bald Ibis Eastern Population Meeting, 4th November 2009, Palmyra, Syria
Ozge Balkiz & Nuri Ozbagdatli DOĞA DERNEĞI, TUREKY [email protected]; [email protected]
An additional day was added at the end of the 3rd official meeting of IAGNBI was carried out specifically addressing the Middle Eastern Northern Bald Ibis issues. The meeting took place on the 4th of November 2009, with the participation of 33 experts from Algeria, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Spain, Syria, Yemen, Turkey and United Kingdom who had gathered for the earlier meeting (see Appendix 1).
Three mains subjects were discussed during the Middle East session of the meeting (see Appendix 2 for the detailed agenda). The first subject of the meeting was the supplementation of the Northern Bald Ibis from the Turkish colony located at Birecik to Palmyra colony in Syria. An earlier breakthrough agreement during the first three days of the IAGNBI meeting was achieved between Syrian and Turkish authorities on the transfer of birds. Within this framework, during the Middle East meeting, with all participants, the process for the supplementation to occur and the actions needed to be taken following the supplementation were detailed. Both Syrian and Turkish teams agreed to work on the preparation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)– agreed as the first crucial step for the supplementation to occur – right after the meeting until the end of November 2009. This process was identified to ensure transferring the birds until mid December to Syria. BirdLife Middle East experts agreed to prepare the first draft MoU and send it to Doğa Derneği, who agreed to finalize the MoU together with the Ministry of Environment. Actions concluded to be taken in for Turkey and in Syria are detailed in Appendix 3. This session was facilitated by Chris Bowden from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
The second topic of the meeting was the Northern Bald Ibis Middle East Conservation Strategy, identified at the Middle East Northern Bald Ibis International Meeting carried out on May 2008 in Turkey. During the meeting, the major achievements towards the implementation of the conservation strategy were discussed. The status of progress under each strategic action was also discussed and incorporated into the strategy. The most important outcome of this discussion was the overall agreement on the importance of inviting Jordan and Saudi Arabia to the Northern Bald Ibis conservation matters in the
76 region. This session was facilitated by Taner Hatipoğlu from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in Turkey.
The third and the last topic discussed in the meeting aimed at defining the outlines of a new project to be started in the region. However due to time limitations, a full discussion could not be carried out on this subject. On the other, the possible donors of a region scale Northern Bald Ibis conservation project were identified together with the participants. The list of possible donors is given in Appendix 5. This session was facilitated by Sharif Al Jbour from BirdLife Middle East.
Overall, the meeting was a success in establishing the first official link between the Turkish and Syrian authorities responsible for the protection of bald ibises in the two countries. This link promises the future conservation efforts to be taken in collaboration between the two countries, which will enhance the protection of northern bald ibises in the Middle East.
Appendix 1. Participants of the NBI Eastern population Meeting # Name Institution/Country e-mail Commission for Steppe 1 HAMMOD Ali Development & Management [email protected] Syria Commission for Steppe MOHSEN NAHHAS 2 Development & Management [email protected] Muhammad Syria Commission for Steppe 3 RAHMOUN Mohamad Development & Management, [email protected] Syria Commission for Steppe 4 KANANI Ahmed Development & Management [email protected] Syria Commission for Steppe 5 ALQAYEM Gazl Development & Management [email protected] Syria Commission for Steppe 6 ABDALLAH Ahmad Development & Management [email protected] Syria Commission for Steppe 7 ABDALLAH Mahmoud Development & Management [email protected] Syria Ministry of Agriculture and 8 SHEHAB Adwan Agrarian Reform [email protected] Syria Syrian Society for Conservation of 9 HMIDAN Hayan [email protected] Wildlife, Syria Syrian Society for Conservation of 10 ANHOURY Marwan Wildlife [email protected] Syria Syrian Society for Conservation of 11 RAYA Roula Wildlife [email protected] Syria Syrian Society for Conservation of 12 ALATTAR Walid [email protected] Wildlife
