hello tweets,

if you are looking for places to go birding in the next year or two,
perhaps you should consider asian/indonesia. as they say, "going, going,
GONE!"

regards,

Deborah Wisti-Peterson, PhD Candidate nyneve at u.washington.edu
Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash, USA
Visit me on the web: http://students.washington.edu/~nyneve/
Love the creator? Then protect the creation.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 12 Jun 2001 21:38:56 -0700
Subject: Study: Hundreds of Asian Birds Face Extinction

http://library.northernlight.com/HA20010611940000011.html?cb=3D0&dx=3D1006&=
sc=3D0#doc

Title: Study: Hundreds of Asian Birds Face Extinction

Summary: Some 300 Asian bird species face extinction because of destruc=
tion of their habitat through such acts as deforestation and wetland cleara=
nce, worldwide conservation group BirdLife International says.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----
Source: Reuters Online
Date: 06/11/2001 10:26
Price: Free
Document Size: Very Short (0481 words)
Document ID: HA20010611940000011
Subject(s): Domestic; Non-Washington; General news

Author(s): Deepan Joshi

---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----

Study: Hundreds of Asian Birds Face Extinction

---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----

Story Filed: Monday, June 11, 2001 10:26 AM EST

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Some 300 Asian bird species face extinction because o=
f destruction of their habitat through such acts as deforestation and wetla=
nd clearance, worldwide conservation group BirdLife International says.

That figure is sharply up from 1981 when the number of Asian birds species =
facing extinction stood at 51, the group said.

``Our research shows there has been a serious rise in the number of species=
becoming extinct,'' BirdLife International spokesman Richard Thomas told R=
euters from the group's headquarters in Cambridge, England.

Out of 2,700 Asian bird species, around one-quarter or 664 face varying deg=
rees of survival threat, the group says in a newly released book, ``Threate=
ned Birds of Asia: The BirdLife International Red Data Book.''

BirdLife International, a global alliance of conservation groups in more th=
an 100 countries, is a leading authority on birds, their habitats and issue=
s affecting bird life.

``The biggest threat to the birds comes from losing habitat due to human ac=
tivities like illegal logging and wetland clearance for agriculture or exot=
ic timber plantations,'' Rudyanto, a researcher at BirdLife's Indonesian of=
fice told Reuters Monday.

``The three species of Indian vultures for instance have declined by a mass=
ive 95 percent for reasons unknown,'' said Rudyanto, who goes by one name.

But researchers say it is not too late to reverse the threat if governments=
create new protected areas, extend existing ones and pass new conservation=
legislation.


URGENT ACTION NEEDED

``We need to act urgently and on a scale greater than anything previously a=
chieved if we are to avert the extinction crisis facing Asia's threatened b=
irds,'' Noritaka Ichida, head of the BirdLife Asia Council said in a statem=
ent.

Many large waterbirds are already close to extinction due to the disturbanc=
e or conversion of their habitat such as the Siberian Crane and Black-faced=
Spoonbill.

The report says wetlands are crucial for the survival of 20 percent of the =
threatened species including the Spot-billed Pelican.

The report was compiled by over 160 experts in 23 Asian countries.

The report shows that 323 species out of a total of 2,700 in Asia face exti=
nction and 41 are listed as critically endangered with only 50 percent chan=
ce of survival over the next decade without conservation action.

Indonesia has the highest number of threatened species with in Asia with 11=
5 followed by China with 78, India 73 and Philippines 69. There are overlap=
s of certain species among different countries.

The report also shows that tropical moist forests are particularly importan=
t for 70 percent of threatened forest species. The continuing loss and dama=
ge to lowland moist forests in the Sundaic region of Indonesia and Malaysia=
has resulted in many changes harming birds, the group said.



Copyright =A9 2001 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or r=
edistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is=
expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters=
and the dotted and sphere logos are house marks of Reuters Limited. Reuter=
s is a registered trade mark in more than 25 countries worldwide.