Project Update 1: February - March 2009

Field Dates: 23/02/2009 to 05/03/2009

Sites: Muluwa, Munaka, Rwambwa Mudembi, Nahasyongo

This was a 2 week reconnaissance visit.

We witnessed poisoning at 3 sites. In a trial interview, everyone asked if they knew of Furadan poisoning and if they ate the poisoned birds. All gave a 'Yes' response; they knew of Furadan’s toxicity and that they used an efficiently safe method to prepare the meat for consumption.
Five poachers were seen baiting birds. We talked to two. Most use captive open-billed storks to enhance the baiting. We witnessed, 6 storks eat poisoned snails and die; 71 storks survived after we unintentionally startled them, then again got startled by grazing goats; my scout reported 16 storks had got poisoned and killed a day before; 5 more of an estimated 200 African mourning doves died from baiting. Many flew away after eating the poisonous bait. I hope to establish if the runaways die away from the site in the surveys to come.