Record flock of migrating Sociable Lapwings recorded in Kazakhstan

Secrets of the Sociable lapwing migration slowly unfolding
August 2011. Birdlife International scientists monitoring migrating Sociable Lapwings in the heart of the Great Steppe have recently discovered the largest single flock seen in Kazakhstan since 1939.
The study team from BirdLife's Kazakhstan Affiliate ACBK who, with support from RSPB (BirdLife in the UK), are conducting breeding research and migration monitoring around Korgalzhyn, in central Kazakhstan, found the record flock of more than 500 birds on August 16th - at Arykty - about 35 km east of their main study site.

"Our autumn migration monitoring kicked of with a bang when we located a huge flock of Sociable Lapwings at Arykty", reported ACBK project leader Ruslan Urazaliyev. "It is often quite difficult to accurately assess the size of an active flock but during my first count I recorded 523 birds and a little later my colleague Timur, who was watching from another viewpoint, estimated that by then it probably contained more than 650 individuals!"

Data gathered in previous years indicates that many local breeders from around Korgalzhyn depart during July. It is therefore most likely that the majority of the birds in this record flock had originated from breeding sites further east in the Steppe and had joined the few remaining juvenile Sociable Lapwings that had hatched locally. The site at Arykty is now regarded as a regular staging site for migrating Sociable Lapwings and sizeable post-breeding flocks have been recorded there in July and August for the past six years. Maximum previous counts at Arykty were 273 birds in 2006, 98 in 2007, 261 in 2008, 400 in 2009 and 345 in 2010.

Migrate through Kazakhstan
Until very recently the origin of these migrating birds was uncertain but last year it was confirmed that Sociable Lapwings from more eastern areas of the Steppe pass west through central Kazakhstan.

This discovery was made when Raushan - a bird satellite-tagged on her nest near Kanterlau (in Eastern Kazakhstan) - was subsequently located close to the main study site on September 14th, 2010. At that point she had moved some 600km west of her breeding site to just north east of Lake Tengiz near Tyngylykty.

Ringed birds
Despite around 100 birds being marked with colour rings in the Central Kazakhstan area this year, only two birds in the flock at Arykty were seen to be colour ringed. One of these birds was positively identified and carried the colour sequence orange, blue, orange, orange - confirming it was ringed as a chick on June 5th at Korgalzhyn.

You can read more about the four Sociable Lapwings we are satellite tracking this autumn by going to the Amazing Journey website

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/sociable-lapwing-flock.html

12,000 critically endangered Saiga antelope found dead in Kazakhstan

Mass mortality among Saigas in Kazakhstan: 12,000 dead


June 2010. Nearly 12,000 Critically Endangered Saiga antelopes have been found dead in the Ural population in western Kazakhstan.

"This is a tragic and shocking event. It's particularly unfortunate that the population was just emerging from an unusually harsh winter, and that those struck down are mostly females and this year's calves," said Prof. E.J. Milner-Gulland, Chair of the Saiga Conservation Alliance and a member of IUCN Species Survival Commission Antelope Specialist Group.

95% decline in population since 1995The official 2009 estimate of the size of the Ural population was 26,000 animals. The Saiga is listed as Critically



Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to a 95% decline in its population size since 1995, caused by uncontrolled poaching in the aftermath of the break-up of the Soviet Union. It has only five populations, which are found in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia. In the last few years it has been showing some recovery, thanks to conservation efforts, however, the Ural population is the only group of Saiga without an internationally-supported conservation programme.


Deaths causes as yet unknown
The cause of the deaths is still unclear and under investigation. Although the deaths are currently being ascribed to the bacteria pasteurellosis, the underlying trigger remains to be identified. Pasteurellosis is caused by a bacterium that lives naturally in healthy individuals, but can cause acute illness and rapid death if the animal's immune system is compromised, either by another infection, poisoning, stress or malnutrition. Any of these explanations are possible.

"The Ural population has been relatively neglected by international conservation until now, but hopefully this event will bring government, national and international conservationists together to mount a coordinated response to save this remote population," said Milner-Gulland.

The Committee on Forestry and Hunting of the Kazakhstan within the Ministry of Agriculture has mounted a rapid response. These efforts are now being aided by local NGO, the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan, with the support of the Saiga Conservation Alliance, who are helping the government to investigate the cause of death. In addition, IUCN's Antelope Specialist Group members have been active in advising these organizations.

Courtesy of the Saiga Conservation Alliance