Wild About Animals
New members come, and say Hello
Plant a seed and watch it grow
Old Members why not share your news
We have loads more for you to choose
Guests your welcome to have a look
but why not sign up and then get hooked!
To All its a pleasure to have you with us

Note: New Members are expected to post within one Month of joining, and post on a fairly regular basis.


Join the forum, it's quick and easy

Wild About Animals
New members come, and say Hello
Plant a seed and watch it grow
Old Members why not share your news
We have loads more for you to choose
Guests your welcome to have a look
but why not sign up and then get hooked!
To All its a pleasure to have you with us

Note: New Members are expected to post within one Month of joining, and post on a fairly regular basis.
Wild About Animals
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

Kenyan bird population crashes

2 posters

Go down

Kenyan bird population crashes Empty Kenyan bird population crashes

Post  whitestarling Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:39 pm

Critically endangered Kenyan bird population crashes
29/09/2010 23:41:37
Kenyan bird population crashes We45

The Taita Apalis is disappearing from its only known habitat in Kenya's Taita Hills. Image credit: Lawrence Wagura

Major population crash of Critically Endangered Taita Apalis

Courtesy of BirdLife International

September 2010. The Taita Apalis is endemic to the Taita Hills, in south-eastern Kenya. It is one of the rarest birds in the world, surviving in only five small forest fragments at altitudes of between 1,500 and 2,200 m, and its known global range is less than 600 ha. In 2001, the population of this species was estimated to only be 300-650 individuals, thereby qualifying it for the highest threat category, Critically Endangered.

Field work carried out in 2009 and 2010 with support from BirdLife International, RSPB, CEPA and Chester Zoo strongly suggests that a major population crash is underway. Compared with previous rates, sighting rates in April-May 2009 had dropped by about 38%; repeated counts undertaken in September-December 2009 and May-July 2010 showed even larger decreases, approaching 80%. This means that the global population of the apalis might now be reduced to only 60-130 individuals, almost all of which are located in a single forest, Ngangao, which covers only about 120 h.

Unknown causes
The causes of this extremely worrying drop are unclear. Little or no illegal logging is now occurring in the Taita, and human disturbance has been significantly reduced thanks to the effort of the Kenya Forest Service and local conservation groups. The impacts of other possible factors, such as nest predation and climate change remain unknown. Nonetheless, it is clear that all the possible candidates driving this apparent crash need to be urgently studied in order to stop this species from sliding further towards the brink of extinction.

Second endangered bird needs rapid assessment
Similarly, research is also urgently needed on the second critically endangered bird of the Taita Hills forests, Taita Thrush Turdus helleri, whose population has not been assessed in recent times, but might be threatened by the same factors that are already affecting the apalis.

Taita Apalis and Taita Thrush are both receiving funding from the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme. The programme is spearheading greater conservation action, awareness and funding support for all of the world's most threatened birds, starting with the 190 species classified as Critically Endangered, the highest level of threat.

Courtesy of BirdLife International

By Luca Borghesio, Lawrence Wagura and Mwangi Githiru

WS
whitestarling
whitestarling
Admin

Posts : 12826
Join date : 2009-12-26
Age : 78
Location : North Wales

https://wildaboutanimals.forumotion.net

Back to top Go down

Kenyan bird population crashes Empty Re: Kenyan bird population crashes

Post  Safari Maiden Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:22 pm

This is extremely sad to see an animal disappearing from this world. It is good that a progamme is underway to help other bird species being wiped out, it doesnt hint that it is now to late for the Taita Apalis.

SM
Safari Maiden
Safari Maiden

Posts : 3392
Join date : 2010-05-05
Age : 53
Location : Midlands

Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum