Monitoring Illegal killing and taking of birds at Qaraoun Black Spot (Anjar/Kfarzabad, Qaraoun, Khirbet Qanafar sub black spots) in Lebanon (Springs 2020)

Monitoring Illegal killing and taking of birds at Qaraoun Black-Spot (Anjar/Kfarzabad, Qaraoun, Khirbet Qanafar sub black- spots) in Lebanon Springs 2020

By SPNL

Ghassan Ramadan Jaradi and Homat Al-Hima Teams

 

August 2020

INTRODUCTION

Qaraoun Black Spot (QBS) is formed from three sub-black spots: Anjar, Qaraoun and Khirbet Qanafar (see details in previous reports). All the sub-spots were subject to previous autumn and Spring monitoring. It is important to know about the trend of IKB in this mega black-spot through additional monitoring.

Our interest is to report on the last spring (2020) and compare its results with those of the spring monitoring (2019). At this time of the year, the season of hunting is closed and during which none of the bird or mammal species of Lebanon, including game species, is allowed for hunting. Therefore, it will be of importance to know about the trend in illegal killing of birds, especially after the many sessions of awareness conducted by SPNL in order to urge people not to take birds during the breeding season, including the period in which parents are caring for their chicks.

N.B.1. For health and safety reasons (avoidance of possible confrontation with poachers), we limited our field trip to day time, mainly between 08.00 and half an hour before sunset. Unlike the monitoring in the spring 2019, we decided to visit each sample plot only once during the season, partly for safety reasons (minimizing the risk of becoming known to poachers) and partly to save time during the pandemic COVID19.

N.B.2. In order to survey only once each of the randomly selected sample plots during the spring season, we preferred to divide the number of plots in each site into three parts so that one part can be surveyed in March, the second in April and the third in May and/or June.

 

The monitored area

Based on the Manual for monitoring Illegal Killing of Birds, the monitored area is mapped below for Anjar/Kfarzabad, Qaraoun and Khirbet Qanafar, together with the point counts in each of them:

ANJAR/KFARZABAD

RESULTS of the sampled plots at Anjar/Kfarzabad (30 minutes per Point count/transect/square)

Mountain Slope

Plain Anjar

Plain Kfarzabad

Spring 2020

Plot

P1

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 10/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

3 Blackcap 1
Willow Warbler 2
Oriol 4

3

Number of species trapped

x x

4

Number of species poisoned

x x

5

Number of species for Market

x x

Plot

T1

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 10/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

x

2

Number of species shot

x

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

x

Plot

S1

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 10/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

x

Plot

S4

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 10/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

3

Blackbird 2
Graceful Prinia 1
Palm Dove 2

3

Number of species trapped

x

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

x

Plot

T2

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 10/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

T3

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 10/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

T4

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 10/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

S5

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 12/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

2

2

Number of species shot

3

Tree Pipit 3
Marsh warbler 1
Honey Buzzard 3
Greenfinch 2

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

S6

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 12/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

2

White Wagtail 2
Meadow Pipit 2

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

S7

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 12/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

3

Chaffinch 4
Black-eared Wheatear 2
White Pelican 1

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

 

Plot

T5

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 4/6/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

 

Plot

P3

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 4/6/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

 

Plot

P4

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 4/6/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

 

Thirteen stations/plots were visited at Anjar/Kfarzabad during the Spring 2020. Only six hunters were encountered hunting in 5 plots. The other 8 plots were found calm without poachers or illegal killing or taking of birds. No one single case of trapping, poisoning or taking for market was observed during the whole breeding season. We present below a list of the species illegally killed with their corresponding number of individuals.

Species

No. Individuals

Plot No.

1

Blackcap

1

P1

2

Willow Warbler

2

P1

3

Oriol

4

P1

4

Blackbird

2

S4

5

Graceful Prinia

1

S4

6

Palm Dove

2

S4

7

Tree Pipit

3

S5

8

Marsh warbler

1

S5

9

Honey Buzzard

3

S5

10

Greenfinch

2

S5

11

White Wagtail

2

S6

12

Meadow Pipit

2

S6

13

Chaffinch

4

S7

14

Black-eared Wheatear

2

S7

15

White Pelican

1

S7

Total

15

32

5 plots

None of the species killed or taken occurred more than once in all the visited plots. Based on this list, it appears that, in average, we observe 1.15 species and 2.5 individuals in each visit.

In the following diagram (1), it is clear that in some plots there were no hunting activities recorded, whereas, the number of individuals killed has never exceeded 4 individuals per plot or species (None of the recorded has a frequency higher than 1).

QARAOUN

2. QARAOUN. This sub black spot is represented by the IBA artificial lake to the west of the Qaraoun village and by the public state property to the east of this village. Due to the nature of the land, only point counts (1 to 9) (Plate 2) were adopted for the monitoring of the illegal killing of birds (see photo above).

