Conservation Science
Conservation Science
We support Christians for environmental action through conservation projects, resources for churches and involvement in global networks.
Scientific research and monitoring
A Rocha Kenya’s terrestrial science programme centers on the region’s threatened habitats and species, including the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Mida Creek, and Dakatcha Woodland. The programme’s research aims to deepen our understanding of these species and ecosystems, identify the threats they face, and ultimately contribute to their effective protection.
We have a few projects going on in this programme. These include:
Bird monitoring
Since its inception, A Rocha Kenya has been a leading force in monitoring the bird species along the coast and their population. Our expertise in bird ringing, bird atlasing, and bird counts has been instrumental in understanding and protecting these avian populations.
Bird ringing, also known as Bird banding, is a rigorous scientific exercise. It involves catching and fitting a light-weight metal tag (ring) to a bird’s leg. The reasons for this practice are manifold. One key reason is to understand the lifespan of different bird species, each of which varies. Another important reason is to track the movement and migration patterns of birds. The unique ring provides scientists with valuable information about the bird’s origin and migration route, all of which are crucial for bird conservation.
We conduct bird ringing activities every Thursday from 7 to 10 a.m. at our main offices in Watamu. We extend a warm invitation to everyone interested in bird conservation to join us.
Bird atlasing attempts to provide information on the distribution, abundance, long-term change, and seasonal patterns of bird occurrence and extensively uses maps. It involves recording the bird species observed at any given location on a map. This map is a central focal point that others can access and is used for reference.
As the name suggests, bird counting is an exercise that involves counting birds at a given location- to determine the species present and their numbers. Waterbirds, also known as Waders, play a pivotal role in telling a story about the state of an ecosystem. Their populations, when well tracked, provide a wealth of insights into the effects of factors like Climate change, overexploitation of resources, and destruction of habitat. For example, the shrinking of water bodies due to unreliable rains will automatically lead to a decrease in the number of waders (counted). Understanding this role is crucial for our conservation efforts and underscores the importance of our work.
That is why the National Museums of Kenya leads a waterbird census for the entire country each year. A Rocha Kenya organizes the North Coast counts from Watamu to the Tana River Delta, covering seasonal wetlands, sections of coastline, and some salt pans that hold large numbers of waders. Importantly, we conduct monthly bird counts throughout the year at Mida-Creek and Sabaki River Estuary, ensuring a reliable and comprehensive dataset for our research. This thorough approach gives us a clear picture of the state of our waterbird populations.
Terrestrial research
A Rocha Kenya is committed to ensuring the long-term survival of the five Malindi-Watamu Important Bird Areas (IBAs) designated for 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 the coast, just 100 km north of Mombasa. One of these IBAs, Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, is considered one of mainland Africa’s most important forests for bird conservation. It is rich in rare and endemic wildlife, especially its fauna. Six Globally Threatened bird species and three rare, near-endemic mammals are found there.
Preliminary research at another IBAs, Mida Creek, suggests that it is one of the most productive mangrove ecosystems on earth, with eight out of nine East African mangrove species found there. Sixty-five species of aquatic birds are regularly recorded on the Creek and reach numbers of over 6,000 individuals. Crab plovers Dromas areola is 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 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. Many of these habitats are designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve or 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