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Syria Homs governate 13 TALAL Ali [email protected] Syria Homs governate 14 ALNATOUR Adnan [email protected] Syria 15 ABDEL-HADI Maysa State Planning Commission Syria [email protected] Ministry of Environment 16 MUHAMMAD Muhammad [email protected] Syria BirdLife Middle East 17 JBOUR Sharif [email protected] Jordan Alpenzoo 18 BOEHM Christiane [email protected] Austria IUCN International Union for 19 SERRA Gianluca Conservation of Nature, research [email protected] Italy Czech Ornithological Society 20 PESKE Lubomir [email protected] Czechoslovakia Doga Dernegi 21 OZBAGDATLI Nuri [email protected] Turkey Ethiopian Wildlife & Natural 22 WONDAFRASH Mengistu History Society [email protected] Ethiopia Royal Society for the Protection 23 SANDERS Sarah of Birds [email protected] United Kingdom Royal Society for the Protection 24 BOWDEN Chris of Birds [email protected] United Kingdom Ministry of Environment and 25 TURKLES Yasar Forestry [email protected] Turkey Ministry of Environment and 26 AKCAN Cemal Forestry [email protected] Turkey Ministry of Environment and 27 YUKSEL Fehmi [email protected] Forestry Ministry of Environment and 28 HATIPOGLU Taner Forestry [email protected] Turkey Yemen Society for the Protection 29 ALI AI-SAGHIER Omar of Wildlife [email protected] Yemen United Nations Environment Programme / African-Eurasian 30 DERELIEV Sergey [email protected] Waterbird Agreement, Bulgaria Waldrappteam 31 UNSOLD Markus [email protected] Germany Waldrappteam 32 DIETL Johannes [email protected] Italy Waldrappteam 33 FRITZ Johannes [email protected] Austria
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Appendix 2. Meeting Agenda
FIRST SESSION (09.00 – 11.00) Supplementation from Birecik to Palmyra and Scenarios after Supplementation, chair: Chris Bowden, RSPB • Supplementation Action Plan” – Sharif Jbour, BLME • Scenarios after Supplementation” Christiane Boehm, IAGNBI • Petro Canada Mitigation Plans – Farah Hwijeh
SECOND SESSION (11.00 – 14.30) Eastern Population Conservation Strategy, chair: Taner Hatipoglu, MOEF • Middle East Conservation Strategy –Nuri Ozbagdatli, DD • Updating the ME Conservation Strategy – facilitation by Nuri Ozbagdatli, DD
THIRD SESSION (14.30 – 15.30) Funding Opportunities – New partners new projects, chair: Sharif Jbour, BLME Round table discussion on (i) Project concept (ii) Possible partners and funders (iii) Follow up activities (writing proposal, etc.)
Closing the meeting – Nuri Ozbagdatli, DD
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Appendix 3. Supplementation Action Plan
Activities Time Responsability Approval of transfer MoU signature End 11/09 DC/MoE Turkey (BL & DD) CITES Permission from both parties End 11/09 DC/MoE Turkey (BL & DD) Bird selection Three established breeders (1 successful breeding pair, 1 new breeding pair, 2 juveniles) or so End 11/09 MoE Turkey/Christiane (IAGNBI) Aviary improvements: DC/Talila Reserve • mesh connections: make them safe • sealed feeding site: hygiene • close back and ½ of both sides: done • bushes planted: in spring • from the ground 1m high dens mesh (against foxes) done • perches in the corners stone piles on the ground - done • tree in the middle (may stabilize the roof) • entrance (how to prevent escape)- done
• check for iron materials (nails, parts of the mesh), check the aviary with a metal detector before the birds are put there • diet: diet as in Birecik + insects, nest material provide every day! behavioural enrichment
