FOREWORD
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ... 2
INTRODUCTION: The importance of birds and biodiversity ... 3
Context of conservation in Africa ... 3
The ecological importance of birds ... 5
Birds control crop pests ...................... 5
Vultures: nature’s clean-up crew ..... 6
Identification of critical marine hotspots in West Africa – an opportunity for marine conservation ........ 7
Key Biodiversity Areas ....................... 8
STATE: What we know about the changing state of birds .... 9
Many bird species are still close to extinction ........ 9
More bird species are becoming threatened ...... 10
Grey Parrots decline across Africa ....... 11
State of common and widespread birds in Botswana and Uganda ..... 12
The smoking tears of Mara Wetland ....... 13
Irreplaceable Cross River National Park ...... 14
PRESSURE: Why birds are declining .......... 15
Wildlife poisoning ................................... 16
Grey Crowned-cranes poisoned in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia ........... 18
Forest loss and degradation affects survival of endemic bird species of São Tomé ... 19
IBAs are close to development corridors ....... 20
Energy production: how many more killer powerlines are there in Sudan? ...... 21
Rubbish and solid waste are an increasing problem ....... 22
Future offshore oil and gas production: an emerging threat to seabirds in West Africa ... 23
Illegal killing of birds along Egypt’s Mediterranean Coast ........ 24
Poverty, conservation and sustainable use of natural resources ....... 25
at the Ruvubu National Park ecosystem
RESPONSE: Conserving biodiversity ........... 28
Many actions are underway but need to be significantly scaled up ..... 28
The Greater Gola landscape: connecting forest and people ......... 29
Building local community capacity on Payment for Ecosystem (PES) ....... 30
services for watershed protection
Stakeholders call for a lasting solution to end unsustainable land use in West Africa .... 31
Influencing key policy mechanisms to save vultures and parrots ........ 31
Ecosystem conservation for climate change adaptation in East Africa ...... 32
Integrating ecosystem considerations into policies ............. 32
Promoting cross sectoral collaboration ......... 33
Training young seabird officers and conservationists in West Africa (Cabo Verde).. 34
Empowered communities promote sustainable use of Lake Natron ....... 35
Lutembe residents empowered to have a voice in determining development within their wetland ..... 36
“Local action – global impact” through Site Support Groups ........... 37
Increasing areas under protection in Africa ......... 38
Connecting young people across Africa .............. 39
Taking birds and biodiversity conservation to greater heights across .............. 40
frontiers in the Chimanimani Mountains Key Biodiversity Area (KBA)
Preventing and mitigating poisoning to save Africa’s vultures .......... 41
Land lease and purchase to conserve the Critically Endangered Taita Apalis ...... 42
Ecological restoration of Santa Luzia (Cabo Verde): time to move .... 43
for the Critically Endangered Raso Lark
Record high numbers of Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis ....... 44
Rangeland management benefits livestock, pastoralists and Critically Endangered lark...... 45