Zambian Ornithological Society Last month we also heard how BirdLife South Africa were one of 17 BirdLife Partners in Africa involved in a Wildlife Club project to connect over 400,000 children across the continent with conservationists from around the world. Zoom In

Local > National > International

05-10-2009

BirdLife News Round-up: September 2009

Local action, national conservation and international partnerships. This simple description of BirdLife’s philosophy was bought home to me during a recent visit to BirdLife South Africa’s Northern Gauteng Bird Club - one of around 40 local Bird Clubs which are affiliated to BirdLife South Africa, our national BirdLife Partner. 

Bird Clubs in South Africa undertake grass-roots action to help conserve their local avifauna. From rigorously monitoring bird populations to mentoring bird guides and removing invasive species from IBAs, an army of nearly 7,000 volunteers make a huge difference nationally, and provide vital information to BirdLife International’s global IBA programme. In return clubs like Northern Gauteng receive administrative and conservation support from BirdLife South Africa, and enjoy being part of the global BirdLife ‘family’.

Last month we also heard how BirdLife South Africa were one of 17 BirdLife Partners in Africa involved in a Wildlife Club project to connect over 400,000 children across the continent with conservationists from around the world. “Wildlife clubs are the nurseries for future conservationist”, said BirdLife’s Dr Ngeh Paulinus (Africa Wildlife Clubs workshop shares experiences). We also reported how Egypt’s first IBA-Local Conservation Group - established by Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE; BirdLife Affiliate) - has persuaded one of the country’s largest construction groups to end the dumping of waste at Lake Qarun; regionally important for wintering waterbirds (Local group makes its mark at Egypt’s Lake Qarun).

BirdLife news in September also focused on national conservation by Partners. We announced that SAVE Brazil (BirdLife in Brazil) has launched a project to conserve Boa Nova – a region of great biological richness which is suffering intense pressure from deforestation (SAVE Brazil launches conservation corridor project at Boa Nova). Our BirdLife Affiliate in Madagascar (Asity Madagascar) is also seeking to tackle deforestation following the extensive plundering of natural resources from national parks in the country (Madagascar NGOs unite against plunder of natural resources).

In India, we reported a triumvirate of good news about Jerdon's Courser with confirmed new sightings, an extension to a sanctuary and new funds which all help conservation plans for this Critically Endangered species (Triple helping of good news for Jerdon's Courser). Sadly, it was devastating to hear that a Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis was killed by a Saudi Arabian hunter - bringing the known wild Middle Eastern population to just four individuals (Hunting: an extinction threat to Middle East's most threatened bird).

International partnerships were also important in September’s news. BirdLife believes migratory waterbirds can be effectively conserved only through international cooperation across the entire flyway, and we’re a key partner in the Wings Over Wetlands (WOW) project which held two key workshops last month (Middle East trainers take the flyways approach home with them; WOW workshop on fish-farming for conservation - and profit). We also joined conservationists around the globe calling for better protection of vultures (International call to learn to love vultures - or lose them), and celebrated 30 years of the Bern Convention (The Bern Convention: 30 years of protecting biodiversity).

Regular readers of BirdLife news will know about the threats faced to seabirds by longline and gillnet fisheries, and last month we called upon the European Commissioner for Maritime affairs and Fisheries, to take action to prevent the deaths of an estimated 200,000 seabirds which are killed in fisheries in European waters every year (The future of Europe’s seabirds is in your hands, Commissioner). The star of our show last month was the Fiji Petrel – a Critically Endangered seabird which was sighted and photographer at sea for the first time (Fiji Petrel found at sea – pungent fish attracts “lost” species).

News that BirdLife Malta (BirdLife in Malta) uncovered over 130 bird carcasses of protected species as a result of illegal hunting came as a shock to many of us (Another bird massacre in Malta). However, BirdLife International and BirdLife Malta welcomed the ruling by the European Court of Justice which declared that Malta has breached European law by allowing spring hunting of Turtle Dove and Common Quail between 2004 and 2007 (BirdLife welcomes ECJ decision on spring hunting in Malta).

As many migratory bird undertake their annual return journeys to Africa, this weekend over 30 BirdLife Partners are participating in EuroBirdwatch - Europe's largest bird watching event. If you’re taking part, I hope you have a great day (Join EuroBirdwatch in your country!).

Being able to work at all levels is a great strength of the BirdLife family, and allows us to work seamlessly with one another. Breaking down barriers and helping each other. Sifting through my copy of Northern Gauteng Bird Club’s newsletter - Laniarius - I’m humbled to see this local club supporting BirdLife’s Born to Travel campaign, and remember the words of their Chairperson Philip Calinkos: “It’s important for us to feel part of a bigger network”…