Saker Falcon research and Conservation in Mongolia
Batbayar Galtbalt1, Nyambayar Batbayar1 Andrew Dixon2, Lutfor Rahman2, 1Wildlife Science & Conservation Center 2International Wildlife Consultants
Saker Conservation Status • Globally Endangered EN (IUCN/BirdLife) • Appendix II (CITES) • Appendix I (CMS; except Mongolia)
Population Trends REGION
POPULATION
% GLOBAL POP.
TREND
Europe & Middle East
825
8%
Increasing
Central Asia (ex. USSR)
1330
13%
Declining
Russia
1972
19%
Declining
Mongolia
3464
33%
Stable/Increasing*
China
2851
27%
(Declining)
Based on data used for 2012 IUCN listing MONGOLIA HOLDS 1 in 3 SAKERS IN THE WORLD
Causes of population declines Central Asia (ex. USSR) / Russia / China • • • • • • • •
Loss and degradation of steppes through agricultural intensification, abandonment, desertification (climate change) Forestry operations Decline in key prey species (through habitat change and direct eradication) Trapping adults and/or nest robbery for falconry Persecution Pesticides and pollution (direct poisoning) Electrocution Expansion of settlements and industrial operations (mineral extraction)
Importance of each threat can vary temporally and spatially Demographic mechanism driving declines poorly understood
Falconry: Arabic cultural heritage • • • • •
UAE Saudi Arabia Kuwait Qatar Bahrain
Trade Demand • Wild‐source (legal CITES trade) • Wild‐source (illegal, smuggling) • Captive‐bred
SAKER
GYRFALCON
PEREGRINE
Mongolian Saker Falcon exports Year
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Qatar
UAE
Syria
USA
Germany
Total
1997
116
29
0
5
0
0
0
150
1998
0
25
0
0
0
0
0
25
1999
0
40
0
21
0
0
0
61
2000
0
50
0
0
0
0
0
50
2001
0
102
0
75
10
0
0
187
2002
87
121
15
0
75
5
15
318
2003
85
171
82
10
54
0
0
402
2004
77
180
49
30
49
0
0
385
2005
151
131
5
0
73
0
0
360
2006
100
41
26
0
0
0
0
167
2007
60
141
40
0
0
0
0
241
2008
30
185
51
0
0
0
0
266
2009
25
151
81
35
0
0
0
292
2010
0
105
88
44
0
0
0
237
Total
731
1472
437
220
261
5
15
3141
Quota: No scientific basis Harvest: No regulation or reporting Cannot meet CITES “no detriment” criterion
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 1. Sustainable use of wildlife resources 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
MONGOLIAN PROJECT Managed & monitored population (basis of harvest quota) Regulated & monitored harvest Equitable community benefits (income, employment, education) Conservation benefit (compensate off‐take, excess productivity) Sustainable (income from falcon trade)
2. Fair & equitable distribution of benefits 3. Conservation of biodiversity
SAKER FALCON Widespread in Mongolia • Desert • Desert‐steppe • Steppe • Forest steppe
Desert
Desert steppe
Forest steppe
Steppe
Calculating a harvest quota PRODUCTIVITY (Rahman et al., submitted) Number of nests (observation) Nesting success (86% ± 4% ; MARK nest survival model) 3.7 ± 0.2 chicks/successful nest Mean fledglings/successful nest
Mean fledglings per successful nest
• •
5.0 5
4.5
9
10 10
12
7 10
4.0
14 4
3.5 4
3.0 2.5 2.0 2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Year
Survival during post‐fledging dependence period 84% ± 10% Mean juveniles surviving to dispersal
•
Mean number of juveniles
3.5
3.35
3.0 2.69 2.5
2.35
2.0 1.76
2.02
1.5 1.0
1.18
Natural
Artificial
2011
Calculating a harvest quota SURVIVAL (on‐going research) • •
Annual adult survival (breeding turn‐over) Breeding dispersal (among artificial nest grids) Genetic database
• •
Juvenile survival (recruitment) Natal dispersal (among artificial nest grids) Genetic database
Mean number of juveniles
3.5
3.35
3.0 2.69 2.5
2.35
2.0 1.76
2.02
1.5 1.0
1.18
Natural
Artificial
Breeding pairs
Artificial nest monitoring 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0
Falco cherrug Falco tinnunculus Buteo hemilasius Corvus corax
2011
2012
2013
Breeding pairs
Artificial nest monitoring 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0
Falco cherrug Falco tinnunculus Buteo hemilasius Corvus corax
2011
2012
2013
2014
More than 2500 chicks have been ringed in 2014
Breeding pairs
Artificial nest monitoring 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0
574
760
380
Falco tinnunculus Buteo hemilasius Corvus corax
200
2011
Falco cherrug
2012
2013
2014
More than 2500 chicks have been ringed in 2014
Saker ~760 Kestrel ~1122 Upland Buzzard ~422 Raven ~348 Occupied nests ~2653 (~75%)
Ring Recovery Fledged in Bayanmunkh 4955 13 May 2013
Bred in Uulbayan 3675 13 May 2014
Dispersal = East 190 km
Natal Philopatry/dipersal
Fledged in Khalzan 3300, 17 May 2013
Dispersal = NNW 35km
J34 Bred in Uulbayan 3748
Response to prey availability ?
