A blueprint towards a programme of work against poisoning across the Mediterranean

A blueprint to mitigate poison across the Mediterranean JosĂŠ Tavares Director VCF

Poison kills vultures

Lead poisoning embedding ingestion lead fragments

DICLOFENAC 1. Lethal to vultures, caused 99% decline of vultures in Indian subcontinent 2. Approved in Italy and then in 2013 in Spain

3. Lobbying at EU level: • EMA public consultation & assessment (Dec. 2014) • Country Action Plans (2015): monitoring & awareness program by Members States

BAN VET DICLOFENAC!!!!

Poisoning through the use of poison baits

Over 70 active substances so far found in poisoned baits or animals, many of which are legal (phitosanitary products, biocides)

Illegal – the law is on our side EU: Birds Directive 2009/147/EC & Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC EU: Environmental Crime Directive 2008/99/EC Article 3 (f) & Article 5 (criminalization and sentencing)

CMS Resolutions 10.26 & 11.15 - poisoning migratory birds & endorsement of Guidelines on preventing the risk of migratory bird poisoning

Mediterranean or European?

International species action plans

Poisoning High (1996)

Poisoning: Potentially Poisoning: Critical (1999) Critical (2008)

LIFE EuroSAP Coordinated Efforts for International Species Recovery • LIFE preparatory project • Funded by the European Commission • Co-funded by AEWA and each of the project partners

Egyptian Vulture Flyway Action Plan: Poisoning: Critical (2016)

Critical threats •

Poisoning by poison baits

•

Collision with lines

•

Electrocution

•

Collision with wind farms

•

Availability of in situ food

National Species Action Plans Poisoning: Critical

The demographic balance: population viability Mortality has much more influence than productivity

¿Cómo afecta el veneno al buitre negro?

Episodios de envenenamiento

Prohibición del veneno (año 83)

Ligado a perdiz con reclamo

50

Lo encontrado es 6,75% de mortalidad real

40 30

28 ¿veneno?

20

2012

2010

2008

2006

2004

2002

2000

1998

1996

1994

1992

1989

1987

0

Mínimos históricos 1979

1973

10

Cambio de Sistema de Seguimiento

Vulture’s distribution in Europe (The 4 species altogether)

Population status and trends (Spain)

GRIFFON VULTURE

No. of pairs: 24,609-25,541 (2008)

No. of colonies: 1,560 2,500 (80s), 7,500 (90s), 17,500 (2000) 0,80 25000 0,78 20000 0,76

15000

nยบ pai rs(L) breedi ng success(R)

0,74

0,72 10000 0,70 5000 0,68

0 1975

1980

1985

1990

1995 year

2000

2005

0,66 2010

Population status and trends (Spain)

CINEREOUS VULTURE

No. of pairs: 2,068 (2011) – 2,258 (estimated 2015) No. of colonies: 36.

1980s – ONLY 250 pairs!

20-30 years – From 0 to 1,400 pairs Grands Causses colony – griffon vulture 450

1

400

0,9 0,8

350

0,7 300

0,6 250 0,5 200 0,4 150 0,3 100

0,2

50

0,1

0

0

Pontes

Jeunes produits

21

Succès reproducteur

Vulture’s distribution in Europe (The 4 species altogether)

Status and breeding population estimates Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) Country Andorra Armenia Azerbaijan Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus France Georgia Greece Hungary Iraq Israel Italy Jordan Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Lebanon Portugal Romania Russian Federation (Caucasus) Saudi Arabia Serbia Spain Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan The FYR of Macedonia Turkey Turkmenistan Ukraine (Crimea) Uzbekistan Yemen

Status breeding breeding breeding extinct breeding breeding breeding breeding breeding breeding extinct

Breeding pairs 2-3 35-40 100-400

Q G M M

Year(s) of estimate 2016 2007-2010 2000-2016

Breeding Population trend in the last 10 years small increase stable small decline

Q G M P

80-100 90 1-3 2000 40-60 350-400

G G G G M G

2016 2016 2016 2016 1991-2016 2015

large increase decline decline moderate increase small decline moderate increase

G G G G M G

breeding breeding breeding

42 170 8-15

G M G

2016 2016 2014

decline moderate increase stable

G G G

breeding extinct breeding breeding breeding breeding

750

G

2007

moderate increase

G

152-223 x2?

3000 150-200 24609/25000

M M G G

2001-2003 2015 2016 2012

decline large decline large increase large increase

P M G G

14 45

G P

2015 2013

decline small decline

G P

23-25 140-150

G P

2016 2009

stable decline

G P

breeding breeding breeding breeding breeding breeding breeding

32 countries 24 breeding 3 extinct

31 801 - 32 730 breeding pairs data missing conflict

* BirdLife International (2016) IUCN Red List for birds

Vulture’s distribution in Europe (The 4 species altogether)

POISONING Impact per species (1992-2013):

• Bearded vulture: 35 • Egyptian vulture: 305 • Cinereous vulture: 609

• Griffon vulture: 1656

Drivers: Predator control unintended for vultures (but livestock management also targeted to vultures)

increasing and SEO/BirdLife & WWF. 2016. El veneno en España 1992-2013.

POISONING Implemented measures: • Strict legal framework: Penal Code, Biodiversity and Natural Heritage Act, National Strategy (2004)

• Regional plans legally binding (10 out of 17):  Canine patrols (6)  Monitoring, toxicology analyses and surveillance  Alternative measures to predator control

• Judgements: approx. 200 • Key role of NGOs (LIFE+ projects, Antidoto network, awareness)

SEO/BirdLife & WWF. 2016. El veneno en España 1992-2013.

Andalusia: canine patrols vs cases of poisoning

But even in Spain... 3 poisoned bearded vultures in Andalucia in 2016.

Anti-poisoning – recurrent, continuous!

Poisoning is the hardest wildlife crime to investigate

In Spain arrest rate is only 1/50, In AndalucĂ­a 1/25

Elsewhere in the Med...

Elsewhere in the Med...

• No national poisoning databases • Inadequate protocols and monitoring poisoning incidents • Lack of capacity for adequate toxicological screening (labs) • No or few anti-poisoning enforcement units • Uninformed judiciary • Little political commitment/no action plans

Fighting against poison baits – the essentials 1) Information on the use and impact of poisoned-baits = screening labs, adequate protocols 2) Enforcement and patrolling = prevention, deterrence of poisoning in the countryside.

3) Pursuit criminal processes = sentencing, according to the provisions of the EU legislation and the national criminal laws of each country (use innovative policy levers) 4) Public awareness and communication

Anti-poisoning action across the mediterranean

Cont. Communication, Documentation Enforcement & Sentencing Other Policy levers

Push Communication & Documentation

Cont. Communication, Push for Documentation, Enforcement & Sentencing

Action plan submitted to MAVA  (Secure a ban on veterinary diclofenac in the EU by 2022 + New risk assessment guidelines adopted by the EU for new veterinary drugs)  (Secure a ban on hunting with lead ammunition in at least the EU by 2022)  Projects to mitigate and reduce the impact of poisoning on vultures in specific “blackspots” compared with 2016 data (Spain, countries in the Balkans, etc)  Dedicated wildlife crime units established in the Balkans  Dedicated anti-poisoning dog units established in a number of countries  Enhancement of adequate toxicological screening in the Balkans  Non-environmental policy levers used to fight poisoning in the EU  Increase use of Bern Convention guidelines on sentencing when fighting wildlife crime  North Africa: legislation enhanced on the issue of poisoning  North Africa: communication campaign  Strengthen our understanding of poisoning and its impacts on vultures

Gypas conference, Limassol, 6-8 March 2013