Papers by Christopher Bowden
Two main grants were made early on, which allowed us to proceed: one from the IUCN Species Surviv... more Two main grants were made early on, which allowed us to proceed: one from the IUCN Species Survival Commission, thanks to the generous support of the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, and hosted by Global Wildlife Conservation, and a second from the RSPB’s Asian Vulture Programme.
Oryx, 2018
On February a wildlife trader in Lubuk Basung, West Sumatra, Indonesia, was sentenced to ... more On February a wildlife trader in Lubuk Basung, West Sumatra, Indonesia, was sentenced to . years in prison, with a fine of IDR million (c. USD ,) and a -month subsidiary sentence, after his arrest last year for trading slow lorises (Nycticebus spp.). A trafficker was sentenced to years in prison with the same fine and subsidiary sentence. The perpetrators were tracked by posts on their Facebook pages that advertised the animals for sale. Indonesia is home to seven species of slow loris, and all of them are categorized as threatened (with two Critically Endangered) on the IUCN Red List, and all are included on Appendix of CITES. Slow lorises were included on Indonesia’s list of protected species in , and buying, selling or keeping them as pets is illegal. According to Indonesia’s Law No. () on the Conservation of Biological Resources and Ecosystems, perpetrators can receive a maximum of years in prison and a maximum fine of IDR million. Despite t...
Vulture News, the free-access online journal of VSG, has been edited by Campbell Murn for the pas... more Vulture News, the free-access online journal of VSG, has been edited by Campbell Murn for the past ten years, and it’s time for us to thank him for his great service over the years, as he bows out from the role, but not before the upcoming publication of the landmark output from the first official VSG workshop: “A practical guide to methods for attaching research devices to vultures and condors” – a major detailed review by global experts, drawing on very wide body of experience. This will be issue 78a within the coming days We hope to follow this up with more on other topics such as wing-tagging and vultures perceived as predators, either as position statements or publications where the wider VSG membership can input. We also acknowledge Campbell’s help with establishing the VSG website, and hope he continues to support us, as well as providing initial support to his successor. We are delighted to announce and warmly welcome Louis Phipps who has agreed to take on the editorial role!
Journal of Raptor Research
Although vulture feeding stations are a widely used tool for vulture conservation in many regions... more Although vulture feeding stations are a widely used tool for vulture conservation in many regions worldwide, there has been some confusion about their functions and this is reflected in the range of terminology used. The origin of food supply at provisioning sites (both for in situ and ex situ situations) and the goals of feeding station managers (ranging from purely conservation of vultures to the necessity for carcass disposal) are two key aspects that are often neglected. We review the definitions and nomenclature for the provision of predictable anthropogenic food for vultures and vultures' role in sanitation in the landscape. We propose that “supplementary feeding stations for vultures” (SFSV) defines a particular case and this term should only be applied when a station has vulture conservation goals and a food supply coming from outside of the landscape (ex situ). We introduce the term “recycling station with vultures” (RSV) for cases when the goal is the elimination of ca...
Conservation Science and Practice
Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación (GRINBIC), INIBIOMA (Universidad Nacional... more Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación (GRINBIC), INIBIOMA (Universidad Nacional del Comahue—CONICET), Bariloche, Argentina Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC-UCLM), Ciudad Real, Spain Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain Endangered Wildlife Trust, Modderfontein, South Africa Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Sandy, UK Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, IMEDEA (CSIC)-UIB, Esporles, Spain CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS—Université de Montpellier—Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier—EPHE, Montpellier, France Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK Departamento de Biología de la Conservación, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain The Peregrine Fund, Boise, Idaho National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Oryx
The northern bald ibis Geronticus eremita was once widespread throughout the Middle East, norther... more The northern bald ibis Geronticus eremita was once widespread throughout the Middle East, northern Africa, and southern and central Europe. Habitat destruction, persecution and the impacts of pesticides have led to its disappearance from most of its former range. It disappeared from central Europe > 400 years ago, but has persisted as a relict and slowly growing breeding population in Morocco, where c. 700 wild birds of all ages remain. In Algeria, the last confirmed breeding was in 1984; in Turkey the fully wild population disappeared in 1989, but a population remains in semi-wild conditions. In Syria a small population was rediscovered in 2002, only to subsequently decline to functional extinction. Restoration programmes have been initiated independently in several locations, with over 300 free-flying birds resulting from reintroduction projects in Austria, Germany, Spain and Turkey, to restore both sedentary and fully migratory populations. Maintaining current efforts in Moroc...
