Wings & Waves Newsletter | August – September 2018

Please welcome SPNL’s 22nd Hima at Ras el-Matn

27 July 2018 was an important day for SPNL welcoming Ras el-Matn’s municipal council decree to declare the village as Hima. The municipal council, led by Mr. Marwan Salha, was proactive in declaring part of the municipal land as Hima for sustainable use such as ecotourism, responsible grazing, and responsible hunting.

SPNL is taking the lead on the National Coordination Group for KBA partnership

The current trend internationally for site ecological declaration is the KBA approach /concept. Twelve international conservation organizations joined forces and established the KBA partnership in order to achieve this goal, and standardize the criteria.

Poachers are not allowed to use a noble tool of scientific study for slaughtering birds

Ringing of birds requires holding them by the net. The purpose of this work is to know where the birds go and from where they come. In the near past, Ghassan Ramadan-Jaradi, professor of ornithology, implemented in collaboration with SPNL (BirdLife International Partner) a project that was supported by the National Council for Scientific Research to ring passerines birds after they were caught with mist-nets.

The semi-desert area of Ras Baalbek … A hidden Gem

By Fouad Itani
The semi-desert area of Ras Baalbek in the northern Bekaa region is a barren area where little precipitation occurs and consequently living conditions there are hostile to both fauna and flora. What makes this area special is a wide selection of biome-restricted species rarely found elsewhere in Lebanon. This attracts few birdwatchers but also, unfortunately, unethical hunters and poachers.

Interested in an organised birding trip to Lebanon?

Lebanon has the potential to be an excellent birding destination but there are currently few, if any, organised trips to check out the ornithological highlights. If anything, the country is better known for its high level of illegal bird killing. OSME want to help change the perception of Lebanon and help it become a destination that birders consider visiting. By showing that birds can have an economic value through the promotion of eco-tourism we hope to highlight there are alternatives to illegal hunting.

Butterflies on display inside new Butterfly Haven in Hima Khorbet Kanafar

SPNL’s Expert in Freshwater Aquatic Ecosystems and Herpetology has liked butterflies his whole life. This year, Husein Zorkot’s dream of opening a butterfly pavilion is coming true. “The Butterfly Pavilion is now at Homat al Hima International Park in Khorbet Kanafar! The one and only Lepidopterarium in Lebanon! The pavilion will house a botanical herb garden plus be a place where native butterflies develop and complete their life cycles.

Please enjoy this clip from HHI Park Butterfly Garden & Pavilion of the plain tiger butterfly from the butterfly garden, just in time of the publication Butterfly Gardening in Lebanon. This is the same butterfly species on the book cover, shows that all our work paid off. This is a valuable minute and 28 seconds, enjoy!