Recent status and population decline of the Great Bustard <i>Otis tarda</i> in Iran

Barati, Ahmad; Abdulkarimi, Rahim; Alonso, Juan Carlos

doi:10.1017/s0959270914000409

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…The positive demographic trend in the Iberian Peninsula contrasts with those of Morocco and Iran, where the two most endangered populations of the species face a real threat of extinction (Alonso et al 2005, Barati et al 2014, Palacín et al 2014. The species has also probably decreased in other main parts of its distribution range, e.g.…”

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confidence: 99%

The Great Bustard: Past, Present and Future of a Globally Threatened Species

Alonso

2014

Ornis Hungarica

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Great Bustards are still vulnerable to agricultural intensification, power line collision, and other human-induced landscape changes. Their world population is estimated to be between44,000 and 57,000 individuals, showing a stable demographic trend at present in the Iberian peninsula, its mainstronghold, but uncertain trends in Russia and China, and alarming declines in Iran and Morocco, where it willgo extinct if urgent protection measures are not taken immediately. Our knowledge of the behaviour and ecologyof this species has increased considerably over the last three decades, allowing us to control the major threatsand secure its conservation in an appropriately managed cereal farmland. This species became 'The Bird of the Year' in Hungary in 2014.

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confidence: 99%

The Great Bustard: Past, Present and Future of a Globally Threatened Species

Alonso

2014

Ornis Hungarica

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“…Iranian Great Bustards are also relatively isolated from the closest populations (i.e. Turkey), and might as well represent a genetically independent unit (Barati et al 2015).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(2019); Iran: Barati et al . (2015); Kazakhstan: Mityaev and Yashchenko (2006), Kessler and Smith (2014), Collar et al . (2017), Martín et al .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alarming decline of the Great Bustard Otis tarda world population over the last two decades

Alonso

Palacı́n

2022

Bird Conservation International

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Summary Since 2005, the world population of Great Bustards Otis tarda has decreased at an annual rate of 3.23%. The current world total is estimated at 31,000–36,000 birds, 34% (range 30–38%) less than 16 years ago. The declines have been observed in nine of 17 countries with extant breeding populations, with highest values in China (-89%) and European Russia (-72%). Marked decreases have also occurred in the Iberian Peninsula, which is still the stronghold for the species with 70–75% of the world population. Within Iberia, declines are particularly alarming in Portugal (-50%), although perhaps even more concerning in Spain, where the -28% (range 25–30%) decrease implies a loss of more than 8,000 individuals. Increases have been only recorded in Germany, Austria, and at a smaller scale in Hungary (respectively, 202%, 91%, and 5%), thanks to continued and intensive conservation actions, and also in the small group breeding in Romania, likely due to dispersal from the increasing West Pannonian population. The isolated populations of Morocco and Iran are on the brink of extinction. More surveys are still needed in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, China, and Mongolia, to confirm numbers and trends. It is urgent to reinforce conservation actions worldwide to stop negative demographic trends and ensure the survival of the species. If current trends continue, IUCN should perhaps consider whether (a) conditions are met to upgrade the species’ Red List category from globally ‘Vulnerable’ to ‘Endangered’, and (b) the two subspecies should be treated as separate conservation units and require different conservation strategies.

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“…However, as with many of the other Great Bustard populations in the world (e.g. Horreo et al 2013, Barati et al 2015, Vada ´sz and Lo ´ra ´nt 2015, Alonso et al 2016, Wang et al 2018, leading causes of Great Bustard population declines in Turkey are human-related.…”

Section: Threats and Conservation Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current status of Great Bustard Otis tarda in Turkey: population size, distribution, movements, and threats

Özgencil

Akarsu

Karataş

et al. 2021

Bird Conservation International

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Summary The Great Bustard Otis tarda is a globally threatened species with populations inhabiting the steppe zones of Turkey. In recent decades, its populations in Turkey have suffered severe declines in range and size. Although the remaining populations are in urgent need of protection, there has been no national-scale study on the species since 2009, and huge information gaps remain concerning its range, abundance, and movements in the country. Here, we combined data from five years of fieldwork together with all available sight and literature records to present up-to-date estimates of distribution and population size in Turkey, to better understand its movement patterns, to reveal its recent and historical population changes, and to assess its national extinction risk and threats. We find that the species’ breeding population has shrunk by 20–29% over the last five years, and there are only 559–780 breeding Great Bustards in Turkey distributed in two discrete subpopulations. Comparison with historical records shows that the species’ range has shrunk by at least 60% since the beginning of the 20th century. We suggest possible migratory routes within and through Turkey and that Turkey might have a higher regional importance for the species than previously thought. Illegal hunting, agricultural intensification, shift to irrigated crops, overgrazing, collision with powerlines, and disturbance are the most severe threats to the species in Turkey. Our national Red List assessment yields an Endangered categorisation. Further studies are needed to understand the metapopulation structure and movements of the species and to conserve its remaining populations in Turkey.

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Recent status and population decline of the Great Bustard Otis tarda in Iran

Cited by 4 publications

References 7 publications

The Great Bustard: Past, Present and Future of a Globally Threatened Species

The Great Bustard: Past, Present and Future of a Globally Threatened Species

Alarming decline of the Great Bustard Otis tarda world population over the last two decades

Current status of Great Bustard Otis tarda in Turkey: population size, distribution, movements, and threats

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