Paste from yesterday Mid 11/09 DC Staff exchange – Turkey Not set Transfer works Veterinarian check (before exporting) Week 1 12/09 DC/MoE Turkey/Miguel & Taner Transportation means (boxes, vehicles, team) Week 1-2 12/09 DC/MoE Turkey Bird Catching late before day of traveling Week 2 12/09 MoE Turkey Informing customs Week 1-2 12/09 DC/MoE Turkey Traveling around 6 am Week 2 12/09 MoE Turkey Traveling (7 hours) Arrival 2pm latest Week 2 12/09 DC Settlements Food and water available in the aviary Week 2 12/09 DC/Talila Reserve Until chicks No disturbance (public) until after breeding 2010 fledge DC/Talila Reserve Daily maintenance-cleaning Feed in the morning and afternoon at 14.00 (2 times a day) Ongoing DC/Talila Reserve Cleaning feeding/bathing facility daily Ongoing DC/Talila Reserve Feeding 4 times a day during breeding
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Action Plan for Syrian Wild Population (Giving three scenarios)
Breeding of wild and Talila population Time Responsibility Talila: Add natural food: insects, lizards, etc. January/ongoing DC/Talila Mobile aviary: given by waldrappteam.at end Jan/Feb waldrappteam Aviary established at feeding area close to a Beduin tent (before the birds arrive) end of Jan DC/Talila Optimate feeding condition in the wild Feb DC/Talila Fix the dam: that there may be tadpoles Feb DC/Talila Talila fledglings fed natural food (addition, not only) April/May DC/Talila Talila fledglings moved after 2 weeks when fledged to mobile area with subadults June DC/Talila Talila juveniles stay 2-3 weeks in the aviary June DC/Talila mobile aviary with birds never left alone June DC/Talila Tagging of the Talila offspring June Lubomir release July Subadults back to Talila aviary July DC/Talila
Not breeding of the wild colonies Talila birds breed successfully April/May DC/Talila Talila: Add natural food: insects, lizards, etc. January/ongoing DC/Talila Talila fledglings fed natural food (addition, not only) April/May DC/Talila When wild sub-adults around release at the feeding grounds Aviary established at feeding area close to a Bedouin tent (before the birds arrive) end of Jan DC/Talila Optimizing feeding condition in the wild Feb DC/Talila Fixing the dam: that there may be tadpoles Feb DC/Talila Talila fledglings fed natural food (addition, not only) April/May DC/Talila Talila fledglings moved after 2 weeks when fledged to mobile area with subadults June DC/Talila Talila juveniles stay 2-3 weeks in the aviary June DC/Talila Mobile aviary with birds never left alone June DC/Talila Tagging of the Talila offspring June Lubomir Release July
No subadults around but breeding in Talila Release of the tagged offspring July DC/Talila
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Appendix 4. Middle East Conservation Strategy : RESEARCH- add SA/NCWCD
Regional (ALL FLYWAY) SYRIA TURKEY SAUDI ARABIA YEMEN ETHIOPIA Learning the migration and Defining the wintering sites used by juveniles and Defining the stopover and Defining the feeding Assessment of year around movements of sub- stopover and wintering sites used areas and feeding migration pattern and adults wintering sites used New wintering sites ecology – Done potential Syria: GCB+ BLME + RSPB + IUCN YSPW to be checked Turkey: ÇOB + DD + RSPB EWNHS Identification and rapid assessment Top priority to carry of the stopover sites used during Assessing the carrying this out at sites migration capacity of the Birecik highlighted by satellite Searching breeding Learning the migration Yemen: YSPW + IUCN + BLME area to support a wild tracking and hunting potential - Planned of juveniles - Ongoing Saudi Arabia: SAG+ NCWCD + population- Starting at incident – starting for 2010 BLME + IUCN 2010 immediately Other countries: Birdlife BLME/IUCN/NCWCD Identify the threats and the Immediate need for socioeconomic conditions along the Understanding the survey/assessment flyway breeding behaviour Research on the health BLME/IUCN/NCWCD Funding dependent Done Syria: IUCN ? including nest site generally - Deleted Ethiopia: EWNHS + IUCN selection- Largely done Yemen: YSPW + IUCN Gain a better understanding of the Incorporate with breeding and feeding ecology of the rapid assessment species Done Starting at 2010 visits once areas Funding dependent Partially done Possible only in 2008 (BLME + defined RSPB) Genetic analysis focused on Syrian, To be done locally at Planned for 2010 Turkish and captive birds 2010 Designing a long-term international monitoring program and exchange of data Regularly monitoring To be planned, IAGNBI will be focal historical breeding sites - Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing point for data exchange and Ongoing homepage used as a tool for data sharing
