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IRREPLACEABLE
BE RGA F LO O D P L AIN
E THIO PIA
G UL F O F MOTTA M A
MYA N M A R
WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL? WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL?
Lush grasses and sedges ripple in the breeze across this
high-altitude wetland, part of the vast plains of Ethiopia’s
north-western highlands. The Berga River runs through it,
feeding ponds and marshes dotted with flowers. Spanning this gulf is one of the largest mudflats in the
world, bustling with life. The three rivers that meet here
supply nutrients to fish and an abundance of invertebrates,
which in turn sustain crowds of hungry migratory
shorebirds.
WHO LIVES HERE?
White-winged Flufftail, Blue-winged Goose, Rouget’s Rail
HOW WAS IT THREATENED?
Berga Floodplain is the principal breeding site of the
White-winged Flufftail. Local communities used to graze
their cattle on the wetlands during the breeding season,
inadvertently disturbing this Critically Endangered species’
nests.
WHO LIVES HERE?
Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Spotted Greenshank, Great Knot
HOW WAS IT THREATENED?
Illegal over-fishing caused fish catch to drop 50-90%
within a decade, disrupting the ecosystem. Additionally,
with no legal protection, wintering birds were imperilled by
poaching.
OUR RESPONSE: OUR RESPONSE:
Through our Local Conservation Group initiative, farmers
agreed not to graze cattle on the floodplain during
breeding season. One farmer even donated 3,000 m² of
land to grow trees and vegetables to finance the site’s
maintenance. Fantastic news came on World Migratory Bird Day 2017,
when 45,000 hectares were designated a Ramsar Site after
persistent lobbying from BANCA (BirdLife in Myanmar). On
the ground, BANCA consistently monitor shorebirds and
conduct anti-poaching patrols.
OCT-DEC 2019 • BIRDLIFE
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