Salim Javed Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, United Arab ... · [email protected]. Argos Program in...
Transcript of Salim Javed Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, United Arab ... · [email protected]. Argos Program in...
Salim JavedEnvironment Agency – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Email: [email protected]
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Programme 1440 & 03763 - Asian Houbara•
To study ecology of the Asian Houbara
over its distribution range,
collecting information on migration pattern, habitat use
•
conservation of the Asian Houbara
in Uzbekistan
Programme 3657 – Waterbirds & Raptors•
To study movement & migration pattern of key bird species wintering or
breeding in the UAE
Programme 04189 - Marine Turtle Conservation•
to identify foraging areas, movement patterns and migratory routes of
Hawksbill turtles in the region.
•
Contribute to the development of regional policies & plans for the
protection of marine turtles
•
Raise awareness on the conservation needs of marine turtles in the region
1. Overall Summary
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Satellite Tracking Programme on Bustards
Programme # 1440, 03763
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Targeted species
Main research programme:•
Asian Houbara
Bustard ‐
500 PTT deployed from 1994 to 2011
•
Arabian Bustard ‐
8 PTT deployed
Contribution to monitoring of rehabilitated falcons•
Falcons (Gyr, Peregrine & Saker
Falcons) ‐106 PTT from 1995 to
2011)
Assistance to other conservation programmes•
Bengal Florican
‐12 PTT provided to BirdLife
International &
University of East Anglia
•
Greater spotted Eagle for Breeding Center of Endangered
Arabian Wildlife, Sharjah
‐1 PTT
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Marine Turtle Conservation Project
Programme # 04189
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Project Partners
Iran: Wildlife & Aquatic Affairs Bureau of Iran
Oman: Ministry of Environment & Climate AffairsEnvironment Society of Oman (NGO)
Qatar: Ministry of EnvironmentEnvironment Studies Centre, Qatar Univ.Ras
Laffan
Industrial City
UAE: Environment Agency‐
Abu DhabiEnvironment & Protected Areas Authority Emirates Marine Environment Group
MRF: Project Scientific Advisor
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Satellite Tracking Programme on Waterbirds & Raptors
Bird Programme # 03657
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Targeted species
Flamingos•
Greater Flamingo; 19 since 2005
Raptors•
Osprey –
10; tagged since 2007
•
Sooty Falcon ‐2; 2008 & 2010
•
Marsh Harrier – 2 in 2011
Other waterbirds•
Crab Plover ‐
5
•
Red‐billed Tropicbird – 7
•
Gulls & Terns ‐5
International Collaboration•
Bar‐headed Goose
•
Vultures & Cranes
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
CURRENTLY ACTIVE NEW PTT TO BE ADDED BY 2011
Animals None None
Houbara & Others (1440 & 03763) 152 155
Marine Turtle Programme (04189) 39 0
Birds Program (3657) 14 8
Fixed Stations None None
TOTAL
2. PTT Use
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
3. Technological Changes & User Requirements
•Overall improvement in data delivery time is needed
• Useful to get Argos and GPS locations nearly in real time, i.e. decrease the gap between time of the locations and accessibility to the information.
•Additionally development of a service providing movement alerts or mortality alerts by email or text message (sms) according to user defined
criteria
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
4. User issues & problems
•Reliability in determining flight altitude and also
problems with mirror locations
•Why the GPS locations are not there for Argos mapping
on Argos Web
•Users also expect reduced Argos tariff, particularly for
programmes which are using large number of
transmitters
•Argos has been continuously trying to improve the
services and supporting users in various ways.
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Migratory movementsHoubara tracking -description of migration routes
5. Successful use of Argos
Distribution and abundance of Arabian Bustard
•Annual home
range doesn't
exceed 4 km2
•Few movements
up to 10 km mainly
due to habitat
disturbance
•Clearly sedentary
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Turtle Tracking
•44 Hawksbill turtles
tracked since early 2010
•Linkages between nesting
and foraging sites
•Outreach & a stronger
focus
on public awareness
through the project
website
(www.gulfturtles.com)
and the turtle race
campaign
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Verification of key foraging grounds, migration patterns
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Qatar, Al Fuwairit Iran, Nahiloo Island Oman, Damaniyat UAE, Qarnein
•
Documented
migration
routes &
stopover
sites
•
Migration
over a broad
front
Argos Program in the United
Arab Emirates
Flamingo TrackingFlamingo Tracking
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
•
Adults remain at their
breeding sites
•
Young disperse to
neighboring gulf countries
Osprey TrackingOsprey Tracking
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Sooty Falcon Tracking
•
Migration routes
•
Stopover sites & areas
used in Madagascar
•
Departure aided by
moderate tail wind
•
Crossing of Mozambique
channel aided by moderate tail wind
(Javed et al, Bird Conservation International, 2011)
Sooty Falcon Tracking
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Sooty Falcon Tracking
Precipitation surface, 01 June ‐
30
September, 2008
•
Stopovers in
natural grassland associated with
water
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Cultivated fields in
Madagascar
Sooty Falcon Tracking
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Steppe Eagle Tracking
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Steppe Eagle Tracking
•
Successive spring and
autumn migration
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Steppe Eagle demonstrated
loop migration
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Identification of flamingo breeding area
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Monitoring and tracking
results identified new area for protection of
flamingos
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Proposed a new flamingo
and waterbirds sanctuary
Satellite Tracking & Conservation
•
Extensive local
movements across UAE
•
Use of key coastal &
inland wetlands in the country
Flamingo Local Movement
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Satellite Tracking & Conservation
Tracking Results & Conservation
•
Identification &
inclusion of important areas into PA Planning Process
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Identification of other areas
of conservation importance in town
planning framework
Argos Program in the United Arab
Emirates
Satellite Tracking & Conservation
•
Identification key
sites for migratory birds
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Satellite Tracking & Conservation-local level
Conservation at flyway level
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
6. Local Operational Issues
•Most of the records gathered by turtle tagging
programme are of Class A and B quality,
towards the lower end of the accuracy range
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates
Argos Program in the United Arab Emirates