AFRICA
Mpingo Conservation Project, Tanzania (Consolidation Award 2004)
The Mpingo Conservation Project is helping Kilwa District Council implement the Participatory Forest Management programme in the district. With the agreement of the council and with funding from the BP Conservation Programme, the team established a field office in Kilwa in June 2004 and has recruited staff members.
Status of Two Threatened Species in Two IBAs, Rwanda (Silver Award 2004)
In Rwanda, a team studying two threatened warbler bird species has been busy in the Albertine Rift region of Rwanda. After preliminary surveys, the team found that Grauers Rush Warbler has a viable population but is unevenly distributed in the Rugezi swamp, which has a high amount of human interference.
The Last East African Sirenians: Conservation of dugongs in Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique (Bronze Award 2004)
The dugong conservation project started in August 2004. Four aerial surveys were carried out between August and October three at Bazaruto Bay and one Inhambane Bay to count dugong. There were few sightings of dugongs (not more than 10 dugongs per survey) and most were solitary, but one or two adults were observed accompanied by calves during each survey.
Enhancing Community Participation in Sea Turtle Conservation, Kenya (Silver Award 2003)
Read a summary of this completed project in the Final Report Section...
Birds of Rio Muni, Equatorial Guinea (Bronze Award 2003)
Read a summary of this completed project in the Final Report Section...
Read more about projects in Africa...
ASIA
Preparation of Conservation Profiles for Stemonoporus Species, Sri Lanka (Gold Award 2004)
Stemonoporus is an endemic genus that is restricted to the wet zone of Sri Lanka. It occurs from lowland to upper montane rainforests. Forested areas in the wet zone have been declining over the last two decades due to agricultural and hydropower projects. The aim of this project is to gather biological and ecological data on the species that will contribute to its long-term conservation. The project will also produce distribution maps for all species.
Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Conservation, Cambodia (Silver Award 2004)
In October and November, the turtle team carried out turtle and tortoise searches at Veal Veng marsh, Cambodia's largest and most intact upland wetland in the Central Cardamom Mountains, using traps and timed searches. Veal Veng supports a number of rare and unusual species, the most notable being the Siamese crocodile, Crocodylus siamensis.
Conservation of Gangetic Dolphin in Brahmaputra River System, India (Bronze Award 2004)
The Gangetic Dolphin team has been conducting preliminary surveys in the tributaries of the Brahmaputra River. In this first phase, the team surveyed nine different rivers in six different districts in the Brahmaputra Valley and observed a residential dolphin population in the Kulsi River, a small tributary of Brahmaputra of middle Assam. The total population of the river will be assessed in the next surveying phase.
Conservation and Monitoring of Tibetan Antelope in Hoh Xil Nature Reserve, China (Bronze Award 2004)
Exciting work has been taking place on the Tibetan plateau, where a team set out to assess the impacts of the new Qinghai-Tibet Railway and Highway on populations of migrating Tibetan antelope. Each year in late-spring, the females head to the Zhuonai and Taiyang lakes to give birth; incidentally, the railway and highway lay right in their path. The team designed 15 different wildlife passages that will be put into use this year to help these populations safely cross the railway.
Ecology and Conservation of Frogs of Mount Gede Pangrango National Park, Indonesia (Bronze Award 2004)
The team recently conducted a one-day training for 14 National park officers from four resorts. The training consisted of an introduction to the ecology and conservation of frogs and how to identify them. As part of the training, participants hiked up to the Cibeureum waterfalls in the evening and spent several hours looking for frogs.
CROC Project, Philippines (Follow-up Award 2003)
In September, a TV crew from National Geographic visited the CROC project to film the crocodile conservation activities in Northeast Luzon. The presence of Dr. Brady Barr (herpetologists, TV presenter, and celebrity) got the attention of numerous journalists in Southeast Asia. Team members found themselves going to the field with 20 journalists.
White-Shouldered Ibis, Indonesia (Follow-up Award 2003)
Over the past year the Biodiversity Conservation Indonesia group conducted the second phase of the White-Shouldered Ibis Project in East Kalimantan with the support from BP Conservation Program and IdeaWild. The team has successfully gathered data on the ecobiology of the White-shouldered Ibis through direct observation.
