Title
Madagascar Sacred Ibis Threskiornis bernieri: Current population status, distribution, and implications for conservation
Author(s)
Andrianarimisa, A.;Razafimanjato, G.
Published
2010
Abstract
The Madagascar Sacred Ibis, Threskiornis bernieri, has recently been classified as an endemic species separate from the closely related African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus based on ecology and morphological characteristics. This species is generally confined to coastal ecosystems of western Madagascar. We investigated changes in the population and distribution of the Madagascar Sacred Ibis over the last 10 years, through literature reviews and field surveys undertaken from June 2005 – February 2006. A total of 91 sites were identified and documented, 55 of which were new sites and 26 were previously documented sites. About 69% of the sites were situated within 2 km of the coastline, and only 2% were found more than 40 km inland. Average altitude was 14.9±3.81 m.a.s.l (n = 91) and ranged from 0 to 191 m.a.s.l. Coastal ecosystems were significantly more important habitats for Madagascar Sacred Ibis than inland wetlands – overall 82.8% of individuals were recorded within 2 km from the coast. Over 70% of individual birds recorded in this study were seen outside current protected areas, which included three important breeding colonies. The average number of individuals recorded at each site was 9.47±3.81 (n = 81) (mean±SE), and 74% of the sites had no more than 10 individuals per site. Over 90% of the 26 historically known sites which were revisited during the last 10 years showed drastically declining populations (z = –3.63, p < 0.0005, n = 26). We estimate the current population to be about 2,000 adult birds, and sparsely distributed along the west coast. This low population figure implies an increased conservation concern for the Madagascar Sacred Ibis especially in light of habitat loss and direct persecution.
Keywords
Madagascar sacred ibis; Threskiornis bernier; Madagascar; wetlands; population estimate; current status; foraging behavior

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PUB13310