African penguins at Boulders Beach in Simon's Town. file photo
South Africa's embattled blue swallow has been reclassified from vulnerable to endangered in the latest global update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Intra-African migrants are grassland-dependent species uniquely adapted to the summer conditions found in the foggy highlands of southern KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
BirdLife South Africa conservation officer Hannelyn Smit-Robinson said the endangered listing meant the species faced challenges throughout its range and breeding grounds. .
“More than 20 years of monitoring work in the mist grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal has revealed that fewer than 40 breeding pairs currently remain in the area,” she said. . “Furthermore, there have been no records of breeding in Mpumalanga since 2015.”
BirdLife South Africa is working with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and its project partner Conservation Outcomes to secure the remaining mistbelt grasslands through formal protection of these habitats.
“We are also strengthening our relationships with partners across the species' range to strengthen conservation efforts focused on the tree swallow,” Sumit-Robinson said.
The grasslands and forests of southern KwaZulu-Natal's fog belt have been systematically destroyed and fragmented over the past century. These are among the least protected biomes in South Africa, with less than 2% of fog belt grasslands and less than 18% of eastern fog belt forests conserved within formal protected areas.
“Getting consent from both local authorities and private landowners is essential to conserving these special birds, as their preferred habitat overlaps with land of high agricultural value to farmers. ” added Steve McKean, the conservation group's other project manager. A person who has taken effective community-based conservation measures and participated in the KwaZulu-Natal Biodiversity Management Programme.
He said listing the tree swallow as endangered highlights the need for all stakeholders to do more to secure the species' remaining breeding and foraging habitat. said.
African penguins fighting for survival
The African penguin's move from endangered to critically endangered “marks a pivotal moment in efforts to protect this species,” said Smit-Robinson.
Since 2003, the population of this iconic bird has plummeted by 78% in three generations, or about 30 years. “Alarmingly, in 2023, the number of breeding pairs fell below 10,000 for the first time,” she said, adding that recent research warns that African penguins could become extinct in the wild by 2035. He pointed out that
Sumit Robinson said BirdLife South Africa is working with conservation partners such as the South African Coastal Bird Conservation Foundation to actively address the most pressing threats to the species, including the availability of sardines and anchovies. He said there was.
“Our innovative project includes the establishment of a new breeding colony in De Hoop Nature Reserve and real-time monitoring of penguin body condition before and after foraging,” she said. “It is imperative that government agencies prioritize and support all current and planned conservation efforts to protect mainland Africa’s only penguin species.”
The global outlook remains “alarmingly bleak”, with one in eight bird species at risk of extinction and 60% of bird populations worldwide declining, according to the latest IUCN Red List. It is said that there is
Birds are important indicators of the state of nature. Birds occur almost everywhere. Their behavior and ecology often mirror other species groups. According to BirdLife International, they are extremely well-studied and highly responsive to changes in their environment.
Alan Lee, BirdLife South Africa's science and innovation program manager, said the Red List assessment was essential in guiding action to protect the country's unique and vulnerable wildlife.
“With several species facing increasing pressures from habitat loss, climate change and human activities, the Red List provides an important framework for prioritizing species in need of urgent conservation attention. “I will,” he said. “This system will help inform policy, support ecological research and encourage community efforts to protect South Africa's rich natural heritage.”
Migratory sandpipers are in trouble
IUCN's latest update reveals that migratory shorebird populations have shown “significant and alarming” declines around the world, with 16 species reclassified to higher threat categories. Ta. Of the 16 reclassified sandpiper species, 14 have been in serious decline since 1988, and the other two were probably already in decline even before that.
Nine of the reclassified species arrive on South Africa's coasts, including the Red-billed Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, White-tailed Sandpiper, Buff-billed Sandpiper, Hudson Sandpiper, Gray Plover, Little Sandpiper, and Great Sandpiper.
BirdLife South Africa said declines in coastal seabird and migratory bird populations are having “widespread negative impacts” on ecosystems and food chains, as shown by research into African penguin population declines.
The report said: “As migratory birds move between multiple countries, the latest threatened species highlights the urgent need for increased collaboration between governments and conservation partners around the world to address these declines. It's highlighted,” he said.
BirdLife South Africa's Flyway and Immigration Project Manager Jessica Willmott said a flyway-wide conservation approach with coordinated and collaborative international action was essential.
“To reverse the decline of these species in South Africa, we must better understand their migration routes, key stopovers, population trends and the threats they face throughout their lifecycles,” she said. , thanked those who contributed to citizen science efforts.
Initiatives such as regulated waterbird counts and events such as Birding Big Day make a valuable contribution to the South African Bird Atlas project and are a first step towards data collection and ultimately species conservation. Masu. “Working with our global partners, we have an opportunity to change the game.”
signs of hope
The southern bald ibis is a larger terrestrial species and one of the more displaced species in South Africa. “After more than 80 years of dedicated conservation work, we are proud to announce that this species has been downlisted from Endangered to Near Threatened,” said Sumit-Robinson.
Endemic to South Africa, Lesotho, and Swatini, they rely on well-managed farmland and pristine grasslands for foraging, and safe cliffs for breeding.
“BirdLife South Africa and its predecessors have played a key role in these efforts, particularly in recent years,” she said. “Our conservation efforts include promoting the responsible use of pesticides and raising environmental awareness.
“Notably, an artificial breeding site has been constructed at Eskom's Ingla Pumped Storage Project, securing nesting areas that were previously at risk.”
This included relocating birds from historic nesting ledges that were flooded during construction of the pumped storage project to replacement artificial nesting ledges.
Since moving to a new nesting site in 2016, at least four successful chicks per breeding season have been recorded at the site, which is used as a roost by up to 30 adults throughout the year. Monitoring continues annually.
“We have also secured critical habitat on private lands through our biodiversity management program. In addition, our extensive network of citizen scientists helps us annually monitor breeding success and species needs. … It is extremely rewarding to know that our research is contributing to a more hopeful future for this remarkable species.”
Carina Pienaar, BirdLife South Africa's Ingra and Grassland Conservation Project Manager, said the downlisting of the southern bald ibis was an important recognition that “our collaborative efforts over many years are finally paying off”.
“Although there are fewer than 300 colonies, all the breeding grounds and surrounding natural grassland habitat that we are able to protect makes a difference,” she said.
“We recognize that we must continue our hard work, as some threats to this species have not yet been quantified or are emerging, but the bright red bald head remains on the grassland.” There is little that compares to foraging for food and knowing that you are participating in ensuring their survival. ”
