2020

The Moroccan Wildlife Enumeration Program (called the "Atlas Program”) is presented as a national initiative for inventorying and long-term monitoring of Moroccan wildlife and its threats. This program aims to provide basic information on the threatened fauna of Morocco in order to carry out management actions aimed at the conservation of these species and biodiversity in general. In a first phase launched in 2019, the counts focused on large diurnal rupe-dwelling raptors in Morocco and the threats weighing on them.

To contribute to strengthening knowledge of the populations of these species, given the need to expand the available data, the Department of Water and Forests of Morocco and IUCN-Med launched this initiative, with technical support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development of the regional government of Andalusia and the collaboration of experts and institutions from both shores of the Mediterranean, in an example of cross-border cooperation.

Throughout 2019, 12 field missions and several one-day outings took place as part of this program, in order to identify the territories of target birds (Golden Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Hawk, Lanner falcon, Peregrine falcon/Barbary falcon, Lesser kestrel, Bearded vulture, Griffon vulture, Rüppell's vulture, Egyptian vulture, Osprey), with the participation of several Moroccan and foreign organizations and experts. During the expeditions, data were collected in the field by mixed teams composed of local and international staff, expert ornithologists and volunteers, following standardized work and data collection protocols.

This field work allowed the identification of 766 breeding territories of rupe-dwelling raptors, 712 corresponding with certainty to the target species for the Atlas Program. Of these 712 territories, 623 were confirmed as occupied territories in 2019. During the various missions, unnatural mortality factors were also studied. Thus, 2,318 electrical pylons were characterized and their characteristics recorded in the Program database, and approximately 400 km of electrical lines were covered. During these inspections, the remains of at least 211 birds were spotted under the power lines.

The results of this experiment (see below) can be considered very satisfactory, both at the technical and scientific level and at the human and institutional level, with the participation of 16 various organizations including Moroccan administrations and the regional government of Andalusia, Moroccan and international conservation NGOs, academic and independent experts and volunteers. The initiative also made it possible to strengthen the working network on the conservation of raptors in Morocco and the capacities of the main stakeholders concerned. This report includes a summary of the results, which constitute a first clear image of the geographical distribution and state of populations of birds of prey in Morocco. This report also presents some lessons learned from this experience, some preliminary conclusions and points to consider for the continuation of the initiative in the years to come.