New Action Plans for 14 threatened bird species has been published for the Caucasus eco-region
Among the species with new action plans are the Lesser White-fronted Goose and the Red-breasted Goose. The publication covers the Caucasus eco-region, which is one of the 25 most biologically diverse areas of the Earth. The region was selected by the experts of Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) as being under the threat of degradation. The northern limit of Caucasus eco-region is drawn along Kuma-Manych depression. The experts of Russian Bird Conservation Union (RBCU) have prepared the action plans for the conservation of the 14 threatened species occurring in the Russian part of Caucasian eco-region: Daghestan Republic, Stavropol Territory, Chechen Republic, Republic of Ingushetia, Republic of Northern Osetia-Alania, Kabardino-Balkar Republic, Karachaevo-Cherkessia Republic, Krasnodar Territory, Republic of Adygeya, and also in southern parts of Rostov region and Republic of Kalmykia.The Lesser White-fronted Goose Action Plan (pp.121-126) lists eight urgent measures for conservation of LWfG in the region, of which ban of spring hunting is listed first - high priority. The full reference is: Action plans for conservation of globally threatened bird species in Caucasus eco-region / Ed. by G.S. Dzhamirzoev & S.A. Bukreev. ? Moscow?Makhachkala: Russian Bird Conservation Union, Institute of Biogeography and Landscape Ecology at Daghestan State Pedagogical University, 2008. ? 208 p. Download?
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LIFEnews features 2009 - Sustainable hunting in the EU
The Birds Directive bans activities that directly threaten birds. However, it also recognises hunting as a legitimate activity. While the Directive aims to provide a comprehensive system for the management of hunting, it could not provide clear answers to all the conflicts that arose between hunters and bird protection agencies over what activities were permitted. This led the Commission to launch, in 2001, a Sustainable Hunting Initiative. See more here?
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Feasibility study of how to capture Swedish Lesser White-fronted Geese
A new report with focus on the Swedish reintroduced population of the Lesser White-fronted Goose was recently made publicly available. The report was ordered by Norrbotten Administration County and in discussions with Swedish Environmental Protection Agency it was decided that 12 issues should be investigated related to the discovery in the 1990s, that the population of Lesser White-fronted Geese held in captivity in Sweden contained DNA from Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons, probably due to previous hybridization events in captivity (Ruokonen et al. 2000). Since a moratorium of releasing geese into the wild was established in 2000, there has been strong controversy of which actions that should be taken against the Swedish free-flying flock. The report is a feasibility study of how to capture Swedish Lesser White-fronted Geese and how to proceed with DNA-analyses. The feasibility of a refinement of the population is considered and cost estimates of various actions are presented. The full reference: Ottvall, R. 2008. Feasibility study of catching and genetic screening of Swedish Lesser White-fronted Geese Anser erythropus. Department of Ecology, Lund University. 36 pp. The full report can be downloaded here?
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Vacancy Announcements
AEWA Consultancy: Coordinator for the Lesser White-fronted Goose Single Species Action Plan. Closing Date: 9 March 2009. Read full vacancy announcement here?
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Establishment of a South-Eastern European monitoring network for LWfG
The recent EU LIFE project ?Conservation of the Lesser White-fronted Goose on the European migration route? concludes its findings with the establishment of a South-Eastern European monitoring network for LWfG. In Lake Kerkini, Greece, project managers and monitoring experts gathered in late November 2008 for the final coordination meeting of the EU LIFE project Conservation of the Lesser White-fronted Goose on its European migration route at Lake Kerkini in Greece. The project meeting was held back to back with a training workshop on Lesser White-fronted Goose identification for 35 ornithologists from Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. See more here?
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