The Philippine Owl Conservation Programme: Why is it Needed?

Ardea

Tony Warburton¹ 

[1] 1 World Owl Trust, Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1RQ, UK ([e-mail])

关键词: Red Data Owls;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：动物科学

来源: Nederlandse Ornithologische Unie/Netherlands Ornithological Union

【 摘 要 】

ThePhilippineArchipelagoiswidelyacknowledgedasoneoftheworld'smajorbiodiversityandendemism‘hot-spots’.However,asaresultofaburgeoninghumanpopulationincreaseandresultantdestructionandexploitationofthenativeforestsoverthepasthalfcentury,thePhilippineshasgonefrombeingoneofthemostbiologicallyrichareasonearth,tooneofthemostendangered.Nowhereelseintheworldhasthisdeclinetakenplacesorapidly.Once,thePhilippineshadvirtuallya100%forestcover,nowthisfigureisdowntolessthan10%.ThesignificanceofthistoPhilippineowlscannotbeoverstated.Thiscountryhasmorethreatenedowlsthananyotherpartoftheworld,andofthe16speciesrecordedfromthisarchipelago,14arealmosttotallydependentuponthishabitat.Unlesssomethingisdonequicklytoprotectthelastfewremainingforestremnantsandreplantthoselost,virtuallyallofthePhilippineowls,andcertainlytheendemicspecies,willsoonjointheNewZealandLaughingOwlSceloglauxalbifaciesintheranksofextinctbirds.InanattempttorectifythissituationtheWorldOwlTrustsignedaMemorandumofAgreementwiththePhilippineGovernmenttomanagethe‘PhilippineOwlConservationProgramme’aspartoftheoverall‘PhilippineBiodiversityConservationProgramme’overseenbyFaunaamp;FloraInternational.Thishasbeenverysuccessfulincarryingoutfieldresearch,educationandconservation-breedingprogrammesfocusedonsomeofthethreatenedtaxa.Anothermajorobjectiveistoinvolvethelocalpeopleinconservationinitiativesbymeansofeducation,providingemploymentandalternativelife-styles.

【 授权许可】

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