Seminar on cranes and wildlife in northern Afghanistan

Venue: Balkh University/Faculty of Agriculture

May 24-25

Following SEA conservation education programs in northern Afghanistan and the continual phases of public awareness and conservation and cranes education program, we organized two days seminar for Balkh university students and professors on 24-25 May 2008 with around 150 participants from different departments of Balkh governmental authorities, PRT, university including faculty of Agriculture. The main objective of the seminar was to increase the student’s and university staffs awareness and to attract their views on the cranes and other wildlife conservation. Most of the topics were integrated issues of modern, traditional and religious conservation aspects with the opinion that birds and wildlife is God creatures and any adverse effects them are prohibited.

The seminar consisted of two stages; 1) to present an overview of general aspects of Afghanistan's ecological areas, migratory birds, cranes and existed wildlife and; 2) interaction session with the participant’s views on the conservation of cranes and other wildlife in the area. The interaction session highlighted many important issues including their interest in conservation and dissemination of information among the local communities. Main topics of the seminar consisted the followings:

• Introduction of world and Afghanistan cranes.
• Introduction of cranes habitat and migration corridors in Afghanistan.
• Comparing the status of cranes conservation in other countries and the strategy of birds’ protection in Afghanistan and the mandate of those organizations that dedicated to birds and cranes conservation.
• A presentation public awareness program that has been conducted in Afghanistan especially in the corridor of migratory species.

Interaction sessionQuestions and answers from and by the participants. This session contained the followings:

1. Why conserve wildlife?
2. How can conserve the wildlife in the country?
3. How can stop hunting?
4. Where to stop treats to wildlife?
5. When it should happen?
6. How can implement our objective in the areas?
7. How can go a head with the future programs?
8. Who can be volunteer to join the efforts?

Feedback of the participants:
· Wildlife is part of nature and we should not damage the nature because it’s the food chain and we live in it.
· God created the wildlife and ordered us to use and protect and this is our responsibility to conserve God creatures.
· Disappearing of wildlife in nature means end of our life and we all live in nature and benefit of the food chain.
· Lack of public awareness is the main threat and we must increase public awareness.
· The continuation of Education programs through different channels including visual Medias, informative and education materials to those has access to it.
· Organize conservation seminars for government authorities.
· Develop and finalize hunting laws
· Alternative programs that can support communities and reduce the pressure
· Work with local people to prevent hunting and we must bring different examples from other countries where is not hunting and the values of wildlife in those countries.

Commitment of participant in return
All participants committed to transfer the messages to the areas where they live and to work on the issues that they interacted during the two days seminar. Most of the participants showed their interest to join us and help us when we conduct the survey and conservation education programs in their villages.

Education materials
Various informative materials that have been developed by SEA, ICF and WCS were distributed to the participants and other local people in the area. At the meantime, we would like to extend our thanks to WCS and Kara Steven for her efforts in providing posters and wildlife broachers for the seminar. We are committed to continue the efforts and conserve the area for a safe migration.

Qais Agah
Environmental education technical advisor
Wildlife conservationist

Fire in the Eurasian Crane wintering site in border of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan

On 12 December 2008, Mr. Gull Muhammad SEA researcher, resident of Shurtepa District, northern Afghanistan, reported that hundreds of cranes and other migratory birds kept in the wetlands around Surpeta and Jui Wakil Villages and many people who live in close with the mentioned villages could not sleep normally especially around mornings times, because the birds produced the high decibel of noises. This issue persuades local people for hunting and destruct the cranes habitat.

firing of wildlife habitat

Uzbekistan border keepers and soldiers have been firing the reed beds and shrubs that covered hundreds hectare of wetlands around Amudarya River, the Eurasian Crane wintering ground, and in therefore many birds and boars dodged and left the area.

Thousands of waterfowl have been rossting and feeding around the wetlands of Amu Darya river

For more information:
Qais Agah

Crane Conservation and Education Programme in Northern Afghanistan

The map shows cranes migratory corridor in Balkh Province (yellow colour indicate cranes corridor, green color shows wintering site and red color is the researching area)

In terms of conservation of migratory birds and migration corridor in Afghanistan, it has been cleared that high percentage of population including government official are yet to be unaware of the values of the birds and wildlife in nature. In this end, conservation and education activity has been as instrument that can reach to every single individuals and groups in many areas, if it is on permanent and continuous efforts.

Cranes wintering area

Therefore “Save Environmental of Afghanistan” (SEA) developed Crane Conservation and Education Program with the following goals:

• Study cranes wintering grounds and migration routes; determine threats.

