EGA - RAC/SPA waterbird census team Co-ordination of field activities Khaled Etayeb and Abdulmaula Hamza (2005-2006) - Abdulmaula Hamza (2007-2008) - Essam Bouras (2009-2010) RAC/SPA Co-ordination Lobna Ben Nakhla (2005-2010) Scientific participants Mhemed Aboena (2008) - Ismail Basher Alkonti (2007) - Anees Almagore (2008, 2010) - Hichem Azafzaf (2005-2010) Nicola Baccetti (2005, 2006, 2008, 2010) - Abdulmola Alarifi Bichia (2009) - Wajih Bashimam (2009-2010) Ali Berbash (2010) - Essam Bouras (2008-2010) - Salah Beki (2008) - Pierre Defos du Rau (2005-2008) Habib Dlensi (2005-2009) - Elmaki Ayed Elagil (2009) - Mohamed F. Essghaier (2005-2007) - Khaled Etayeb (2005-2007) Ashraf Galidan (2009-2010) - Abdulmula Hamza (2005-2008, 2010) - Waheed Hamed (2006) - Noufel Hamouda (2009) Alhassan Khairallah (2007) - Ali Mdaies (2008) - Abdul Allah Moad (2008) - Al Mokthar Saied (2006-2010) Michael Smart (2005-2008) - Ibrahim Tabouni (2006) - Jaber Yahia (2008-2010) - Mohamed Zaed (2008) - Marco Zenatello (2010). Organizations Environment General Authority (EGA Libya) - Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA, Tunis) University of Tripoli (Tripoli) - Waha Oil Company (WOC, Tripoli) - Zueitina Oil Company (Tripoli) Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage (ONCFS, France) Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA, formerly INFS, Italy) Association “Les Amis des Oiseaux” (AAO, Tunis). Also contributed: Wetlands International (WI) - African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) Vogelbescherming Netherlands (VBN) - Tour du Valat Biological Station (TDV, France) French Coastline Conservation Agency (CdL, France) - The Rhone Mediterranean and Corsica Water Agency (Agende de l’Eau RMC, France) Fond Français pour l’Environnement Mondial (FFEM, France) - The British Council (BC, Libya). Authors of the text sections AB, Ali Berbash - AH, Abdulmaula Hamza - BA, Barbara Amadesi - EB, Essam Bouras - HA, Hichem Azafzaf HD, Habib Dlensi - JJB, John J. Borg - JS, Joe Sultana - JY, Jaber Yahia - MS, Michael Smart - MZ, Marco Zenatello NB, Nicola Baccetti - PDR, Pierre Defos du Rau - WB, Wagih Bashimam. Atlas production Barbara Amadesi (GIS analysis and maps) - Hichem Azafzaf (editing) - Nicola Baccetti (supervision, editing) Ali Berbash (assistant GIS, database manager and review of Arabic text) - Adriano De Faveri (photo editing) Michael Smart (editing) - Marco Zenatello (database management, editing) - Khaouthar Chebbi (Arabic translation) Mohamed Abouzainen (review of Arabic text) - Essam Bouras (Arabic translation and review of Arabic text) Osama Rayani (review of Arabic text and proof reading). CONTENTS FOREWORD BY EGA 6 FOREWORD BY RAC/SPA 6 AUTHORS’ PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 7 INTRODUCTION 1. Why monitoring, and why waterbirds? 9 2. Ramsar criteria for identifying wetlands of international importance, and the Ramsar wetland classification 9 3. Libya and the conventions on waterbird and wetland conservation 10 4. Waterbird studies in Libya 11 METHODS AND STUDY AREA 1. Targets and methods of monitoring 13 2. Details of the fieldwork 14 3. Libyan wetlands and site identification 15 4. Wetland subdivision and the concept of “macroareas” 17 5. Structure of the “Species accounts” and the assessment of international and national importance of wetlands 17 6. Conservation status and the flyway concept in the “Species accounts” 18 GENERAL RESULTS 1. Population estimates and geographic coverage 19 2. Qualification of wetlands according to Ramsar criteria 22 3. Species distribution and occurrence 27 4. Wetlands and the wintering waterbird community of Libya 29 APPENDIX 1 - List and map of Libyan wetlands 35 APPENDIX 2 - Ranking of Libyan wetlands 42 APPENDIX 3 - Addendum 46 Design by REFERENCES 47 iGD communication - B416 Résidence Maryem Av. de l’Indépendance - 2083 Ariana - Tunisia. ISBN 978-9938-9521-0-0 SPECIES ACCOUNTS 51 Recommended citation EGA - RAC/SPA waterbird census team (2012) - Atlas of wintering waterbirds of Libya, 2005-2010. Imprimerie COTIM, Tunisia. AUTHORS' PREFACE 6 FOREWORDS 7 AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Environment General Authority (EGA), Libya God has bestowed on Libya the diversity and multiplicity of ecosystems located on its territory and coasts, which contribute to the The aim of the fieldwork on which this Atlas reports was two-fold: to monitor a significant component of Libyan biodiversity; and, breathtaking beauty and scenic charm that abound in the country. In their turn, these diverse ecosystems contribute to the presence more importantly, to train new local operators in a country that had previously lacked ornithological expertise. It soon became clear of many natural habitats, which harbour vital and unique