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Assessment of suitable habitats using satellite imagery: example of the Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita in south-eastern Turkey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2023

Andre Schenker Open the ORCID record for Andre Schenker [Opens in a new window]  and
Andreas Erhardt
Andre Schenker*
Affiliation:
Gartenstrasse 4, 4142 Münchenstein, Switzerland
Andreas Erhardt
Affiliation:
Botanical Institute, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
*
Corresponding author: Andre Schenker; Email: andre.schenker@gmx.ch
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Summary

The increase in the semi-wild Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita population in Birecik, south-eastern Turkey motivated the Working Group of the Agreement on the Conservation of Africa-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) to propose the establishment of a second semi-wild Northern Bald Ibis population in Turkey. This paper presents an assessment approach that identifies potential suitable breeding sites and foraging habitats within a large geographical area of approximately 380 × 60 km (23,000 km2) in south-eastern Turkey, which includes former breeding sites. This approach makes use of open-source and easily available geographical information. The structured approach is based on three key parameters, namely: (1) suitable breeding rocks; (2) suitable foraging habitats: (3) available water-bodies. This led to the identification of three potentially suitable areas around Derik and Yesilli in the Mardin province and around Yarbasi in the Sirnak province. The occurrence and spatial distribution of the three key parameters were mostly identified using Google Earth Pro 2021 within a radius of 10–20 km around the three sites. This procedure allowed an initial, cost-effective identification of potentially suitable areas, providing the basis for subsequent geographically focused comprehensive feasibility studies and on-the-ground risk assessment. However, geopolitical and pragmatic constraints may further affect and restrict a final selection of sites.

Keywords

analytical approachconservationkey parameterstranslocation
Type
Research Article
Information
Bird Conservation International , Volume 33 , 2023 , e75
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of BirdLife International

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