While the Arabian Leopard Panthera pardus nimr is strictly speaking not within the remit of OSME, we feel that the conservation of its habitat in eastern Yemen also has a direct impact upon the avifauna of the...
In July 2011, BirdLife Cyprus launched the DVD documentary “Important areas for birds and other wildlife in Cyprus”. This presents unique images of Cyprus’s wildlife and natural landscapes. It covers the diversity of landscapes, rich wildlife and...
OSME members are presenting on two occasions at this year’s Birdfair. In addition to giving a plenary lecture during the recent British Birdfair at Rutland Water, OSME Vice-President Azzam Alwash was interviewed by Charlie Moores on the...
This spring Nature Iraq/ BirdLife International organized several conservation-related activities. From 24-29 April, 2011 Nature Iraq/ BirdLife International, with help from Richard Porter ( BirdLife advisor for the Middle East), ran their sixth annual training course which...
LAKE QARUN IBA THREATENED BY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT Cairo, May 11, 2011–The Amer Group, the Egyptian real estate developer responsible for Porto Marina and Porto Sokhna, massive tourism developments along Egypt’s North and Ain Sokhna coasts, plans to...
Initiated in 2004 the Takreem Arab Achievement Award honours the best and brightest of Arab achievements. Nature Iraq was the recipient this year for their achievement in Environmental Development and Sustainability. The Takreem Award seeks to identify...
There have been a number of recent reports of indiscriminate hunting of migrant birds passing through the Middle East, ranging from White Storks and White Pelicans to small warblers such as Blackcaps. Regrettably this happens both on...
The Socotra Buzzard Buteo socotraensis has just entered the Guinness Book of Records as the newest bird of prey in the world! After spending more than a century without a name, the Socotra Buzzard Buteo socotraensis was...
As part of the activities celebrating the 2010 Year of Biodiversity and the Arabic Environment Day, the Socotra Governance & Biodiversity Project organised a series of environmental activities on Socotra. These included a drawing competition for schools,...
The following photographs are of Ahmad Aidak (Syria) showing his book A Guide to the Birdlife Area to interested rangers and officials in the field. This book, written in Arabic and using photographs taken mainly by the author, was...
The breeding site of one of the world’s least known birds, Large-billed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orinus, has been discovered in the remote and rugged Wakhan Corridor of the Pamir mountains of northeastern Afghanistan. The first specimen of...
Bird of the Year Within its ‘Bird of the Year’ annual campaign, the Armenian Society for the Protection of Birds (ASPB) has announced the Common Crane Grus grus to be the Bird of 2010 in Armenia. ASPB...
Birding Egypt on Facebook Birding Egypt have opened a new forum on Facebook for all those interested in birds, birdwatching and bird conservation in Egypt. (Source: Mindy Baha El Din) Lake Qarun under threat Nature Conservation Egypt...
Since 2008 the autumn migration of raptors at Batumi on the east side of the Black sea has been monitored by teams of volunteers. Over 830 000 raptors have been counted in eight weeks. More information about...