Newsletter / Blog
2012-01-26 A success story, both for the birds and for the people.
Large numbers of
waders winter in Myanmar's Gulf of Martaban and local hunters set nets to catch the
waders for food. About half the population of the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed
Sandpiper winter here and it is thought that this trapping is the most likely
cause of the rapid recent declines of this species.
BirdLife Myanmar with the support of BirdLife International
carried out socio-economic surveys and provided livelihood replacement support
in communities on both the eastern and western shores of the Gulf
of Martaban.
Following these
surveys, each household was revisited to devise a suitable alternative
livelihood for each subsistence and opportunistic hunter in exchange for a vow
to cease hunting activities. Once a suitable replacement livelihood has been
identified, funds were provided for each individual to start up their new work.
These funds were used to purchase assets such as livestock, fishing boats and
building materials. Alongside this, educational activities were carried out in
the villages to increase local awareness and appreciation of the Spoon-billed
Sandpiper and the other species.
On the eastern
shore, nine of the 15 hunters had increased their livelihood status since the
intervention and the other six had neither increased nor decreased their
livelihood status. Hence the intervention has been hailed as a success, both
for the birds and for the people. A follow-up survey has yet to be conducted
within the western-shore communities. |