Whooping cranes form larger flocks as wetlands are lost -- and it may put them at risk

Date: April 2, 2020

Source: Cell Press

Over the past few decades, the critically endangered whooping crane (Grus Americana) has experienced considerable recovery. However, in a report appearing April 2 in the journal Heliyon, researchers found that habitat loss and within-species attraction have led whooping cranes to gather in unusually large groups during migration. While larger groups are a positive sign of species recovery, the authors say that these large groups mean that a disease outbreak or extreme weather event could inadvertently impact a substantial portion of this still fragile population.

"Whooping crane conservation is one of North America's great success stories," says Andrew Caven, Director of Conservation Research at Crane Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of critical habitat for whooping cranes and other migratory birds. During the 1940s the whooping crane population fell to 16 birds, largely due to overhunting. However, after concerted conservation efforts, their numbers have increased 30-fold. "We had this species at the brink of extinction, and now there are over 500 birds. As conservation biologists, we've been extremely inspired by that."

Even with this boom in whooping crane numbers, researchers are observing larger migratory flocks than they would expect from population growth alone. Historically, groups of migrating whooping cranes seldom exceeded a family unit. "Twenty years ago, a group of nine was notable; something you'd write in your natural history notes about. But now it's becoming something quite regular. In the recent years we've seen bird groups over seventy multiple times."

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Zambia: Ikelenge At Risk of Losing 99 Percent Bird Species

A BIRD activist has warned that Zambia risks losing 99 per cent of bird species whose habitat is restricted to Ikelenge District if precautionary measures are not put in place before Jimbe Minerals Limited (JML) starts operations in the area.

Kelvin Mkandawire, a birder representing Bird Watch Zambia, expressed concern during a public consultative meeting in Salujhinga area in Ikelenge at the weekend.

Mr Mkandawire said in as much as setting up of the mine in the area was welcome it was a potential threat to the Guineo-Congolian bird species.

"I know that the coming of the mine is good news, but not for the birds of course because mining and birds actually don't get together.

"I would like to highlight that your mining license area actually captures the entire Important Bird Area (IBA) because Jimbe is an IBA," he said.

Mr Mkandawire who is a logistics officer at Bird Watch Zambia said Jimbe was listed as the fourth IBA in Zambia and 31st in Africa.

Jimbe IBA is also home to more than 300 other bird species and Zambia has a total of 42 IBAs.

"The significance of this Important Bird Area is that it's the only one in Zambia that has the Guineo-Congolian Biome and in Zambia there are 17 Guineo-Congolian species and Jimbe (IBA) holds 16 of them," Mr Mkandawire said.

The 17th Guineo-Congolian specie in Zambia is found at Lusenga National Park in Northern Province.

Mr Mkandawire informed the gathering that the proposed mining area had the Muhonge Local Forest and that people in Salujhinga got raw materials from the area to manufacture the Salujhinga chair, among other crafts.

In response, the seemingly shaken JML mining and exploration manager Bernard Kazenene said setting up of the mine in the area was not being forced on the community.

Mr Kazenene said the purpose of the consultative meeting was to get views from residents before an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study was conducted.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201303120870.html

Concerns on risk to birds of prey over turbine plan

Red kites and other rare birds of prey would be at risk from big new wind turbines proposed for a zoo near Huntingdon, a conservation organisation has warned.

An objection to the scheme at Hamerton Zoo Park by a member of the British and Irish Red Kite Co-ordination Group said the birds would “undoubtedly” be at risk.

The zoo wants to install two new turbines standing almost double the height at 150ft as its current turbines.

People living near the zoo are also objecting to the scheme because they believe it would have a major impact on the small rural community.

Members of Huntingdonshire District Council’s development management panel came close to refusing the turbine plan at their meeting in August, but decided to defer their decision until after making a site visit and gathering further information.

Planners at the council are standing by their original recommendation that the bigger turbines should be approved. They believe the scheme would not have a major impact.

Cllr Doug Dew, panel chairman, said they would have to agree plausible reasons for rejecting the application and that the site visit would take in similarly-sized turbines elsewhere so councillors could make a comparison.

He said: “We have to find positive reasons for saying no which stand up. If we do that would be brilliant.”

Continued:  http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Huntingdon-St-Ives-St-Neots/Concerns-on-risk-to-birds-of-prey-over-turbine-plan-11102012.htm