Bird Conservation International
Summary The catastrophic declines of three species of ‘Critically Endangered’ Gyps vultures in So... more Summary The catastrophic declines of three species of ‘Critically Endangered’ Gyps vultures in South Asia were caused by unintentional poisoning by the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac. Despite a ban on its veterinary use in 2006 (India, Nepal, Pakistan) and 2010 (Bangladesh), residues of diclofenac have continued to be found in cattle carcasses and in dead wild vultures. Another NSAID, meloxicam, has been shown to be safe to vultures. From 2012 to 2018, we undertook covert surveys of pharmacies in India, Nepal and Bangladesh to investigate the availability and prevalence of NSAIDs for the treatment of livestock. The purpose of the study was to establish whether diclofenac continued to be sold for veterinary use, whether the availability of meloxicam had increased and to determine which other veterinary NSAIDs were available. The availability of diclofenac declined in all three countries, virtually disappearing from pharmacies in Nepal and Bangladesh, highligh...
Bird Conservation International, 2020
The catastrophic declines of three species of ‘Critically Endangered’ Gyps vultures in South Asia... more The catastrophic declines of three species of ‘Critically Endangered’ Gyps vultures in South Asia were caused by unintentional poisoning by the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac. Despite a ban on its veterinary use in 2006 (India, Nepal, Pakistan) and 2010 (Bangladesh), residues of diclofenac have continued to be found in cattle carcasses and in dead wild vultures. Another NSAID, meloxicam, has been shown to be safe to vultures. From 2012 to 2018, we undertook covert surveys of pharmacies in India, Nepal and Bangladesh to investigate the availability and prevalence of NSAIDs for the treatment of livestock. The purpose of the study was to establish whether diclofenac continued to be sold for veterinary use, whether the availability of meloxicam had increased and to determine which other veterinary NSAIDs were available. The availability of diclofenac declined in all three countries, virtually disappearing from pharmacies in Nepal and Bangladesh, highlighting the...
Vulture News
Vulture updates No 09-September 2018-Around the World of Vultures & VSG activities This biannual ... more Vulture updates No 09-September 2018-Around the World of Vultures & VSG activities This biannual newsletter of the IUCN Vulture Specialist Group mainly features updates by region but also mentions developments of VSG and we are aware that we still need to do much more. We now have the CMS Multi-Species Action plan (MsAP) (download this important resource for old world vultures if you haven't done so already), but the challenge to implement and coordinate the agreed actions remains as great as ever. VSG was approached regarding IUCN Green listing, and Eurasian griffon and Bearded vulture are being tested in some detail for possible qualification in a European context. Note there is also some discussion regarding the possibility or need to uplist many or all vultures to CITES Appendix I (Annex A) following an increase in trade and birds in European zoos and collections, and we plan to consult VSG members in the near future on the relative merits (and drawbacks) of doing so. A total of 110 organisations registered activities for International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) 2018, from 26 different countries across five continents. The broad range of organisations included conservation organisations, universities, nature reserves, state parks, wildlife parks, zoos and museums. Countries with the highest number of participating organisations were the USA, India, Nepal, UK and South Africa. Armenia, Mexico, Socotra and Sri Lanka participants signed up for the first time. We are working with partners to better understand the potential impact of IVAD, and working to increase the reach and extent of IVAD activities, and for example we are aware that many unregistered organisations actively participate in IVAD-which is wonderful, but lets see if we can make even more of this increasingly popular annual focus. We are very pleased to welcome Keith Bildstein as our Regional Co-chair for North America, and we would like to thank Masumi Gudka who steps down from that role for Africa. Read on for more updates from around the globe... Africa Roundup: The Raptor Research Foundation Conference in the Kruger NP, S Africa 12-16 th Nov 2018 includes 25 vulture presentations, and sessions on raptor tagging and tracking best practice. A 2 nd workshop with a wide participation "Towards the Conservation of African vultures" was held at the Socioeconomic Synthesis Centre, Univ. of Maryland, USA in May and a 3 rd workshop will be conducted (and reported) in Oct 2018. 