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Subject: Nigeria - Wetlands International work with Wild Birds
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wkaresh
Posts:18
04/03/2007 6:09 AM  
In the months of February and March of 2007, teams with scientists from the Nigerian A.P. Levantis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI), Wetlands International, USGS and Bird Studies Canada, with bird ringing experts from Sweden and Italy have collected over 600 samples from wild live birds covering wetland areas in the north of Nigeria. This work was jointly supported by USAID through the GAINS program and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. In addition to scientists, students from APLORI were also involved in the work. Some of the ducks that were caught have been fitted with satellite transmitters to shed light on their migratory movements. Surveillance was not just performed in wetland areas, but also in proximity of farms where recent outbreaks of HPAI H5N1 have occurred.

Besides the surveillance and satellite transmitter work, a capacity building workshop for waterbird census work as well as follow up census work in the field were organized, to make sure that also in the future the ornithological situation in the wetlands in the Chad basin in N-Nigeria can be followed. At the moment of writing, the field work on surveillance around farms with outbreaks is still ongoing. So far, some 610 samples have been taken, from 33 species, including waterbirds as well as some of the potential 'bridge species' (e.g. passerines frequenting farms).

The Sub-Saharan Sahel zone is of prime importance for wintering of paleartic migratory waterbirds from the African Eurasian Flyway as well as for Intra African migrants. Several migratory duck species, including Garganey, winter here in millions. Of the three major river basins in West Africa the Chad Basin is the most Eastern one.

Lake Chad has been strongly reduced in size, one of the causes being the building of dams upstream in some of the main rivers feeding the lake. One of these rivers is the Hadejia river in Nigeria. Its floodplains used to have extensive wetlands of considerable importance for waterbirds. Nowadays the Hadejia-Nguru wetland complex is still famous (although strongly altered in character through the invasion of Typha), but the floodplains only contains sporadic wetlands now.

Nigeria is one of the few countries in West Africa with a relatively organized poultry industry. The country has been struck by several and recurring outbreaks of HPAI H5N1 on poultry farms. The source of these outbreaks has not been clearly identified. In the area of North Nigeria, the region of Kano has recently seen outbreaks and it was here where work was planned to look at the wild birds in the proximity of such farms with outbreaks to determine whether the virus could be found in them to assess risks for these species playing a role in potential spill back from poultry into wild birds and the other way around.

The capacity for waterbird monitoring in N-Nigeria is low, resulting in a limited understanding of the occurrence of wild birds over time and of migratory movements of these birds. To help better understand these phenomena, the capacity for waterbird census work was planned to be enhanced through a capacity building workshop. This would be combined with census work in the field, further deepening the expertise by applying it in the field. Also, to get detailed information about migration routes of individuals of species of special interest (Garganey, White-faced Whistling Duck and Comb Duck) satellite tracking was performed on in total 20 individuals of these species. Therefore, in February and March of 2007, work was initiated with support from USAID through the GAINS initiative and from FAO to
  • Set up and coordinate an AI sampling programme in Nigeria, complementary to the FAO-Wetlands International project already underway. Ensure that a flexible programme of site selection is adopted, and target sites where there is potential contact between waterbirds and domestic poultry, in areas close to current outbreaks of AI in domestic poultry, and at other appropriate selected wetlands.
  • Include as species for sampling both waterbirds and other birds that may mix with poultry (e.g. sparrows, pigeons, cattle egrets). Tracheal and cloacal samples should be taken from all species, although faecal samples are acceptable from colonies of large birds, e.g. cattle egrets.
  • Set up and lead a national team to work closely with international partners to catch and sample birds and to survey waterbirds at key wetlands in Nigeria.
  • Identify areas in Nigeria where AI might potentially be spread between domestic poultry and wild birds, and describe these areas. Describe condition of wetlands visited. Also identify, as far as possible, wetlands / areas in Nigeria where AI might potentially be spread between domestic poultry and wild birds, and briefly describe these areas.
  • Organise the shipment of one full set of samples to a laboratory, details to be informed.
  • Set up and coordinate a training / capacity building course, in order to strengthen the abilities of national participants in waterbird identification, census and surveillance.
  • Compile a report detailing all relevant waterbird and wetland site data, and covering other aspects of the work (logistics, capacity building etc).
  • Complete International Waterbird Census site and census forms for each site visited.
The work in Nigeria is still ongoing. For further details contact:

Wetlands International, Ward Hagemeijer Head of Biodiversity Local contacts: A.P. Leventis Ornithological Institute (APLORI), P.O. Box 13404, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, leader of a team of researchers for AI surveillance in wild birds in Nigeria
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