Bird Expeditions to the Uluguru Mountains IBA in Tanzania and Makgadikgadi Pans IBA in Botswana

23-10-2006

The Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST, BirdLife in Tanzania) organised two birdwatching expeditions to the North Uluguru Mountains and Pugu Forests Important Bird Areas (IBAs), as part of the World Bird Festival celebrations. The Uluguru team was lucky to see Uluguru Bushshrike Malaconotus alius, a Critically Endangered species endemic to the Uluguru Mountains. “These expeditions will help raise conservation awareness amongst local people in the Uluguru Mountains and Pugu Forests," said Elias Mungaya, a participant on the Uluguru trip. "Both places are suffering from human encroachment,” he added.

“These expeditions will help raise conservation awareness amongst local people in the Uluguru Mountains and Pugu Forests,” —Elias Mungaya, participant on the Uluguru trip

Meanwhile, Botswana is celebrating the World Bird Festival with a variety of activities. At the beginning of October, more than 50 people took part in a bird walk around Bokaa Dam Important Bird Area (IBA). Activities continued with a birdwatching trip to see breeding flamingos at Makgadikgadi Pans IBA, and on 14 October more than 100 people attended BirdLife Botswana’s annual dinner where guests included Professor Gerhard Verdoorn (Director of BirdLife South Africa) and BirdLife Botswana’s patron, Sedia Modise.