Good year for Northern Bald Ibis in Morocco (1 Viewer)

Birdlife International report the best numbers in recent years (via RBA).

This year Northern Bald Ibis in Morocco was among the worst experiences I ever had birding. Tamri area is full of locals who pester foreigners claiming they are 'guardien ibis' and demand money. Other locals seem to move freely everywhere and do everything, not hindered by any protection of ibis.

For a visitor, this was example how bird protection should not look like. I hope BirdLife adopts ways of helping birds without making a nightmare for birders, which it uses in nearby Europe.

I spent three days in the area in 98 and din't see a single one.......Ibis that is

Andy

jurek said:

This year Northern Bald Ibis in Morocco was among the worst experiences I ever had birding. Tamri area is full of locals who pester foreigners claiming they are 'guardien ibis' and demand money.

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Jurek, I am sorry to say that you have got the story wrong. The guys you have met at Tamri are indeed guardians of the ibis. They are employed to guard the sites by the High Commission for Water, Forests and Desertification Control with the financial backing by the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco*. So they are not imposters. Since they are paid a small amount of money, I think any contribution from birders who want to see the Bald Ibis and also the very rare riggenbachi Shag should be welcomed. And to finish this, if a Moroccan (that’s me) has paid them to see the latter bird, I think European birders should do the same without hesitation.

*See the original report:

Oubrou, W. & El Bekkay, M. 2015. Rapport sur la saison de reproduction de l’Ibis chauve Geronticus eremita dans la région de Souss-Massa - Saison 2015. Parc National de Souss-Massa, HCEFLCD. 8p.

andyadcock said:

I spent three days in the area in 98 and din't see a single one.......Ibis that is

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Andy, in 1998 there were some 270 birds, now there are nearly 600 birds, probably that's why you missed them then.

jurek said:

This year Northern Bald Ibis in Morocco was among the worst experiences I ever had birding. Tamri area is full of locals who pester foreigners claiming they are 'guardien ibis' and demand money.

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I was in the Tamri area for a couple of days this last summer and I didn't have a single local talking to me about the ibis even once, let alone pestering me. I even stopped to give an old man a lift and, despite stopping to scan for the birds several times, not once did he offer to deprive me of some cash in return for ibis. Thinking about it, I didn't have any hassle when I visited in 2007 either.

I feel neglected, why did Jurek get special treatment and not me? Can I please lodge my complaints with Acrocephalus, the Tamri tourist office and the Moroccan Embassy? :-O

Maybe timing Jos, most go in spring. I was there in March, so I guess in summer the 'Guardians' aren't looking for you?

Andy