Indicate which actions have been carried out to implement this Resolution :
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Field activities
Policy influencing/advocacy
Scientific/technical activities
Describe the results/achievements of the actions taken:
The resolution is well implememnted amnd much progress has been made. IUCN SSC Vulture Specialist Group, IUCN members together with other partners have been implemeting this resolution well in 2018. Major achievements include activities in stakeholders convening, education/communications and awareness raising, field activities, policy influencingand scientific actvities.
BirdLife International and its partners have focused on the following work streams:
1) Convening stakeholders: Convened the first Summit for the Flyways in Abu Dhabi, with one day dedicated to African-Eurasian Vultures
2) Education/Communications/Awareness raising: Birdlife International together with its partners have carried out education and awareness raising in the importance of vultures and impacts of poisoning to vultures. The outcomes of the Summit for the Flyways were also strongly promoted and advocated. Documentary on vultures and awareness raising programme on the value, importance and the need to conserve vultures were also promoted through international Days
3) Field activities: A Rapid Response Protocol to responde to poisoning and wildlife conflicts was developed by BirdLife Partners working with communities and national authorities in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Zambia. The Protocol was adopted in Kenya and led to a growing network of rangers, security personnel, tour guides, scientists, conservationists, conservancy managers, and government officials committed to tackling poisoning events together.
In Europe, BirdLife Partners and other collaborating organisations in the the SAVE (Saving Asia's Vultures from Extinction) consortium, are taking actions for vultures with particular attention to Egyptian Vulture in Eastern Europe, and to advocating for the banning of vulture-toxic veterinary Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, in particular diclofenac in Portugal, Spain and Italy and across the EU.
Implementation of the new EU LIFE-funded project (by 14 global partners) on ‘Urgent Actions to Strengthen the Balkan Population of the Egyptian Vulture and Secure Its Flyway’ project, beginning urgent conservation measures towards eliminating major known threats to the Egyptian Vulture along its flyway, contributing to the newly agreed ‘Flyway Action Plan for the Conservation of the Balkan and Central Asian Populations of the Egyptian Vulture’ as well as the Vulture MsAP.
4) Policy influencing: Focused on policy influecning in Nigeria through the Nigerian conservation Foundation; Birdlife International, Endangered Wildlife Trust, IUCN Vulture Specialist Group and The Peregrine Fund Put forward a pledge included an Annex to the London 2018 Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference Declaration committed the four organisations to participate in and support national and international efforts to: - reduce and eventually halt the trade in vultures and their body parts for belief-based use; - reduce and eventually halt the practice of sentinel poisoning of vultures by elephant poachers - reduce human-lion conflict that masks the intentional trade in lion parts whereby both vultures and lions are poisoned.
Policy and advocacy work by BirdLife African partners includes progress in finalising the Zimbabwe Nation Vulture Action Plan (BirdLife Zimbabwe); creation of a Bird Conservation Sub-working group in KAZA composing BirdLife Zimbabwe, BirdLife Botswana, and BirdWatch Zambia; and establishment by the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks of a new Vulture Conservation Coordinator post, working full-time on vulture issues in Botswana (supported by BirdLife Botswana).
5) Scientific/technical activities: BirdLife and Iits Partners in Africa have been carrying out various scientific studies and contribute to poisoning databases including the African Wildlife Poison Database.
What challenges/obstacles have been encountered in the implementation of this Resolution and how were they overcome :
Poisoning is continuing to be a complicated problem driven by powerful intractable forces such as ivory trade and increasing human-carnivore conflict. Collaboration between multiple partners and efforts from conservation groups working on poisoning issues are critical to overcome this problem. This resolution is also complimentary to the WCC 2016 Res 014, combatting illegal poisoning of wildlife. IUCM members implementing this resolution are also supporting in implemening the WCC 2016 Res 014.
Briefly describe what future actions are needed for the implementation of this Resolution:
1) Convene stakeholders: continue to promte the network of BirdLife to contribute to the implementation of the Multi-species Action Plan to Conserve African-Eurasian Vultures (Vulture MsAP).
2) Education/Communications/Raising Awareness: Continue programmes to promote the positive values of vultures, especially their ecosystem service values, to decision makers and the public
3) Field activities: Continue and expand anti-poisoning programmes in Africa, and develop guidelines, criteria, branding and trials for African Vulture Safe Zone
4)Continue to advocate bans on vulture-toxic veterinary NSAIDs and carry out safety testing on more vet medicines. Increase efforts to address threats of collision and electrocution with energy infrastructure through completion of sensitivity mapping in Kenya. Implement newly funded project to combat the threat of belief-based use of vulture body parts in Nigeria, and investigate possible CITES contribution to addressing this problem.
The resolution is has been well implemented and on-going. The member-assigned focal point - Birdlife International and its Partners, together with the IUCN SSC Vulture Specialist Group have been working very well together to implement this resolution.
Are these actions planned for yet:
