Mongolia Project--Conservation Projects
02 Jun 04
Goal:
To develop local capacity for research and conservation of raptors in Mongolia.
The main goal of this project, begun in 1999, is to develop local capacity for raptor conservation and research in Mongolia. As funds and time permit, we also hope to bolster the historical respect for birds of prey held by rural Mongolians by documenting Golden Eagle falconry techniques and publishing a book on the subject in local languages and English.
 | Mark Fuller and Nyambayar Batbayar use
radio-telemetry to track Cinereous Vultures. |
Mongolian student Nyambayar Batbayar was selected to receive training and support through his M.Sc. degree from Boise State University (BSU). He began work at BSU in 2000 with hands-on field training from our partners in the Snake River Field Station and others. In 2000 and 2001 he completed graduate level courses at BSU, and in February 2002 began his field studies on Cinereous Vultures in Mongolia. Little is known about this species in Mongolia where it is relatively abundant. Recent experience from the Asian Vulture Crisis Project has demonstrated the value of collecting baseline data on population parameters of even numerous species.
2003 Results
In 2003 Nyambayar completed required graduate level classes in raptor biology at Boise State University and completed his second and final field research season in Mongolia. He located 202 nests, of which 106 were occupied, in three habitat and land-use areas, including both tree and rock-boulder nests. He wing-tagged 12 vultures in 2002 and obtained five sighting returns from South Korea and Nepal during the 2002/03 winter, providing the first evidence of a winter migration in this species. Nyamba was awarded a grant from the Wildlife Conservation Society for further studies using satellite PTTs to track migrating vultures. This work will be completed after his anticipated graduation in 2004.
In October 2003, Nyamba participated in the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network conference in Taiwan, and a meeting in South Korea to enhance raptor conservation and research studies between Mongolia and Korea.
Future Plans
Mongolian biologist Nyambayar Batbayar will complete his M.Sc. and return to Mongolia as a specialist in raptor conservation.
Collaborators
In Mongolia we collaborate with World Wide Fund for Nature-Mongolia and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. In the United States we work with Mark Fuller, USGS Snake River Field Station and Raptor Research Center, Boise State University, with financial support provided by the Trust for Mutual Understanding.
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