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Title: Status of Dalmatian Pelican Post by Project Officer on Feb 26th, 2003, 11:56pm Another message quoted for members' reference: Source: OBC e-mail group 27 February 2003 Quote" Dear OBers and waterbird researchers, My BirdLife colleague Stuart's mail reminded me to send out a request on the status of the Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) again. I would particularly appreciate inputs from researchers working in the former USSR republics. As the status of 'Conservation Dependent' no longer exists as an IUCN category, we have to make a decision either to downgrade the Dalmatian Pelican as 'near-threatened' or upgrade it to 'vulnerable'. It seems the only justification to list the bird as a vulnerable species is a predicted decline of at least 10% of its population (i.e. 1,000 - 1,500 birds) in 3 pelican generations (I do not know how long is a 'pelican generation'. I assume '3 generations' of Dalmatian Pelicans should be 30 years or longer). The eastern population of Dalmatian Pelicans (those breed in Mongolia and winter in China, with a few records in Korea and Japan) is almost extinct. The number is probably not more than 100 birds. It used to nest in NW China (Lop Nor in Xinjiang) but now presumed extinct as a breeding bird in China. The biggest breeding population is in Central Asia and SW Russia (9,800 - 12,400 birds). Could I get advice from those who are familiar with the breeding Dalmatian Pelicans in the region on their estimation to the survival chances of this population to mid-21st century? If the potential threats to the breeding habitat of this species is reasonably high (for example, deterioration and destruction of wetlands in the region), I believe we should regard this species as 'vulnerable'. However, I will be relieved to hear if you think there will be no serious problem to this species in the next few decades. Simba Chan Wild Bird Society of Japan "unquote |
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