COUNTRY:Bangladesh
LOCATION WITHIN COUNTRY:Southern –East Coastal Region (Cox’s Bazar – Teknaf Peninsula ECA, Sonadia Island ECA, NijhumDwip, Domar char
FUNDING ORGANIZATION : Forest Department/World bank
START DATE : March 2014
COMPLETION DATE : February 2016

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT:

Bangladesh plays an important role in waterbird conservation in the world as both the Central and East Asian Australasian flyways overlaps. Coastal mudflats of Bangladesh offers the safe refuge of thousands of migratory water birds every year where some of the ally threatened waterbirds (e.g. Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Spotted Greenshank, Indian Skimmer etc.) find there last refuge in winter. The proposed project intends to address the present status of waterbirds at Char Shahjalal of Bhola District and Domar Char (island) at NijhumDweep of Noakhali district. This project will also conduct seasonal waterbird surveys in Teknaf Peninsula and St. Martins Island. Most modern techniques will be used to identify the migration routes of Indian Skimmer and few other Near Threatened waterbirds in their al ranges; threats and possible conservation solutions will be identified; capacity building of young researchers will be ensured, new hotspots for waterbirds will identified, and recommendations for new Ramsar sites in Bangladesh. Local community will be mobilized through awareness raising and also dialogue will be held with local FD and Union Parishad to facilitate their involvement in waterbird conservation and habitat protection. The implementation of the project will be a commitment to the international community for conserving the al species focusing a long term management plan to conserve the waterbirds.