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Great bustards Otis tarda in Morocco: status in spring 1999 and evidence of a decline in recent decades

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2009

Juan C. Alonso ,
Simon J. Lane ,
Robert Dawson  and
Youssef Idaghdour
Simon J. Lane
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecologia Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, José Gutíerrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia.
Robert Dawson
Affiliation:
The International Foundation for Conservation and Development of Wildlife, PO Box 116, Inezgane, Morocco.
Youssef Idaghdour
Affiliation:
The International Foundation for Conservation and Development of Wildlife, PO Box 116, Inezgane, Morocco.
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Abstract

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A spring (1999) census was conducted of great bustards Otis tarda in north-western Morocco, where a poorly known population of this species occurs. Sixty-four birds were seen in four distinct areas. Adult males were seen displaying at three of these areas, indicating that they are probably traditional lek sites. No adult males were observed in the fourth area and its status as a lek site is uncertain. Two further sites were visited but no birds were seen. Two lst-year males were seen with their mothers, demonstrating successful breeding in 1998. We argue that the small number of birds, a population sex ratio of 1:3.3 in favour of females, evidence for a range contraction, and probable isolation from other great bustard populations mean that this population is now extremely endangered and will decline to extinction unless conservation measures are implemented immediately.

Keywords

Conservationextinction riskgreat bustardMoroccoOtis tardapopulation trendsstatus
Type
Short Communication
Information
Oryx , Volume 34 , Issue 2 , April 2000 , pp. 141 - 146
Copyright
Copyright © Fauna and Flora International 2000

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