WWF tracks Lesser White-fronted Goose to Iraq

Scientists from WWF-Finland and BirdLife Norway, in cooperation with Russian colleagues, recently tracked a Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser Erythropus) — the most endangered arctic goose in Eurasia — by satellite from Turkey to the Haur Al-Shubaicha wetland area in Iraq, some 80km east of the capital, Baghdad.

"This has surprised everyone who has been following the movements of this satellite pioneer," said Aki Arkiomaa, a member of WWF-Finland's Lesser White-fronted Goose working group.

"Most of the wetland areas that we have now learned about are very challenging from the conservation point of view, but we are already making plans on how and when to contact the local authorities to promote the conservation of these areas."

The populations of Lesser White-fronted Goose have declined in recent years, especially due to heavy hunting pressures in their staging and wintering areas. It is estimated that the world population of the species is only 22,000-27,000. In Norway, Finland, and Sweden there are only 20-30 nesting pairs.

"To reduce the pressure from hunting it is crucial that we get information on where these areas are. Satellite tracking are of extreme importance," Arkiomaa added.

In July 2004, WWF-Finland and BirdLife Norway, in cooperation with the Goose, Swan and Duck Study Group of Northern Eurasia, started a project to study the staging and wintering areas of the Lesser White-fronted Goose. The Central Asian migration route is relatively well known as far south as the Kustanay area in north-western Kazakhstan, but it is the route further south of Kazakhstan that is virtually unknown.

WWF is also part of a Fennoscandian Lesser White-fronted Goose Conservation Project with Russian conservation experts to unveil the migration route of one of the bird's most important breeding areas — the Polar Ural in western Russia.

Three adult Lesser White-fronted geese were caught in Russia's Polar Ural region. After equipping the birds with satellite transmitters, two birds flew — as was expected — via the Ob River to a known staging area of arctic geese in north-west Kazakhstan. The other one went a little further.

"It has been a huge challenge for years to find out where they go from there," said Petteri Tolvanen, the project coordinator of WWF-Finland's Lesser White-fronted Goose working group.

"The unstable political situation in Iraq increases the excitement on how and when next steps in conservation can be taken, that is to say, when can we start inventories in the area which are crucial for the protection of the species."