Hazar Project Facilitates Bird Census on Turkmen Caspian Sea Coast

Turkmenbashi, 29 January 2009 - Hazar Nature Reserve has recently completed a two-day aerial bird census in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea. The helicopter bird census was carried out by experts of Hazar Nature Reserve and National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna of Turkmenistan within the framework of the UNDP project «Conservation and Sustainable Use of Globally Significant Biological Diversity in Hazar Nature Reserve on the Caspian Sea Coast». This was the second bird census in the last 3 years aimed at drawing up a comprehensive inventory of wintering birds in the main wintering habitats of Turkmenistan.

The expedition has succeeded in calculating birds in all territories of Hazar Nature Reserve and main sites of birds’ wintering on the Caspian Sea from Esenguly city up to Garabogaz bay. The consolidated data is expected in the coming week. However, according to preliminary statistics, the number of birds has decreased as compared with 2007. Even in Esenguly city which reported 15 thousand migrating flamingos last year alone, there were few birds observed this year. Experts blame extremely cold winters of 2007, and partially 2008, as one of the main factors of the drop in the number of birds.

Counting of animals from the bird's eye view is considered one of the most effective methods of biodiversity data collection. The current aerial census of birds covered northern and southern areas of the Caspian Sea coastal zone. In Turkmenistan, birds normally concentrate in places that are basically inaccessible to people. These are Southern-Cheleken and Mikhailovsky bays.

It is expected that results of the 2009 aerial bird census will be reported on the Turkmen TV in a documentary video shot by national TV operators who also participated in the helicopter census.  

***

The UNDP project «Conservation and Sustainable Use of Globally Significant Biological Diversity in Hazar Nature Reserve on the Caspian Sea Coast» started in 2006. It is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan and Global Environment Facility. The main goal of the project is to preserve globally significant biological diversity of Turkmenistan trough strengthening sustainability of the country’s national protected areas system.