Monitoring of Illegally Killed Birds in Akoura (Spring 2020) By Ghassan Ramadan Jaradi, PhD

Monitoring of Illegally Killed Birds in Akoura (Spring 2020)

By

Ghassan Ramadan Jaradi, PhD

August 2020

    1. INTRODUCTION

The previous monitoring activities in Akoura were using a combination of transect and point count monitoring methods. Transects and point counts are randomly selected in an area that is safe and away from mined lands, consequently our sampling is randomly selected within a stratified monitoring method. The Point Counts are for collecting comparable data within plots and the Transects are to not neglect what is happening between Point Counts, if any. Although, the transects also produce comparable data. Because some hunters park their cars on the side of the roads or off roads and because of hearing their shots from distance, we added to the randomly selected plots additional stations by observing hunters from appropriate vantage hidden points. The same method used in the past monitoring activities is also used in the spring 2020. This will allow scientific and statistical tool to be applied and will permit yielding better comparable data.

Since most of hunters are active in weekends, other bird species and individual numbers may pass overlooked in the site or can be shot in other sites outside the Akoura Black Spot. On another hand, it is worth to mention that no birds were trapped in the study area. However, this present report of Akoura offers the data for the spring 2020 monitoring sessions. The results of the monitoring of the illegally killed birds during the Spring Migration period are exhibited below.

    1. REMINDER
      1. Definition of Illegal killing and taking of birds

The definition given by BirdLife International is adopted: “The illegal killing and taking of birds is defined here as any form of deliberate action that results in the death or removal from the wild of an individual bird (regardless of whether it was the target of this action or not), that is prohibited under national or regional legislation”.

      1. Description of the objectives of the AKOURA IKBs Monitoring

The three primary objectives of the IKBs monitoring of Akoura are:

(1) to estimate the illegally persecuted bird community composition and species richness through illegal killing and taking, at the study stations of the blackspot of Akoura,

(2) to track trends in the relative abundance of killed/non-killed species, and (3) to promote reduction of the illegal killing of these birds in Akoura and Lebanon.

The other, secondary objectives of the monitoring are:

 

To promote the sustainable community-based practice of bird conservation in Akoura, and

 

To inform concerned authorities about locations of most significant offences.

Due to the conduction of the previous monitoring of IKBs, the objectives above are partially reached. We hope to advance towards achieving these objectives with the ongoing monitoring.

    1. Collection of Data

The present monitoring relied partially on the Homat AlHima of Akoura for collecting data about illegal killing and taking of birds. They are from the local communities and were previously selected by SPNL after a series of meetings and trainings followed by evaluation of skills and qualifications. The advantage of being assisted by Homat AlHima is that they are known locally and treated with respect by the community.

At each plot, illegally killed birds are instantly identified (otherwise photographed) and their individuals are counted.

The collected data from a plot will be given the plot number, whilst the collected data from a transect will be given the numbers of the two plots located at the extremities of the transect (example: a Transect between Point Count 1 and 2 will be named Transect:1-2).

    1. Survey Design

During the last monitoring activities, we improved the sample monitoring sheet used in the fields of Akoura. It summarizes the types of gathered data and information from a sampling plot (station) at the site. We don’t repeat them here as they were already collected with previous monitoring of IKBs, like:

 

The slope orientation: Ubac/Adret

 

The number of hunters

 

Gender ratio (example: 2.1 = 2 males and one female)

 

The dominant tree(s)

 

The cover of the major vegetation.

In addition to the information about the IKBs, the sampling sheet provides additional information that points to the type of habitat in which the hunters use to shoot and the corresponding species.

    1. Rules of monitoring

All monitoring activities at Akoura are in line with the Protocol of Monitoring of Illegally Killd Birds at Akoura.

The most important recommendations are:

 

Avoid too early monitoring for safety reasons.

 

Be in company of a local person, preferably from Homat Al Hima.

 

Each sample square/circle is surveyed only once each season to avoid being seen repeatedly by aggressive poachers.

 

Use vantage points when risky.

 

    1. The Point counts

Akoura: Grid and randomly selected plots for monitoring illegally killed birds. Unsafe areas are considered and avoided. Preferred places frequented by hunters played a role in fine tuning the Point-counts placements.

The following GPS points are given with altitudes for the 8 plots of monitoring.