Saker breeding pairs in 2011
200 BP
Saker breeding pairs in 2012
380 BP
Saker breeding pairs in 2013
574 BP
Saker breeding pairs in 2014
~
760 BP
2
Breeding pairs 2011 ‐ 177 2012 ‐ 298 2013 ‐ 383 2014 ‐ 422
Findings
Breeding pairs 2011 ‐ 83 2012 ‐ 905 2013 ‐ 1364 2014 ‐ 1122
Raven – Herder conflict XXXX breeding pairs
How important is livestock in ravens’ DIET ? Can we remove raven nests ?
Breeding pairs 2011 ‐ 171 2012 ‐ 269 2013 ‐ 386 2014 ‐ 348
Electrocution !!!
Electricity Network in Mongolia
15 kV ‘dangerous’ lines Line poles
Anchor poles
2009‐12 line surveys
12‐13 May 2009 7 September 2011 8 March 2012 Monkhkhaan‐Uulbayan 15 kV 56 km N poles: 493 line, 35 anchor 111 carcasses
Dixon et al. 2013. Bird Conservation International 23: 520‐529
2009‐12 line survey Line Pole
Line Pole (1‐2 spikes) Line Pole (3‐4 spikes)
7.7%
10.8% P = 0.16
2.7% P < 0.001
Dixon et al. 2013. Bird Conservation International 23: 520‐529
2009 line survey Anchor Pole
Anchor Pole
(jumpwire over crossarm on
(jumpwire over crossarm on
3 phases)
central phase)
22.0%
4.8%
P = 0.02
Dixon et al. 2013. Bird Conservation International 23: 520‐529
2012 line monitoring
11 May 25 May 04 June 16 June 01 July 20 July 101 Carcasses
Small mammal hole counts N active holes within 20 m radius
t = 15.61, df = 361.74, P <0.001 Break point analysis, package ‘segmented’
Mammal density & mitigation
Models Intercept + small mammals + N deflectors Intercept + N deflectors Intercept + small mammals Intercept
df 4 3 3 2
AICc 560.0 562.1 562.3 563.9
∆ AICc 0.00 2.09 2.30 3.90
wi 0.55 0.19 0.18 0.08
Electrocution events were most frequent where small mammal availability was high and the number of perch deflector spikes was lower
2013‐14 line monitoring
439 surveys 01 April 2013 to 14 August 2014 434 Carcasses
How widespread is Saker Falcon electrocution in Mongolia?
Preliminary Survey Results 2013
2014
27 lines (44% of 15 kV in Mongolia)
26 lines (42% of 15 kV in Mongolia)
277 carcasses
513 carcasses
50 Saker Falcons (18%)
342 Saker Falcons (67%)
14 identical lines
2013
2014
201 carcasses
214 carcasses
43 Saker Falcons (21%)
115 Saker Falcons (54%)
SAKER ELECTROCUTION IN MONGOLIA
Widespread Large numbers Prey abundance Prey distribution Spatial variation Temporal variation Predictive models – Prioritization
1‐year mitigation trial (21 Aug 2013‐15 Aug 2014) Line divided into 24 sections of 14‐18 poles Control Phase 1: Mount Phase 1: Insulation Phases 2 & 3: Brush deflector Phases 2 & 3: Mirror deflector Phases 2 & 3: Insulation
Phase 1 mitigation
Control
Insulation
Arch pin‐mount
Phases 2 & 3 mitigation Control
Insulation
Mirror deflectors
Brush deflectors
Efficacy & Cost
~ 40’000 MNT per pole Fixing single line (~500 poles) = 20 million MNT
Phase 1: New mounts (15000 MNT) Phases 2/3: Deflector spikes (20’000 MNT)
Reccomendation • Work together to solve the problem in different levels • To set criteria in EIA to implement safe design and mitigation measures in the project – for future or planned lines • Spend allocated annual maintenance and mitigation budget for EFFECTIVE MEASURES – for already erected lines • If there are luck of funding for this measures, look at alternative sources.,
Conservation
Sustainable Use
v.
Protection & Enforcement
Thank You