1 st Aug 2018, the South African Dept. Environmental Affairs hosted an initial stakeholder meeting in Pretoria to draft a National Vulture Conservation Action Plan (NVCAP) for South Africaa first step to implementing the CMS Vulture MsAP which will hopefully be replicated in other southern African countries and elsewhere. The biannual Bearded Vulture task Force meeting was held in Barkly East, Eastern Cape Province which reviewed and finalised the Bearded Vulture Biodiversity Management Plan. A repeat survey after 20 years, driving 20,000 km across Botswana confirmed declines of eagles and vultures of up to 80%.-White-headed and Lappet Faced vultures showed the sharpest declines. Raptors Botswana provided bones to nesting Cape vultures in the Tshwapong Hills region where wing deformities due to lack of calcium have been documented. Two students completed their Masters studies on White-back and Cape vultures. A third student just submitted a PhD on lappet faced vultures. 14 Satellite tracking devices on Lappet-faced, Hooded, Cape and White-headed vultures are showing movements between Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Namibia. Raptors Botswana with Kanabo Conservation Link, have taken hundreds of adults and children to the CL Woolcott vulture restaurant in Ghanzi to view and learn
Journal of Raptor Research
A few breeding populations of White-rumped Vultures (Gyps bengalensis) still survive in pockets o... more A few breeding populations of White-rumped Vultures (Gyps bengalensis) still survive in pockets of their original vast range in India, having weathered a diclofenac-induced population decline of 99.9% since the early 1990s. These breeding populations are potential sources of recruits, now that the overall population appears to be stabilizing or even recovering in some areas. We studied two White-rumped Vulture nesting colonies in the Raigad district of coastal Maharashtra in 2013-2014, to investigate sitespecific nesting success and nest-site selection. Our overall aim was to better understand the capability of these remnant populations to contribute to the stability of vulture populations at a landscape scale. We found that vultures preferred to nest in taller trees. Nest failure was high before hatching but declined thereafter. Overall nesting outcome was unrelated to the distance of the nest from areas of disturbance, but may have been influenced by characteristics of nest trees. The percentage of successful nests was higher in the smaller colony, suggesting that colony size may not be the only best criterion for targeting conservation efforts.
Ostrich
There have been few faster, more dramatic and wide-scale species declines than those of South Asi... more There have been few faster, more dramatic and wide-scale species declines than those of South Asian vulture populations since the 1990s. This article describes the background to this problem, caused mainly by the veterinary drug diclofenac, and the establishment and structure of the SAVE consortium created to help coordinate the necessary conservation response. The lessons learnt in Asia and the working model of such a consortium are presented, which could be of assistance for tackling the vulture crisis in Africa despite obvious differences of scale and political landscape, so would undoubtedly need at least some modification.
Bird Conservation International, 2016
Summary Safeguarding threatened species in captivity is a promising management approach, but eval... more Summary Safeguarding threatened species in captivity is a promising management approach, but evaluating the performance of captive programmes is essential to assess reintroduction potential. The eastern population of the Northern Bald Ibis, Geronticus eremita, used to be a locally common migratory bird species, but catastrophic population declines throughout the past century have resulted in a single population in southern Turkey that forages freely during summer but only survives in captivity during winter. We examined whether breeding success of this semi-wild colony was comparable to breeding success of previous wild populations, and to what extent breeding success was influenced by supplementary feeding and wild foraging in habitats near the breeding station. Average productivity from 2009 to 2015 was 1.12 fledglings per nesting pair (range 0.96–1.19). In 2013 and 2014, there was no correlation between attendance at supplementary feeding events and productivity, and breeding bir...