plants and animals. that our multi-national approach to surveying a vast territory - or, at least, a very long coastline - resulted in real teamwork and gave operational flexibility that could hardly have been achieved by a strictly regulated scientific programme. At first glance, it often seems that Libya is a barren land lacking wildlife, but a closer look reveals a rich and diverse landscape, including coastal systems, mountains, semi-desert and desert, with many distinctive ecosystems, the unexpected presence of forests, scrub The rapid transmission of the love of birds (the so-called ‘birding virus’) seems a key factor for future monitoring, which will not now formations, plant systems and agricultural land... in addition to a considerable number of wetlands: swamps, lagoons, marshes and be dependent on external funding. After six years, it is also starting to be clear that our activities are going to turn into a long term oases, mostly coastal. These diverse ecosystems provide support, especially where nature reserves exist, for the Libyan environment scheme, standing on its own feet, and that the role of each single participant can now easily be replaced without major consequences. and natural resources, and in particular for migratory and resident birds which use these places for feeding and resting, or nesting and Moreover, investigations have begun in seasons other than winter, with new team members most notably two Maltese experts who mating. This is demonstrated by the results of the survey reported in this volume: 101 species of waterbirds (including some seabirds have joined the tern ringing expeditions in eastern Libya and also contributed to the text of the present Atlas. Libyans have monitored and some raptors associated with wetlands) were found, 110 wetlands were visited (and many others worthy of future investigation wetlands during migration seasons and have participated in activities in the countries of origin of other team members, joining seabird identified), while six globally threatened bird species (not yet including the very rare Slender-billed Curlew!) were recorded. censuses on Tunisian islands and flamingo ringing operations in Italy; two of them are now completing ornithological doctorates in The idea of publishing this Atlas sprang from the fact that there is a lack of specialized references to Libyan birds, and from the universities in the UK. need to make recent information available to researchers, university students and those interested in bird migration. Therefore, to The Libyan Environment General Authority (EGA) was instrumental in providing all necessary authorizations and facilities during the demonstrate the findings and data collected from 2005 to 2010, a significant reference work called “Atlas of Wintering Waterbirds fieldwork in Libya. RAC/SPA (the Regional Activities Centre / Specially Protected Areas - MAP - UNEP) provided - and continues to of Libya” has seen the light. provide - most of the economic support for field activities. Many international and national bodies contributed to the costs of the Despite the difficulties and obstacles encountered by the team, their considerable efforts have led to the publication of the Atlas, the operation, notably travel expenses and the additional cost of visiting particularly remote areas; they are listed in full in the opening first of its kind in northern Africa. Our commitment and our contacts with organizations which have the same goals have made the pages and the team offers its grateful thanks to them all. process of producing the book the more interesting, and our increased understanding and realization of the importance of maintaining The production of this Atlas was made possible by generous support from RAC/SPA, which allowed a technician from EGA (Ali biodiversity have had positive results. Berbash) to work on the data collected during a three month stay in Italy at EGA’s counterpart organization, the Italian National I therefore offer my deepest thanks to the specialists and researchers of the Environment General Authority who have exerted and Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale) which is also are still exerting great efforts to publish the book in the best possible way. Thanks also to the Regional Activity Centre for Specially the national reference point for Wetlands International’s International Waterbird Census (IWC) network. Protected Areas (RAC/SPA) in Tunis for its continuous support of our team throughout the study period, as well as to ISPRA in Italy, Special thanks go to the French Ministry in charge of the environment (Ministère de l’Écologie, du Développement Durable, des and to ONCFS and the Conservatoire du Littoral coastal protection agency in France and the many other international