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Conservation Science
Conservation Science
We support Christians for environmental action through conservation projects, resources for churches and involvement in global networks.
Terrestrial research
A Rocha Kenya is committed to ensuring the long-term survival of the five Malindi-Watamu Important Bird Areas (IBAs), designated because of their international importance. The five IBAs include:
- Arabuko-Sokoke Forest;
- Mida Creek, Whale Island and Malindi-Watamu Coast;
- Gede Ruins National Monument;
- Sabaki River Mouth;
- and the Dakatcha Woodland.
These are all found along or near to the coast, just 100 km north of Mombasa. One of these IBA’s, Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, is considered to be one of the most important forests for bird conservation on mainland Africa. It is rich in rare and endemic wildlife, especially its fauna. Six Globally Threatened bird species are found there, as well as three rare, near-endemic mammals. Preliminary research at another of the IBAs, Mida Creek, suggests that it is one of the most productive mangrove ecosystems on earth, with seven out of nine East African mangrove species found there. Sixty-five species of aquatic bird are regularly recorded on the Creek and reach numbers of over 6,000 individuals. Crab-plovers Dromas ardeola are also found on the creek in numbers exceeding one thousand, giving the site international importance. The Crab-plover is the logo of A Rocha Kenya.
The five Watamu-Malindi IBAs together provide an unusually high diversity of habitats ranging from dry coastal forest, coast scrub and thicket, seasonal freshwater pools, estuarine sand flats, and mangrove forest to beach, reef and off-shore rocky islands. A significant proportion of these habitats are designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve or form part of the Watamu National Marine Park and Reserve, the oldest marine park in Africa.
Training conservation professionals
Fundamentals of Ornithology course fieldtrip started in 1996 by Leon Bennun (at the time Head, Ornithology Dept, NMK) and Colin Jackson (working at the Ornithology Dept prior to starting A Rocha Kenya), ‘Fundamentals of Ornithology’ or FoO, is a course designed for birders (both professional and amateur) who want to improve their understanding of birds and their skills in the field.
Fundamentals of Ornithology – a course for bird guides and birders
Ornithology Department, National Museums of Kenya, A Rocha Kenya, Tropical Biology Association and NatureKenya (the EANHS).
Kenya Bird Map
The Kenya Bird Map project is an exciting new project that is a joint initiative by A Rocha Kenya together with National Museums of Kenya, Tropical Biology Association, NatureKenya and the Animal Demography Unit of the University of Cape Town and managed through the Bird Committee of the East Africa Natural History Society.
The project aims to map all of Kenya’s bird species and describe their status with the help of valued input from Citizen Scientists – volunteer members of the public who are keen to contribute through going birding and submitting their observations to the project.
A species’ distribution is the most fundamental information needed in order to conserve it. Almost 30 years ago bird records were collected across Kenya that resulted in the book, ‘A Bird Atlas of Kenya’ that mapped and described the status of all the 1,065 species of birds then recorded in the country. Since then much has changed in terms of habitats and climatic conditions in Kenya and as a result the distributions and status of many of our birds have also dramatically changed – but we don’t know how or to what extent.
By pooling the effort of many Citizen Scientist birders, Kenya Bird Map will tell this story and in so doing provide a powerful tool for conservation.
Join the bird mapping team
If you are at all interested in watching birds, have any concern for the conservation of Kenya’s birds and enjoy being outside and exploring new places, then the Kenya Bird Map project is for you!
It is an exciting and stimulating project that combines a lot of excellent birding, exploring new and fascinating parts of the country, state-of-the-art technology and communication and serious science to produce dependable results that can be used to take real action for conservation.
While the website is still being completed to allow the capture of data and to show species maps in real time, observers can already register and field work has begun.
TO REGISTER
E-mail us at [email protected] with the following information:
- Name
- Telephone number
- Address
- Email address
You will receive an Observer Number and password allowing you to login to Kenya Bird Map. Your login details will also allow you access to the other Virtual Museum for Africa sites.
The project is being funded by a Marie Curie Actions grant and the Natural History Museum of Denmark
