Hello,
Allow me to introduce myself. I do international education work for the RSPB and for the next three weeks I am going to try to bring you some updates from an important conservation project in China. This BirdLife International project is trying to save two resting and feeding sites used by the critically endangered Spoon-billed sandpiper.
There may be only three or four hundred of these enigmatic little waders left in the World and they face problems on the breeding and wintering grounds and throughout their migration. “Saving Spoony’s Chinese Wetlands” is funded by a grant from The Walt Disney Company, through their Friends for Change programme. Children around the World had the opportunity to vote for a project and this fantastic bird emerged as the children’s favourite to earn the grant from Disney.
Take a look at this photo taken on its breeding grounds taken by my former colleague John O’Sullivan. How can you not love such a bird?
The RSPB is now working with BirdLife and other conservation organisations to try to bring this fantastic wader from the brink of extinction. Read more here:
WWT led an expedition to Chukotka on the NE coast of Russia that aims to establish a captive breeding programme.
Elizabeth Tambovtseva and others from the team visited the school in Meinypilgyno. The children were fascinated to learn that Spoon-billed sandpipers breed close to their community and then embark on a long and difficult journey through East Asia. Some photos from the school are below and the message is clear:
My work in China will involve leading training workshops on education and interpretation for teachers, volunteers and local government staff. There will also be meetings with government officers at both wetland sites, in the hope that we can begin to improve the protection of these internationally important sites. I hope to update on you how things go when I’m over there.
Spoon-billed Sandpiper is one of the species benefitting from the BirdLife Preventing Extinction Programme. Find out more.
Great stuff.