• Provide education activity in related areas through interviews and briefing to government official, local communities and leaders to ban hunting habitats destruction


• Provide conservation and education activity through distribution and explanatory methods to local people in mosques, clinics, markets and community gathering areas

In 2008 with the support of ICF and George Archibald, a team of SEA conducted the 4th phase of cranes conservation and education program in northern Afghanistan. The team visited Joi Wakil in Shurtepa District in the Amudarya River basin to survey wintering grounds of the Eurasian Crane (which also considered as potential Siberian Crane wintering sites) and wetlands around villages of Sayad and Bagarm that are main migration stopovers for Eurasian Cranes.
Joi Wakil Village in Shurtepa District in Alike Balkh province, areas around Amu River, are considered as cranes and other waterfowls main roosting and feeding sites. This area is vast wetlands extensively covered by reeds. It is common habitats for Boars, Jackals and the birds such Eurasian Cranes, Pelicans , Herons , Egrets , Storks, Pheasants, Houbara , Gryleg Goose , and good number of ducks and other waterfowls . We observed hundreds of cranes in the northern site of Amu Darya in Uzbekistan territory, but it is known that number of cranes is comparatively decreased. The year 2008 has been critical for many migratory species especially in the Central Asian flyway. Thousands of birds were died naturally because of low temperature and freezing climate and thousands of others were hunted by people. People intervention to roosting and habitat areas, using of different drugs for hunting and low temperature are the factors that resulted of large loss species. Heavy snowfall has also been factors that left pressure on wild predators struggle for food and living. The dead bodies, bones and feathers were evident around Amudarya River basins and this critical issue were seen everywhere in the areas. At the mean time, thousand of local people trapped the birds who’s been lost their flying ability. One of the examples of critical trapping of birds were in many visited villages. Chimtal district has been another area that thousands of migratory birds including cranes were trapped by shooting and hands. The communities here were witness of ringed birds. Following the study areas and the correspondence made during the expedition, the team found it valuable to make quick observation of the areas where cranes and other birds died because of harsh winter and freezing climate.

Thousands of species have been dead because of harsh cold weather

Thousands of migratory species were spread from Amu darya basin into different areas. Correspondence shows that cranes scattered in different areas in Balkh, Jawzjan, Saripul , Samangan , Bamyan , Kunduz and central and southern part of the country. The community here indicates that during the winter they have seen those species that were not common before. Many of them were not identified locally. The inputs of conservation team were substantial in making the community aware of the values of birds and the hunting backdrop.

The wetlands around villages of Sayad and Bagarm, crane migration stopovers, were visited in early morning of 15th and 19th of March 2008. We found there hundreds of Eurasian and Demoiselle cranes in the wetlands around Shotol and Panjsher Rivers. Team observation indicates that the serious problems of disturbance and hunting of species happens during official holidays and other occasions when people visit the area for picnic and swimming. In order to mitigate the pressure and safe the area for cranes, a strong education program is needed.

Beside studies of wintering ground and migration stopovers and meeting with officials at the local government level, conservation education has been the main part of the expedition. Education programs were undertaken in different villages, clinics, mosques, schools and community gathering areas, and thousands of conservation education materials (booklet, brochures pamphlet and posters) were distributed to the local people.

There is one central clinic in the Shurtepa district center which is used by many of the villagers. This clinic has been constructed and equipped by the government through funding from international community. The team brief Dr. Feroz and Ahmad Shah (designated by the government) and requested them to support the conservation education program by advising patients who visit the clinic from different villages. Dr. Ahmad Shah ensures that many patients from different villages used to trap and hunt cranes to be sold for treatment and medicines in the clinic. The publication developed by SEA was distributed and explained in the clinic to the staffs and the visitors. Some charts were placed on information board in the clinic. The medical staffs in the clinic committed to explain and advice to the visitors through is will in information given to the boards’ charts.

The next sites were Joi Wakil School, mosques, local bazaar, clinic and community gathering. The clinic staffs indicate that the posters and informative materials provided to team during 2007 has been efficient and many visitors ask for explanations and has left positive impacts on the behaviors of people pertaining to conservation of cranes.

Health care training course is another venue that possibly convoys the massage to everyone in the villages. This training course has been organized by the government to train students in first aid services. The organizers provided an opportunity to the team to brief and educate participants on the values of cranes, habitat as well the problem of cranes decline. The participants requested additional posters and educational materials to be explained in their different villages.

One hour teachers training in Joi Wakil High school were also conducted. The participants of the training session were the teachers from different villages. They are the most influential literate segment in the villages that can convey conservation massages to everyone and school students. Their commitment to brief the students on the status of cranes and other wildlife in each teaching hours.

Afghanistan has been special case for conservation of migratory species and safe flyways. High percentages of population think that bird spices something for food and games. Considering that, it is recommended”

1. continual studies in migration routs
2. provide strong and permanent education programs, using the input of experienced researchers who has been involved in the last couple of years. Use of printed publications, religious scholars, teachers.
3. Use students and tribal leaders are possible tools to reach success.
4. Ratification of convention of migratory species by the government which has not been officially ratified
5. Organize national seminars in cities adjacent to migration routes and Amurdarya River Basin.
6. During 2007, the government rebuilt the only high school in Shurtepa District. Mr. Chri Bay (principle) requested support to furnish the school with education facilities. This can be ideal center for conservation of cranes and other species in the area.

For more information:
Qais Agah
qais.agah@gmail.com