The African-Euro-Asian Migratory Water birds International Working Group has expressed concern over the dwindling number of White-winged flufftail birds endemic to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Zambia.
During a meeting the group held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Wednesday it was indicated that the total number of the White-winged flufftail birds is not more than 250 at present.
Based on an agreement for the conservation of African-Euroasian migratory waterbirds, the countries have been implementing a 10-year action program which was designed by them aimed at increasing their numbers.
The consultation underway would evaluate the past seven years of the program and set direction on preventing the extinction of the bird.
The degradation of its habitat by the flooding of dams, catchment erosion, water abstraction, human disturbance, too-frequent burning, grazing by livestock and other problems are reportedly the dangers the birds have been facing.
In Ethiopia, the species has been recorded at Berga near Addis Ababa.
The bird has been under legal protection since 2013 as it was entered into the list of endemic animals.
The representative of the United Nations Environment Program, Sergey Dereiev urged the enforcement of legislation that stops cultivation in the wetlands at the breeding sites, prevention of inappropriate development which can negatively affect the species habitat, and the development and implementation of schemes for managing the pressure grazing at all breeding sites.
Source: http://en.starafrica.com/
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