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An award-winning documentary entitled The Migrant - Sooty Falcons in Oman was screened last evening at the Manarat Al Saadiyat cultural centre in Abu Dhabi to mark World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) 2018. Produced by an Omani-German team, the film documents efforts to study and conserve this long-range migratory bird.

Vultures are a vital component of the environments they inhabit. These avian scavengers clean up carcasses and organic waste in the environment, providing critically important ecosystem services. Unfortunately, over the years vulture populations have drastically declined and some of the species face extinction. The population declines have mainly occurred due to direct and indirect poisoning, persecution, electrocution and collision, and reduced food availability. International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) offers an opportunity to spread awareness on the need to conserve vultures and to highlight vulture conservation initiatives such as those led or supported by the CMS Raptors MOU.

Everyone can observe live moments from the life of the endangered Egyptian Vultures and their dedicated care for their young chicks. This is a unique opportunity to access such a rare species through modern technology: the camera enabling observation of wild Egyptian Vultures’ nest online is the only of its kind in the world.