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Negros bleeding-heart dove (Gallicolumba keayi)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 192514132

Population survey of the Negros bleeding-heart dove (Gallicolumba keayi) in the North-West Panay Peninsula Natural Park, the Philippines

Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 192514132) - Negros bleeding-heart dove - Awarded $24,738 on June 30, 2019

The Negros bleeding-heart dove requires urgent conservation intervention to prevent its extinction in the wild. This poorly-studied species has been considered Critically Endangered due to its fragmented and declining population. The main threats faced by this species are habitat loss in low elevation areas and poaching. The North West Panay Peninsula Natural Park is one of the only remaining protected lowland forests in this species geographic range.

 

To assess the main threats faced by this species, the Bristol Zoological Society will carry the following actions:


1. POPULATION SURVEY: To survey and assess the Negros bleeding-heart dove population remaining in North West Panay Peninsula Natural Park. To determine the habitat use of this Critically Endangered species. To examine the interaction between the ecology and elevation and the presence of this species.

 

2. POPULATION MONITORING: To deploy camera traps and therefore establish a long-term population monitoring through those camera traps. To train local forest guides in camera trap monitoring and bird survey techniques (transects, point counts, playback experiments) building capacity for conservation in-country. 

 

3. FOREST WARDENS EMPLOYMENT: To hire, train (to use a GPS recording device) and employ a team of forest wardens to patrol the forest and report illegal activities. To investigate where the illegal activities are mostly witnessed in order to determine where to target future alternative livelihood initiatives. To design an extensive and up-to-date map of the Natural Park with locations of the observed illegal activities.

 

4. ANALYSIS AND DISSEMINATION: To disseminate the results of the project to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and local universities (such as West Visayas State University and Silliman University) for an in-country conservationist to use. To provide recommendations to the DENR for law enforcement and conservation management.


These goals are critical to design evidence-based conservation actions and help with the creation of a Conservation Action Plan for this striking and elusive species.

Project document