Union of the Comoros signed the CMS Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU) on 6 October 2015 in Trondheim, Norway. This brings the total number of Signatories to 53.

A further eighteen birds of prey species have been listed at an international meeting of government representatives and experts this week in Trondheim, Norway. Seven of these species under threat are critically endangered according to the IUCN Red List.

Representatives of countries and wildlife experts met in Cape Town, South Africa on 24 August, to address poisoning of migratory birds, a problem that also threatens important predators. The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) and the CMS Memorandum of Understanding on Birds of Prey (CMS Raptors MoU), all three instruments administered by the United Nations Environment Programme, have convened the international meeting.

Government officials, NGOs and experts from over 30 countries met from 5 to 8 July in Sofia, Bulgaria, to develop a Flyway Action Plan for the Egyptian Vulture.

The CMS Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU) was signed by Lebanon and Syria, bringing the total number of Signatories to 50.

International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) 2014 offers a unique opportunity for the Coordinating Unit of the CMS Raptors MoU to celebrate its collaboration with the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB – BirdLife Bulgaria) to develop a ‘Flyway Action Plan (FAP) for the Conservation of the Balkan and Central Asian Populations of the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)’.

A new smartphone application (App) to record raptor sightings throughout Africa is launched today. Developed by Habitat Info,in collaboration with the CMS Raptors MoU, this user-friendly, free-of-charge application enables birdwatchers, naturalists and members of the public to capture information offline on their Android phones and tablets anywhere.

This article has been published in The National Newspaper UAE, on 10 June 2014.

 

World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of the intrinsic value of wildlife and to the way in which it contributes to the social, economic and cultural aspects of human well-being. Migratory birds of prey are a critically important part of many ecosystems. As top-level predators they can act as sentinels to the health of the environment. In addition, throughout human history certain raptor species have been afforded special cultural significance for many reasons. For example, the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) is considered a heritage icon by rulers and peoples, particularly in the Gulf Region, for its prowess as a hunter in falconry.