During the spring 2020, all Point counts were monitored on the basis of at least 3 point counts per visit/month.

RESULTS of the sampled plots at Qaraoun sub-black spot (30 minutes per Point count)

Lake

Mountain

Plot

1

Species name

Number of Individuals

M

Date 9/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

X

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

2

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 9/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

3

2

Number of species shot

5

Little Egret 3
Mallard 2
Black-eared Wheatear 3
Great reed Warbler 4
Common Sandpiper 1

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

3

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 9/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

2

2

Number of species shot

5

Coot 2
Little Grebe 1
Great Reed Warbler 4
House Sparrow 6
Mallard 1

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

4

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 9/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

1

White Pelican 2

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

5

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 10/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

6

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 10/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

7

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 10/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

3

Crested Lark 1
Corn Bunting 3
European Bee-eater 6

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

8

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 3/6/2020

1

Number of hunters

2

2

Number of species shot

3

Corn Bunting 2
White Stork 1
Black-eared Wheatear 2

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

9

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 3/6/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

data analyses for Qaraoun

Nine stations/plots were visited at Qaraoun during the Spring 2020. Only nine hunters were encountered hunting in 6 plots. The other 3 plots were found calm without poachers or illegal killing or taking of birds. No one single case of trapping, poisoning or taking for market was observed during the whole breeding season. We present below a list of the species illegally killed with their corresponding number of individuals and plots.

Species

No. Individuals

Plot No.

1

Little Egret

3

2

2

Mallard

2+1

2-3

3

Black-eared Wheatear

3+2

2-8

4

Great reed Warbler

4

2

5

Coot

2

3

6

Little Grebe

1

3

7

Great Reed Warbler

4

3

8

House Sparrow

6

3

10

White Pelican

2

4

11

Crested Lark

1

7

12

Corn Bunting

3+2

7-8

13

European Bee-eater

6

7

15

White Stork

1

8

Total

15

51

Three of the species killed or taken occurred more than once in all the visited plots. Based on this list, it appears that, in average, we observe 1.67 species and 5.67 individuals in each visit.

In the following diagram (2), it is clear that in some plots there were no hunting activities recorded, whereas, the number of individuals killed has never exceeded 6 individuals per plot (3 species showed a frequency of 2).

KHIRBET QANAFAR

    1. Khirbet Qanafar

This is the third sub-black spot in the QBS. It occupies the eastern slopes of Barouk-Niha mountain (West Beqaa Valley). It is formed from a dense growth of bushes, shrubs, and young forest, older stands and new and abandoned farmland, including old apple orchards. The hunting occurs on the state-owned lands that are under the overall supervision of Khirbet Qanafar municipality. Due to the nature of the land, only three point-counts are selected as they correspond to the three hunting vantage points used mainly for thrushes (point 1), woodcocks (point 2) and ducks (point 3), and to a lesser extent other species of the season.

RESULTS of the sampled plots at Khirbet Qanafar sub black spot (30 minutes per Point count).

Plot

1

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 27/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

2

2

Number of species shot

3

Spotted Flycatcher 2
Lesser White Throat 2
Turtle Dove 1

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

2

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 27/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

3

Goldfinch 3
Quail 4
Robin 1

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

3

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 11/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

1

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 11/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

1

Goldfinch 9

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

 

Plot

2

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 11/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

3

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 11/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

1

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 6/6/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

4

Great Tit 3
Linnet 4
Quail 2
Blackcap 2

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

2

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 6/6/2020

1

Number of hunters

2

2

Number of species shot

1

Turtle Dove 3

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

Plot

3

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 19/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

x

 

 

data analyses for Khirbet Qanafar

Three stations/plots were visited at Qaraoun, three times each, during the Spring 2020. Only 7 hunters were encountered hunting in the three plots. Only the plot numbered 3 was found calm without poachers or illegal killing or taking of birds. One single case of trapping 9 Goldfinches for market was observed during the whole breeding season. We present below a list of the species illegally killed and taken with their corresponding number of individuals and plots.

Species

No. Individuals

Plot No.

1

Spotted Flycatcher

2

1

2

Lesser White Throat

2

1

3

Turtle Dove

1+3

1-2

4

Goldfinch

3+9

2-1

5

Quail

4+2

2-1

6

Robin

1

2

7

Great Tit

3

1

8

Linnet

4

1

9

Blackcap

2

1

Total

9

36

Three of the species killed or taken occurred more than once in all the visited plots. Based on this list, it appears that, in average, we observe one species and 4 individuals in each visit.

In the following diagram (3), it is clear that in some plots there were no hunting activities recorded (plot 3), whereas, the number of individuals killed or taken has never exceeded 9 individuals per plot (3 species showed a frequency of 2).

Further monitoring this year (autumn monitoring) may provide us with a wider view on the effect of Covid19 on the illegal killing of birds in the Qaraoun “mega” Black-Spot.