Helping farmers create a safe haven for vultures in Zambia

When human activity in biodiverse forests is uncontrolled, the survival of plants, animals and other micro-organisms is at risk. 

In a bid to secure Zambia's Chisamba Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), a safe haven for endangered vultures, BirdWatch Zambia (BirdLife Partner) has educated farm owners, managers and workers who operate within the IBA on why it is important to protect natural habitats from man-made threats. 

The Chisamba IBA in Zambia covers an area of 55,000 hectares and more than 72% of it falls within private farms. Activities like cattle ranching, game farming, dairy farming and crocodile farming attract hundreds of vultures to the farms, where the birds benefit from large trees that offer suitable perching, roosting and breeding sites. The large privately owned commercial farms also offer a safe haven for vultures that are attracted by the waste from meat processing, and the harvesting of crocodiles. 

Much of the Chisamba IBA land falls within local and national forests and serves as home to Zambia's only true endemic bird species, the Zambian Barbet Lybius chaplini. However, encroachment by human settlement, fuelwood and charcoal production are threats to conservation efforts in the area. 

BirdWatch Zambia is working to secure 4,000 hectares of the Chisamba IBA for the benefit of vultures and natural ecosystems in general. They have engaged in dialogue with private farm owners in Chisamba to create a Vulture Safe Zone (VSZ) in the properties within the IBA. The initiative recognizes the movement of vultures from one farm to another depending on the feeding opportunity. 

An education and awareness campaign around the area has also targeted school children and their parents who either own, manage or work in farms in the area. The campaign and dialogue seek to change local perceptions about vultures and also influence farm management practices. 

“They [vultures] are ugly birds that spoil good meat,” said Chanda, a Chisamba secondary school child residing in a cattle ranch within the zone before attending the campaign.

After learning about the environmental importance of vultures through the project, Chanda now describes vultures as “lifesaving birds”. 

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Elaborate egg shells help prevent forgery

Songbirds in a visual arms race with 'brood parasites'

Date: June 17, 2015

Source: Duke University

Summary: Songbirds in the scrublands of southern Zambia are engaged in a high-stakes arms race that they wage with colors and patterns on their eggs. It's a battle that's probably being fought everywhere there are birds practicing what is known as 'brood parasitism' -- laying eggs in the nests of another bird species.

In a new study appearing online June 17 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Duke University graduate student Eleanor Caves has found that African songbirds that are frequently victimized by brood parasitic cuckoos have taken to creating elaborate patterns on their eggs to help them recognize the forgeries.

But of course it doesn't work perfectly, or the war would be over.

During her Master's research at the University of Cambridge, Caves methodically examined how two kinds of songbirds pattern their eggs to try to stay one step ahead of two species of parasitic birds.

Continued ...

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

Vast copper mine in Lower Zambezi put on hold

September 2012. The Zambian Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) has turned down a mining proposal at one of Zambia's key wildlife & important bird Areas (IBA) - Lower Zambezi. The proposal to mine eight million tonnes of copper ore per year was put forward by Mwembesi Resources Ltd, an Australian affiliated company. The project would involve development of the main pit at Kangaluwi and satellite pits at three other areas.

The lower Zambezi IBA is both, an Important Bird Area as well as a national park. Large numbers of water birds congregate, especially at drying ox bow lakes. Sandbanks are home to enormous numbers of Southern Carmine Bee-eater and smaller numbers of White-Fronted Bee-eater. The Miombo and Mopane woodlands hold a wide array of characteristic species. The Crested Guinea Fowl, African Pitta, White-throated Nicator, Somber Greenbul and Livingstone flycatcher inhabit the deciduous thickets. The Pallid Harrier is a rare passage migrant and non-breeding visitor.

Continued: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/lower-zambezi-mine.html

Leucistic Hammerkop in Zambia

Leucistic/white hammerkop

Safari guide Tyrone Mckeith sent us this image of a leucistic hammerkop from the Busanga Plains in Zambia. 

Busanga Plains
The huge (750 km2) Busanga Plains are regarded as the Jewel of the Kafue, depending on the time of year you visit (The flood season is from March through to May) you may need to travel by Mokoro (traditional dug-out canoes) to access the plains. This area is synonymous with the large herds of Red lechwe and buffalo which bring with them interest from the Kafue's impressive carnivore diversity. Being submerged for most of the year, the seasonal flood waters attract great flocks of Open Billed storks, which spiral in the thermals over the plains. Crowned and the rare Wattled cranes are seen searching through the grass for insects and beetles. 

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/leucistic-Hammerkop.html

More information on the hammerkop (Scopus umbretta):

http://www.animalfacts.net/birds/hammerkop.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamerkop