From: H.E.Tariq Almoayed,

Minister of Information, State of Bahrain.

I should like to send my best wishes on the occasion of the launch

of Arabian Wildlife magazine. In view of the greatly increased

awareness of environmental issues thoughout our planet, and particularly

within the region covered by the magazine, I am confident that

this publication will make a valuable contribution in communicating

the work of so many people and organisations whose efforts have

been directed at studying, nurturing and protecting Arabia’s wildlife.

As you will be aware, Bahrain has for many years played an active

role in these efforts to protect Arabia’s natural heritage. We

have been fortunate to have been guided in this sphere by H.H.

the Amir of Bahrain, Shaikh Isa bin Sulman Al Khalifa and indeed

by the Prime Minister, H.H. Shaikh Khalifa bin Sulman Al Khalifa

and the Crown Prince and Commander-in-Chief of Bahrain Defence

Force, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Their combined strong

personal interest in wildlife has meant that projects such as

Al Areen Wildlife Park; the establishment of an effective Environmental

Protection Agency; and the creation of Bahrain National Museum

have been such a success. We have, as you will be aware, played

an active role in the re-establishment of the Arabian oryx which,

we are pleased to note, is now once more roaming freely in the

Arabian deserts. Bahrain has also been active in protecting important

populations of gazelles as well as many other species. It has

long been clear to us that we have a direct responsibility to

take care of our wildlife since modern development has reached

a stage where it also has the ability to crush and destroy the

natural world. We are firmly committed to achieving a stable balance

in which we can live in harmony with nature and maintain sustainable

natural resources.

An essential element in our programme for nature conservation

is a dynamic public awareness campaign. In my capacity as Minister

of Information I have had the pleasure to support a number of

projects connected with Bahrain’s fascinating wildlife, including

the publication of books such as Wildlife of Bahrain; Flowers

of Bahrain and most recently a fine new book on Bahrain’s birdlife.

I was impressed to learn that over 290 species of birds either

breed on, or visit Bahrain during their migrations. It is especially

pleasing to note that the range of species found here has actually

increased in recent years, due we believe to our extensive irrigation

and planting programmes which have created new habitats for wildlife.

I am also pleased to report that our most recent project in this

field was recently opened to the public. It comprises a new Natural

History Hall at Bahrain National Museum and is an impressive presentation

of Bahrain’s wildlife. I take this opportunity to draw your reader’s

attention to it. Once again, I wish Arabian Wildlife Magazine

every success in the future.

From: BirdLife International.

Mike Evans, UK

Dear Sir,

I hope that you will permit me, through the pages of Arabian Wildlife,

to inform your readers of a new project concerned with conservation

of birdlife.

As many readers will already be aware, ornithologically, the Middle

East is rich. Its diversity of environment – deserts, wetlands

and mountains in particular – provide habitats for 23 globally

threatened bird species and 62 bird species which are virtually

restricted to the Middle East. Some of the largest and/or most

diverse wetland, steppe, desert and marine ecosystems in the world

are found within the Middle East, upon which millions of birds

depend to provide breeding, stop-over or wintering sites. These

sites’ very high value to birds reflect their overall ecological

importance.

In recent years several inventories and directories of the most

important sites for wildlife have been published as major tools

for implementing conservation action. For example, wetland inventories

and protected area directories exist for most regions of the world.

The need to give decision makers up-to-date information on the

most critical areas for conserving birds and habitats in the Middle

East is now urgent, given the rapid increases in human population,

agricultural intensification and industrialisation, heralding

increased levels of grazing, wetland drainage and pollution, woodland

clearance and coastal land-claim.

To answer these needs, the Important Bird Areas in the Middle

East project has been launched and is being co-ordinated by BirdLife

International, as a joint venture with the Ornithological Society

of the Middle East, in close collaboration with relevant national

agencies and the International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research

Bureau, with funding from the Royal Society for the Protection

of Birds (U.K.). The project seeks to produce the first comprehensive

directory of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in the Middle East. Emphasis

is being given to engaging maximum participation by governmental

and non-governmental conservation bodies and academic institutions

in the region. The main objectives of the project are as follows:

(1) to produce a directory and database of sites of international

and regional importance for birds, providing key information for

the conservation of the region’s avifauna and habitats, in an

objective manner;

(2) to inform decision makers and planners at all levels of the

existence and importance of these vital sites;

(3) to encourage development/implementation of national conservation

strategies and in particular to promote the development of national

protected area programmes;

(4) to promote the implementation of, and active participation

in, global and regional agreements such as the Ramsar Convention;

(5) to help to identify future priorities for action in bird conservation

and research in the Middle East, in terms of important sites,

species, habitats and threats.

The Middle East IBA project will culminate at the end of 1993

in the publication of a “Directory of Important Bird Areas in

the Middle East” in Arabic and English languages. This will consist

of a series of national inventories, each with a general introduction

to bird conservation in the country concerned, a country map showing

the location of Important Bird Areas, and a series of detailed

site accounts. Information will be gathered from all available

sources, e.g. governmental and non-governmental environmental

organisations, individuals, scientists, protected areas’ staff,

natural history museums, research institutions, universities,

and cartographic centres. In some countries, the best way to achieve

this might be through the appointment of national co-ordinators

or “IBA Working Groups”. An IBA data-sheet has been produced to

facilitate the compilation of data, and is being distributed to

potential contributors throughout the region. All proposed Important

Bird Areas will be considered, and all their values taken into

account. The criteria used in the selection of sites for inclusion

in the Directory have been developed with help from Middle Eastern

wildlife conservation organisations and individual experts.

All organisations and individuals with an interest in bird conservation

in the Middle East are invited to participate in the project and

are kindly requested to write to me, as the Project Co-ordinator.

Finally, may I wish this new magazine great success, it will,

I believe, serve a very valuable function in linking people who

share an common interest in wildlife, throughout Arabia and beyond.

Mike Evans, Co-ordinator, IBAs in the Middle East, BirdLife International,

Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 ONA, UK. Telephone

(44) 223 277318; fax (44) 223 277200; E-mail:[email protected].