Jerdon’s Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus is a nocturnally active cursorial bird that is only know... more Jerdon’s Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus is a nocturnally active cursorial bird that is only known to occur in a small area of scrub jungle in and around Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary, Cuddapah district, Andhra Pradesh, India, and is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Jerdon’s Courser prefers a specific type of scrub jungle with open areas, and there is considerable pressure from human use of apparently suitable habitats. Although major threats to the survival of the Jerdon’s Courser have been indentified (Birdlife International 2001), there is no quantitative information available. During our study, nine specific threats were identified to the survival of the Jerdon’s Courser and its habitat. Habitat destruction and alteration is the major threat among them. However, the immediate threat for the only known population of the Jerdon’s Courser in the world and its habitat is the construction of the Telugu-Ganga Canal near Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary and Sri...
Journal of Avian Biology, 2011
The Journal of Applied Ecology, 1990
ABSTRACT (1) The selection of foraging habitats by five pairs of woodlarks (Lullula arborea L.) b... more ABSTRACT (1) The selection of foraging habitats by five pairs of woodlarks (Lullula arborea L.) breeding on pine plantations, which had been replanted less than 6 years before the study, was investigated in Thetford Forest, Norfolk. (2) Marked differences were observed between the vegetation at feeding sites of the woodlarks and that at randomly selected sites within the same areas. (3) Logistic models were used to identify vegetation parameters that characterized the feeding sites. (4) The sites used for feeding had more grass less than 5 cm tall and bare ground than randomly selected sites. There was also evidence that the feeding sites had more moss and less tall grass (over 5 cm) and dead grass. (5) It is suggested that woodlarks prefer bare ground and short vegetation because at these sites they can forage by walking for invertebrate food for their young there. Because the preferred vegetation is mixed intimately with much other unsuitable tall vegetation, breeding woodlarks need a large home range. Conifer plantations more than 5 years old are not normally used for breeding because their ground vegetation is too tall and extensive, not because of the growth of the trees.
1. We examined the influence of local weather conditions on reproductive success, timing of breed... more 1. We examined the influence of local weather conditions on reproductive success, timing of breeding and survival in a population of a multi-brooded ground nesting passerine (woodlark Lullula ar-borea) over 35 years. 2. Woodlarks laid larger clutches when rainfall was low and temperature high during the egg-laying and pre-laying period. Nest success increased with higher temperatures during the nesting period. In successful nests, the number of chicks fledged per egg laid was greater when weather was drier during the brood stage. 3. Although woodlarks bred earlier in years with warmer early spring temperatures, with the onset of breeding varying by 25 days, there was no significant advance in the onset of breeding over the 35 years of study, due to considerable inter-annual variability, and no overall trend, in weather. 4. Simulation modelling of annual reproductive output demonstrated that earlier breeding could increase productivity by 23AE5% in the warmest compared to the coldest year, due to birds having more nesting attempts. Other effects of weather on productivity affected breeding output to a lesser extent. 5. Effects of weather on productivity were minor compared to an increased rate of nest predation through the period of study, which reduced productivity by 49AE8% by 2004 compared to 1971. 6. Turning points analysis identified three distinct demographic periods: from1971 to 1988 the population grew slowly, during 1988–1999 the population grew rapidly, but after 1999 the population declined. Increased population growth after 1988 was associated with higher first-year survival rates (estimated using a population model). Population decline after 1999 was caused by a combination of reduced productivity (resulting from increased nest failure rates attributed to predation) and lower first-year survival rates, that appear unrelated to winter temperature. 7. Climate change (long-term changes in weather) did not explain the marked changes observed in the population trajectory over 35 years. We suggest that understanding effects of both climate and habitat change on populations is essential in predictive population modelling.
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Papers by Christopher Bowden