Bio-diversity

Association of Young Intellectuals has started a conservation project for the protection of the Caucasian Black Grouse Tetrao mlokosiewiczi, the endemic flagship species of the Caucasus region. Protection of species covers protection of plants and other animal groups in the habitats where Caucasus Black Grouse is living. The Caucasian Black Grouse is one of only two species of bird in Europe classified by IUCN as Data Deficient. One of the healthy populations of the species is living in Sivrikaya Plateu in Ikizdere-Rize. Gathering detailed data on ecology and threats to the species is the aim of the project which is run in cooperation with the Eastern Black Sea Birdwatching Group, Ikizdere Municipality and with consultancy of Doga Dernegi. The project aims also to raise awareness among local people in Ikizdere about the need to protect the species considering it as a valuable and flagship species. The project team is implementing the Black Grouse monitoring strategy developed by Doga Dernegi/BirdLife Turkey in the frame of the BirdLife International`s Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) Caucasus project. The fieldwork started in April 2008 for the identification of leks which are going to be monitored during May, June and July. More then 20 Grouse were recorded during the April surveys. The data of the survey will be compared to data collected in 2004-2005 by Doga Dernegi/BirdLife Turkey.

Turkey