In 2006 and 2007, Barrie and Tricia Galpin were invited to stay with Houssine Nibani, the secretary general of AZIR (Association for Environmental Protection), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based at Al Hoceima National Park on the Mediterranean Coast. Al Hoceima has a resident population of Ospreys that nest on the sea cliffs and AZIR are intending to carry out a survey of the nests in 2007. A previous survey in the 1990s had shown that there were about 30 nests there.
Al Hoceima National Park
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The National Park is classed as a semi-arid to arid Mediterranean bio-climatic zone with 45 kilometres of coastline. The park has an area of 43,400 hectares, nearly half of which is marine. It is a refuge for many rare and endangered marine species, including Red Corals, Monk Seal (Monachus monachus), and several species of dolphin and sea turtles. As well as the Osprey, it is an important breeding site for Audouin's Gull (Larus Audouinii). Peregrine Falcon (Falco pergrinus brookei), Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), Bonelli’s Eagle (Hiraetus fasciatus) and Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) have also been recorded there.
Threats
The establishment of the National Park has given the area theoretical protection, but there is little state protection or understanding of the value of this environment. At sea, intensive fishing may be depleting breeding stock and illegal techniques (such as use of dynamite and trawl nets near coast) disturb the breeding grounds of fish and birds.
The park is also threatened by possible future coastal development , urbanization and growing pollution of the coast. During our visit we saw indications of the reality of these threats. Huge areas of sea were enclosed by unattended drift nets, with the obvious dangers these cause to dolphins, turtles and seals. At a remote spot, two men were watching for a shoal of fish from a vertical cliff, while a small fishing boat waited out to sea - this apparently can be the prelude to dynamite being tossed from the cliff, indiscriminately killing all sea life.
However, one of the most horrifying sights is shown below. This is how the town of Al Hoceima disposes of its rubbish - a convenient cliff face just outside the borders of the National Park and very close to an Osprey nest. Some of the rubbish burns, some of it blows into the sea, some of it is washed down in the form of toxins.
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AZIR is leading the fight against these direct threats to the environment, providing education and particularly working with local people to promote ecotourism and sustainable development.
Resident Ospreys at Al Hoceima
In the UK we are used to Ospreys building nests in trees. In Morocco, as in Corsica and elsewhere, they build nests on prominent rocks and cliff faces. Because of the terrain at Al Hoceima most nests are only visible from a boat. Just one or two can be seen from land - thanks to AZIR for the pictures of nests below. The bird on the right, a juvenile, was rescued from the sea after it had got into trouble one summer. After it had dried out it was released successfully.
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In early 2007 a survey was begun to locate as many nests as possible. The photos below show some of that work in progress.
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You can find out more about the Ospreys at Al-Hoceima by visiting a new website (in French): http://balbuzards.cfsites.org
Ospreys on migration
| It seems likely that, just as in Corsica, the Moroccan Ospreys disperse some distance during the winter. The picture on the right shows a beach some 40km east of Al Hoceima, towards Melilla. Here we saw an Osprey on 11 October - possibly a resident bird or, more likely, one that had just crossed the Mediterranean on migration from Europe. |
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Our satellite tracking in 1999-2001 showed that many Ospreys pass through Morocco in September and October, so it was very interesting to see the terrain that they cross, and particularly to see several Ospreys obviously heading south.
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There is very little water south of the Atlas. In spring melting mountain snow causes flash flooding but in the autumn there are very few places where Ospreys could feed. However, one place where there are fish is on the itinerary of most birding trips: the huge reservoir or "barrage" near Ouzazate. There we saw an Osprey sitting with a fish while an egret tried to get a share. |
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We drove continuously for two days across the south slopes of the Atlas and the reservoir above was the only possible fishing ground we could find. The terrain here was stoney desert or Hamada. The picture below shows the spot where, in 2000, the juvenile T02 probably died. (Click here for details.) Eventually we arrived at the coast where we saw two more migrating Ospreys. One was in the estuary at Agadir, while the other flew above the flamingoes and stilts in Sous Massa National Park (picture left.) |
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Stoney desert - not a good place for a migrating Osprey!