NEW BRC Publication in Sandgrouse
We are proud to see our study "Understanding hunters' habits and motivations for shooting raptors in the Batumi raptor-migration bottleneck, southwest Georgia" published today in Sandgrouse, the journal of the Ornithological Society of the Middle East and the Caucasus (OSME). Congratulations Anna Sandor, Johannes Jansen and Wouter Vansteelant!
In a joint effort with SABUKO - Society for Nature Conservation (and following up on previous research by Johannes Jansen) extensive field work was conducted in autumn 2014 to study raptor shooting practices in the Batumi bottleneck. Anna Sandor now lead the publication of the results in the latest issue of Sandgrouse.
Anna and her team first conducted interviews with local hunters showing that hunters mainly shoot raptors for pleasure. Many hunters consume raptors, but the shooting is not primarily motivated by self-sustenance. By monitoring hunting activities from strategic vantage points and counting bird remains in the hills it could also be confirmed that harriers are especially sensitive to shooting, making up 14% of all casualties while they only make up 1.5% of the total migratory flight in Georgia.
These and other results described in this article are the kind of scientific evidence that local authorities need to develop effective conservation measures in the Batumi bottleneck.
The study would not have been possible without the massive contribution of volunteers: Oliver Reville, Anders Gray, Dennis de los Rios, Dietrich Ristow, Natia Javakhishvili and Tamar Dumbadze.
If you are interested in this publication, become a member of OSME or order a copy here: http://www.osme.org/content/sandgrouse-39-1
OSME also allows us to spread the publication through our website.
Anna Sandor, Johannes Jansen, Wouter M. Vansteelant. (2017) Understanding hunters' habits and motivations for shooting raptors in the Batumi raptor-migration bottleneck, southwest Georgia. Sandgrouse 39:1, 2-15.