Bat Count 2003, Philippines (Gold Award 2003)
A national TV network in the Philippines GMA7's I-WITNESS Program recently visited the Bat Count team to create a documentary on bats in the Philippines. This 30-minute bat documentary was aired on 15 November 2004 at 11:30 PM on the GMA7 TV channel after the national evening news report.
Distribution, Abundance and Conservation of the Fijian Ground Frog, Fiji (Gold Award 2003)
Read a summary of this completed project in the Final Report Section...
Monitoring of Globally Threatened Bird Species in the Tengiz Lakes Region, Kazakhstan (Bronze Award 2003)
The Tengiz Monitoring Project (TMP) is close to its completion. The team monitored numerous bird species found in the vast steppe territories of the Tengiz Lakes region. Following the fieldwork, the team analyzed the data with the help of a database specially designed for the project region and is creating a report of their findings.
Turtle Population Survey and Conservation Planning for Pulau Pasoso Reserve, Indonesia (Bronze Award 2003)
Read a summary of this completed project in the Final Report Section...
Upland Rainforest Species in Mt. Kitanglad Park Buffer Zone, Philippines (Bronze Award 2003)
The Kitanglad team set out to research the variety of endemic trees and plants within the buffer zone of Mt. Kitanglad in the Philippines. These species were identified according to their local names, scientific names and known properties and uses. The team also mapped the locations and conditions of these species and the conditions of their environs, along with their neighboring flora and fauna.
Read more about projects in Asia/Pacific...
LATIN AMERICA / CARIBBEAN
Karumbé, Uruguay (Follow-up Award 2004)
In October the green turtle season began in Cerro Verde, Rocha, Uruguay. Sandro, one of the key fisherman of Punta del Diablo (~ 15 km away from Cerro Verde), contacted Karumbé team members to warn them about the incidental capture of green turtles by the coastal prawn trawl fishery operating in the area between October and November.
Conservation of the Araripe Manakin, Brazil (Silver Award 2004)
The team recently discovered the first nest for the Araripe Manakin! Eight years since the discovery of the species, the team finally has conclusive evidence of manakin nests in the short vegetation along the streams, reinforcing the importance of maintaining this pristine habitat for the species reproduction.
Conservation of Melocactus actinacanthus, Cuba (Bronze Award 2004)
The project began in 2003 with the aim of studying aspects of the natural history of the critically endangered Dwarf Turk's Cap Cactus to contribute to its conservation. On their first expedition to the locality of the cactus, the team found just four plants in the wild, as compared to the 30 plants thought to exist.
Conservation of Private Lands for the Protection of Huemul Deer, Chile (Bronze Award 2004)
The student-led team of the Central Chile Huemul project is gearing up for a southern-hemisphere summer of intense field research. This month, a new Roundtable Work Group led by the Chilean Environmental Commission (CONAMA), the Chilean NGO CODEFF, and The Nature Conservancy was formed to organize conservation action in the Nevados de Chillan area.
Ensuring Effective Conservation For Endangered Grassland Birds, Uruguay (Bronze Award 2004)
In Uruguay, one team working in the Río Negro and Paysandú provinces is making progress on protecting six globally threatened bird species. The team has successfully developed relationships with private landowners, the national government, and even timber companies in their efforts to develop conservation activities in key grassland areas where these birds are located.
Project Hapalopsittaca, Colombia (Consolidation Award 2003)
It has certainly been a great year for Project Hapalopsittaca, and thus for the conservation of threatened parrots in the Colombian Andes. This year the team has conducted research, seen concrete conservation actions and increased environmental awareness, and is proud of their results. One of the teams greatest results this year is the successful implementation of artificial nests for the Azure-winged Parrot.
Alder Amazon, Argentina (Bronze Award 2003)
The Alder Amazon team recently published an article in the November issue of the PsittaScene magazine, a quarterly newsletter published by the World Parrot Trust, that describes some highlights of the project supported by the BPCP. They have also sent a report of their project to Birdlife International contribute to the re-categorization of the status of Alder Amazon.
Status, Ecology and Distribution of the Elfin Woods Warbler, Puerto Rico (Silver Award 2003)
Read a summary of this completed project in the Final Report Section...
Project Ventania, Argentina (Bronze Award 2002)
Read a summary of this completed project in the Final Report Section...
Read more about projects in Latin America and the Caribbean...
