The Amazing Journey

Delegates attending the inaugural meeting of the Sociable Lapwing International Working Group in Syria, last weekend, received the welcome news that Swarovski Optik will be providing further funding to help their international conservation action.

How do the tiny satellite tags we fit to Sociable Lapwings allow us to track birds across huge areas?

The Sociable Lapwing Project has been running since 2004, the year the Sociable Lapwing was uplisted to the category “Critically Endangered” on the basis of severe population declines. Each year since then, researchers have collected data on numbers, habitat use, distribution and nesting success on the breeding grounds in Kazakhstan.

Unsurpassed Quality and Innovation are Swarovski’s Key Success Factors.

The RSPB’s objectives are to establish the cause of the catastrophic decline in Sociable Lapwing numbers and to devise a strategy for the species’ long term conservation.”

Rob Sheldon – RSPB Sociable Lapwing Project Leader..

“We want to bring nature closer to the people” Andreas Pittl Head of Marketing Nature – Swarovski Optik

The BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme is the world’s most extensive and ambitious global bird conservation initiative.

Richard Grimmett – Assistant Director and Head of Conservation BirdLife International.

This species – Vanellus gregarius – is listed as Critically Endangered because its population has undergone a very rapid reduction, for reasons that are poorly understood; this decline is projected to continue and increase in the future.

“Over the last 21 years Birdfair funding for BirdLife International’s conservation projects has demonstrated that well researched targeted actions can make a real difference.” Martin Davies Co-organiser – British Birdwatching Fair