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SPECIES CONSERVATION add SA/NCWCD Regional (ALL FLYWAY) SYRIA TURKEY SAUDI ARABIA YEMEN ETHIOPIA Wardening the existing and potential foraging and roosting sites – A Enhancing the conditions of Wardening of breeding colonies, key standard protection breeding station - Done stopover sites and foraging sites protocol by GDB will be ? ? ? Establishment of a Wildlife Water supply for the colony produced. Reserve in Birecik Water supply ongoing Preventing raven predation- ongoing Finalization and implementation of the supplementation protocol in case of emergency (<2 pairs) 1. Preparation of the "Expert Report on Supplementation" until Agreed Agreed and supported the end of June 2008: coordinated by 2. Formal preparation by the Syrian and Turkish governments after expert report
PROTECTED AREAS and HABITAT MANAGEMENT
Regional (ALL FLYWAY) SYRIA TURKEY SAUDI ARABIA YEMEN ETHIOPIA Study habitat Explore the Study habitat restoration restoration potential protection potential Formalizing the potential Feasibility study of the site- Only site site as an IBA - Planned for 2010 & prepared and zonation monitoring is Review in the Establishment of a Wildlife plan over 5 years – feasible. No hunting future Reserve Ongoing threat foreseen Initiate the establishment Explore the process of a wildlife reserve protection in Birecik for breeding and potential of the feeding areas and prepare site - Review in the accordingly a management future plan - Partially done
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BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT and RURAL DEVELOPMENT
SAUDI Regional (ALL FLYWAY) SYRIA TURKEY ARABIA YEMEN ETHIOPIA Carrying out a consultation meeting with the stakeholders on the protection of the Implementation of the area - Ongoing nature tourism strategy consultation with oil for Birecik - Ongoing companies PC and others (Ina – Hayan co. to be approached ) Engaging the local SSCW undertaken community (esp. awareness activities – women), for increasing Ongoing local income via bald ibis - Ongoing Ongoing education and Joint activities with Including Jordan and Saudi Arabia public awareness project Turkey in Birecik - Ongoing
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COORDINATION AND FUND RAISING
Regional (ALL FLYWAY) SYRIA TURKEY SAUDI ARABIA YEMEN ETHIOPIA Increase the international profile of the species and also of this working group DD + RSPB + BirdLife Establishment of a working group meeting once a year to check progress and implementation, exchange information regularly - next meeting in March 2009 and DD as this group's secretariat will organize this meeting - Done Coordination of this group with IAGNBI RSPB + DD - Done Organizations and partners to prepare and submit proposals to fund further activities - RSPB to submit an international proposal to Darwin in September 2008 + IUCN to explore international funding possibilities + BirdLife assessing potential from the Prevention of Extinction program + species guardian-champion initiative + BLME will explore WoW funding possibilities Capacity building throughout the species range to make sure activities and actions can be implemented effectively TO BE PLANNED DD to coordinate
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Appendix 5. The List of the Potential Donors Identified in the Meeting
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds • BirdLife International • IUCN • Zoos • GTZ Jordan • HS Foundation • Petro Canada • The Netherlands Embassy • The British Embassy • The Finnish Embassy • Safety and Environment Committee – Petrol Companies
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Posters
HOLLEIS ,A.; BÖHM, C. & A. LANDMANN: Re-mate or divorce?
DIETL,J. J.FIRTZ, A.W. FEURLE, K. KOTRSCHAL & G. BERNROIDER: Analyses of hormones pattern in migrating Northern Bald Ibises
UNSÖLD, M.: Sunning behaviour in four Ibis species
El Bekkay M. & W. OBROU : The Northern Bald Ibis in Souss Massa:
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