Georgia, as one of the important migration destinations for birds of prey in the world, hosts over a million birds each year that pass through routes where the Caucasus Mountains meet the Black Sea. This natural phenomenon is being counted by volunteers from around the world, including Bart Hoksstra, a researcher from Utrecht University.
Challenges of Illegal Hunting
This season, despite the natural beauty and tourist attractions, illegal hunting remains a significant problem. According to a study in 2013, about 9,000 birds of prey are hunted each autumn. Mitra Danshfar, the bird counting coordinator from Iran, has described this situation as very heartbreaking and emphasizes that hunting rare species causes more harm to the ecosystem.
The Environmental Supervision Agency of Georgia has recorded 39 cases of hunting violations in the first month of this year's hunting season. However, according to Hoksstra, monitoring hunting in the rugged hills around Batumi is a challenging task. This area, known as the "Batumi Corridor," is the main source of migration for birds of prey from Russia, Eastern Europe, and Kazakhstan towards Africa.
The Role of Tourism in Bird Conservation
The counting of birds of prey acts as an important tourist attraction in the poor villages around Batumi. Ruslan Lomez, the owner of a guesthouse in Sakholovasho, emphasizes that the presence of tourists has changed his social life, and this type of tourism helps in the conservation of birds. He says, "Without birdwatching tourism, guesthouses and family hotels will close down."
At the counting stations in Sakholovasho and Shomta, volunteers begin counting birds at sunrise using binoculars and telescopes. These volunteers click on a handheld counter each time a bird crosses an imaginary line to record the statistics.
This project has faced challenges in recent years, including a reduction in financial resources that could have led to its cessation. However, an anonymous donation of 15,000 euros saved the project. Hoksstra has called on international organizations and major donors to recognize the value of this type of monitoring.
Based on records collected since 2008, researchers have been able to monitor bird populations in more challenging breeding locations. On September 27, Danshfar succeeded in counting the millionth bird of prey for the season. She says, "They did this before us, and they will continue after us."
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