34° 7’22.68″N 35°53’54.59″E, Alt. 1286m

34° 6’58.09″N 35°53’58.01″E, Alt. 1347m

34° 6’38.25″N 35°54’10.97″E, Alt. 1286m

34° 6’45.85″N 35°53’48.35″E, Alt. 1351m

34° 6’57.53″N 35°53’37.30″E, Alt. 1351m

34° 7’32.47″N 35°52’29.48″E, Alt. 1540m

34° 6’42.81″N 35°52’25.33″E, Alt. 1261m

34° 6’36.77″N 35°52’47.06″E, Alt. 1246m

MONITORING RESULTS

Spring 2020

Plot

1

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 12/3/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

3 Blackcap 4
Robin 2
Greenfinch 3

3

Number of species trapped

N/A

4

Number of species poisoned

N/A

5

Number of species for Market

N/A

Plot

2

Spring 2020

Number of Individuals

12/3/2020

Species name Number of Individuals

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

3 Wren 1
Western Nuthatch 3
Upcher’s Warbler 1

3

Number of species trapped

N/A

4

Number of species poisoned

N/A

5

Number of species for Market

N/A

Plot

3

Spring 2020

Number of Individuals

12/3/2020

Species name Number of Individuals

1

Number of hunters

2

2

Number of species shot

4 Woodlark 5
Kestrel 1
Greenfinch 2
Chaffinch 4

3

Number of species trapped

N/A

4

Number of species poisoned

N/A

5

Number of species for Market

N/A

Plot

4

Spring 2020

Number of Individuals

Date 12/3/2020

Species name Number of Individuals

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

4 Rock Sparrow 3
Columba livia 4
Hoopoe 3
House Sparrow 2

3

Number of species trapped

N/A

4

Number of species poisoned

N/A

5

Number of species for Market

N/A

Plot

5

Spring 2018

Number of Individuals

Date 18/4/2020

Species name Number of Individuals

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

2 Black-headed Bunting 2
Marsh Harrier 1

3

Number of species trapped

1 Common Quail 5

4

Number of species poisoned

N/A

5

Number of species for Market

N/A

Plot

6

Spring 2020

Number of Individuals

Date 18/4/2020

Species name Number of Individuals

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x x
x x
x x

3

Number of species trapped

N/A

4

Number of species poisoned

N/A

5

Number of species for Market

N/A

Plot

7

Spring 2020

Number of Individuals

Date 18/4/2020

Species name Number of Individuals

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x x
x x
x x

3

Number of species trapped

N/A

4

Number of species poisoned

N/A

5

Number of species for Market

N/A

Plot

8

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 18/4/2020

1

Number of hunters

2

2

Number of species shot

5 Common Quail 9
Turtle Dove 3
Blackcap 3
Barn Swallow 11
Lesser Spotted Eagle 3

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 3/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x x x
x x
x 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 3/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

3 Blackcap 3
Lesser white Throat 2
Black Kite 4

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 3/5/2020

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

4

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 3/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

3 Booted Eagle 1
Linnet 3
Goldfinch 6

3

Number of species trapped

x

4

Number of species poisoned

x

5

Number of species for Market

1 Greenfinch 2

Plot

5

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 26/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

1

2

Number of species shot

3 Long-legged Buzzard 1
Blackcap 5
Honey Buzzard 7

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 26/5/2020

1

Number of hunters

x

2

Number of species shot

x

3

x

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 8/6/2020

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

8

Species name

Number of Individuals

Date 8/6/2020

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 Akoura

Eight stations/plots were visited at Akoura, at least two times each, during the Spring 2020. Only 11 hunters were encountered hunting in 11 out of 16 plots. Six plots were used only once by hunters during the monitoring activities. Only the plot numbered 7 was found calm without poachers or illegal killing or taking of birds during the whole period of monitoring. One two cases of trapping Greenfinch and Quails for market were observed in two stations 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.

Blackcap

4+3+3+5

1-2-5-8

Robin

2

1

Greenfinch

3+2+2

1-3-4

Wren

1

2

Western Nuthatch

3

2

Upcher’s Warbler

1

2

Woodlark

5

3

Kestrel

1

3

Chaffinch

4

3

Rock Sparrow

3

4

Rock Pigeon

4

4

Hoopoe

3

4

House Sparrow

2

4

Black-headed Bunting

2

5

Marsh Harrier

1

5

Common Quail

5+9

5-8

0

0

6

0

0

7

Turtle Dove

3

8

Barn Swallow

11

8

Lesser Spotted Eagle

3

8

0

0

1

Lesser white Throat

2

2

Black Kite

4

2

0

0

3

Booted Eagle

1

4

Linnet

3

4

Goldfinch

6

4

Long-legged Buzzard

1

5

Honey Buzzard

7

5

0

0

6

0

0

7

0

0

8

Total 27

109

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 1.7 species and 6.8 individuals in each visit.

In the following diagram (1), it is clear that in some plots there were no hunting activities recorded (plot 7), whereas, the number of individuals killed or taken has never exceeded 11 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 Akoura Black-Spot.