The website of the Middle East Falcon Research Group

NEWS

Minister Gansukh visits Artificial Nests
14 July 2010

An artificial nest program in Mongolia, aimed at increasing the population of wild saker falcons and under-pinning their sustainable use, is near to completion. Mongolian workers have been constructing and erecting nests since October 2009. By the end of October 2010, 5000 artificial nests will be erected in twenty different areas. This massive project is funded by Abu Dhabi and resourced by International Wildlife Consultants (IWC) and their Mongolian partners, the Wildlife Science and Conservation Center (WSCC).

During a recent visit to Mongolia, Dr Nick Fox (IWC) met with Minister Gansukh, Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism (MNET) in Ulaanbaatar. The meeting focused on saker falcon research, using microchip technology to track exported CITES regulated saker falcons, monitoring the breeding success of saker falcons at the new 5000 artificial nests and using the artificial nest population data to set quotas for the annual trade in saker falcons.

Dr Fox invited Minister Gansukh to Abu Dhabi in September to meet HE Majid Al Mansouri, head of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, to sign a new agreement between the two countries. This will replace the previous five year agreement which has provided funding for Mongolian biologists and research projects.
Minister Gansukh travelled to Bayan to look at an artificial nest that was erected in 2008, this year it has been fitted with a nest camera which records continuously how many Brandt’s Voles and Mongolia Gerbils are eaten by saker falcons and their young. Biologists are investigating the potential of using artificial nests to increase predation on these pest species. Raptors act as biological controls and reduce the need to apply expensive and ecologically damaging rodenticides. Minister Gansukh has commissioned this same camera research for Kestrels and Upland Buzzard which also nest in these recycled metal barrels. Minister Gansukh said "the nest camera research has the potential to tell us exactly how many rodents are eaten by birds of prey; this information could be given to herdsmen so they can see that increased numbers of birds of prey can improve the degraded Mongolian Steppe”.
 
The June visit was planned to coincide with presentations given by WSCC research biologists, Nyambayar Batbayar and Gankhuyag Purev-Ochir, on the research findings that led to the implementation of the artificial nest project. Scientists from the 6th International Symposium of the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, ARRCN, visited Bayan to meet the Mongolian students and sixteen staff working on the project. They were amazed at the size of the project, each nest is 1.5km apart with staff driving over 25,000km to erect 5000 nests. The interested party declared the project innovative and beneficial to both the Mongolian people and the saker falcon which is classified as vulnerable.

NEWS : 30th June 2010

Artificial Nest Project Mongolia

 

During a recent visit to Mongolia, Dr Nick Fox (IWC) met with Minister Gansukh, Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism (MNET) in Ulaanbaatar. The meeting focused on saker falcon research, using microchip technology to track exported CITES regulated saker falcons, monitoring the breeding success of saker falcons at the new 5000 artificial nests and using the artificial nest population data to set quotas for the annual trade in saker falcons.

Minister Gansukh travelled to Bayan to look at an artificial nest that was erected in 2008, this year it has been fitted with a nest camera which records continuously with the aim of establishing how many Brandt’s Voles and Mongolia Gerbils are eaten by saker falcons and their young. 
 
The June visit was planned to coincide with presentations given by WSCC research biologists, Nyambayar Batbayar and Gankhuyag Purev-Ochir, on the research findings that led to the implementation of the artificial nest project. Delegates from the 6th International Symposium of the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, ARRCN, visited Bayan workshop to meet the people working on the project.

NEWS : 12th May 2010

Artificial Nest Project Mongolia

Erection work has re-started with 1000 nests now erected. The teams have travelled nearly 3000km through mud and floodwaters to erect nests in Bayansaggan, Bayanjargalon & Bayan-Onjuul soums. Nest box construction has increased, 3000 nests are ready for collection at our Bayan workshop

Saker Falcons have occupied 20 of the 346 nests that were erected in autumn 2009, an uptake of 5.8% which is above our predicted target of 5%.

NEWS : 5th April 2010

Calidus Peregrine ProjectThe first of our satellite tagged Peregrines has started its spring migration. The bird wintered at Kish Island in the Arabian Gulf and is now heading back north.

NEWS : 2nd April 2010
Artificial Nest Project Mongolia

Due to the extreme weather in central Mongolia, erection of the nests has been delayed until the middle of April. The workers in our Bayan workshop have continued to work throughout the winter, despite the extreme cold, to produce two thousand nests ready for erection.

NEWS : 26th March 2010
CITES 15th Conference of the Parties, Qatar 13-25th March 2010

IWC recently attended the CITES conference in Doha to highlight and explain the Artificial Nest Project in Mongolia. Many delegates visited the booth to discuss the project and the expected outcomes. A short film was screened showing the progress of the project so far.
Click here to VIew the short film.

Interested delegates attended a side event presented by Dr Andrew Dixon. Delegate and NGO feedback was positive.
Please click here to view presentation.

NEWS : 15th February 2010
Reintroduction of the Saker Falcon in Bulgaria

A feasibility study has been completed, which has concluded that reintroduction is a suitable management option for restoring the Saker Falcon as a breeding species in Bulgaria and that the Central Balkans is the optimal place to initiate releases. A copy of the feasibility study can be found on this website.

The project is now at a consultation phase and there are discussions with various stakeholders in Bulgaria as to the necessity, merits and logistics of the proposed reintroduction. An interview with Dimitar Ragyov, the project co-ordinator in Bulgaria can be found at the following link:

http://europeanraptors.org/interviews/interview_saker_falcon_bulgaria_dimitar_ragyov.html

NEWS : 12th January 2010
Soum Leaders Meeting Held in Ulaanbaatar for Artificial Nest Project

A meeting was held in Mongolia's capital on the 8th January to discuss the artificial nest project with soum (district) leaders and local government officials. The aim of the meeting was to explain the project in detail and decide the exact locations of the 5000 nests, taking into consideration rodent population densities and planned pasture management. The meeting was well attended, all soum leaders embraced the project with enthusiasm.

IWC HELPS TO CONSERVE MIGRATORY RAPTORS:

IWC have played an active role in bringing countries together in conserving migratory raptors. Through a joint initiative co-lead by the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates governments, measures to protect over 70 species of migratory birds of prey and owls were agreed in Abu Dhabi on the 22nd October 2008 at the Convention on Migratory Species.

A copy of the Birdlife International press release is available in pdf format here.

The full press releases can be found here: