Although the great bustard (Otis tarda) is protected under the Moroccan legislation, its population has known a serious decrease (of at least 55%) over the last 15 years. Hence a conservation strategy and an action plan to protect the great bustard in Morocco during the 10 years to come has been prepared by the High Commission on Water, Forests and the Fight against Desertification (HCEFLCD) and the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, in collaboration with IUCN Commission experts and Members in Morocco (i.e. GREPOM, together with other international organizations, following the "One Programme" approach of IUCN).

According to experts, the situation of the great bustard in Morocco is so critical that a prioritization of urgent actions, detailing deadlines and each party's responsibilities, should be implemented in the next two to three years to be able to reverse the current trend. Main threats affecting great bustards in Morocco are the risk of collision with various infrastructures, mainly power lines, intensification of agriculture, illegal hunting (or poaching) and different types of disturbances such as habitat fragmentation.
Consequently, six intervention axes have been identified to respond to these threats, namely: to put in place monitoring capacities; reduce collisions with infrastructures to the minimum; secure the habitat of key sites for the great bustard; raise awareness and valorisation; follow research and monitoring activities, and finally, use sustainable financing mechanisms to put these recommendations into practice.

The great bustard population in Morocco, a species classified Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM, is weak and declining, with a population of around 40 to 50 birds. Great bustards breed mainly in two reproduction areas and are limited to three geographic divisions of Morocco (Tangier peninsula, Rharb and the Prerif). This is the only great bustard population in Africa, and also represents the southern limit of its distribution.

"The strategy contains indeed 70 actions and our main and most pressing objective is to protect the leks of Araoua and Tleta-Rissana under adequate national designations and with the support of a strong and committed community by 2020" said Zouhair Amhaouch Head of the Parks and Natural Reserves Division at the High Commission for Water and Forests and the Fight Against Desertification (HCEFLCD).

"Some local communities living in the great bustard distribution area are proud to share their lands with them: on-site initiatives are therefore essential in this conservation strategy. People could then make a difference for themselves and for the conservation of this emblematic species" mentioned Violeta Barrios, Coordinator of the conservation strategies project at the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation.

In the near future, the HCEFLCD will work with the private sector to develop joint solutions in order to diminish collisions of great bustards with power lines infrastructures.

For more information: Violeta Barrios

Photo credits: Otis tarda - © Carlos Palacín