Larus relictus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	CHARADRIIFORMES	LARIDAE

Scientific Name:

Larus relictus

Species Authority:

Lönnberg, 1931

Common Name/s:

English	–	Relict Gull
Spanish	–	Gaviota de Mongolia, Gaviota Relicta

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable D2 ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Gilroy, J., Butchart, S., Bird, J.

Contributor/s:

He, F.

Justification:
This species is listed as Vulnerable because it has a small and fluctuating population, breeding at a very small number of wetland locations in arid regions that could be strongly influenced by changes in climate. With such a restricted breeding distribution it is therefore susceptible to stochastic effects and human impacts. The population is also thought to be declining as a result of reclamation of coastal wetlands for development, and human disturbance on breeding grounds that has caused increased mortality of eggs and chicks.

History:

2007	–	Vulnerable
2006	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Larus relictus breeds at two localities in eastern Kazakhstan (but regularly at only one¹), one in Russia and several in Mongolia, whilst the largest colonies are thought to occur in China, at Honjian Nur Lake, Shaanxi (up to 5,000 pairs⁶) and previously at Taolimiao-Alashan Nur on the Ordos Plateau in Inner Mongolia (up to 3000 pairs³), although this site was recently abandoned⁶. Its non-breeding range is poorly understood, but some are known to winter in South Korea, whist large numbers (up to 3500) have recently been found at Bothai Bay on the coast of eastern China⁴. There is also evidence that some winter inland on the northern flank of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, China. Both breeding and wintering ranges are known to fluctuate widely in response to weather conditions. The population was recently estimated as 12,000 individuals, presumably including less than 10,000 mature birds.
Countries:	Native: China; Hong Kong; Kazakhstan; Korea, Republic of; Mongolia; Russian Federation Vagrant: Bulgaria; Japan; Kyrgyzstan; Viet Nam
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Population estimated at 12,000 individuals by Rose and Scott (1997), but species first breeds in its third year, so number of mature individuals likely to be "substantially below this figure" (BirdLife International 2001).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	All known breeding colonies are below 1,500 m, in the arid-steppe zone, on islands in saline and slightly saline lakes with fluctuating water-levels. No nesting occurs if lakes dry up, if the islands become joined to the shore, or if the water-level is too high and the islands become too small or overgrown with vegetation. Some important non-breeding sites are on estuarine mud and sandflats.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Changes in water-level affect breeding success, and the loss of ephemeral wetland habitats in arid regions, associated with climate change, could greatly affect this species in the near future⁵. Competition for breeding sites and predation by other gulls, as well as mortality from hailstorms and flooding, can affect breeding productivity. Human disturbance has caused increased mortality of eggs and chicks in Russia and China, by making them vulnerable to bad weather, predation and desertion. The major breeding colony at Taolimiao-Alashan Nur , China, has been affected by recent tourist developments. In South Korea, most of the mudflats at the Nakdong estuary have been reclaimed and it is likely that many other coastal wetlands are under similar pressure from development. The major wintering area at Bothai Bay, China, has been affected by reclamation for oilfields, harbours, roads and other developments, and plans are in hand to reclaim 43% of the remaining habitat⁴.

Major Threat(s):

Changes in water-level affect breeding success, and the loss of ephemeral wetland habitats in arid regions, associated with climate change, could greatly affect this species in the near future⁵. Competition for breeding sites and predation by other gulls, as well as mortality from hailstorms and flooding, can affect breeding productivity. Human disturbance has caused increased mortality of eggs and chicks in Russia and China, by making them vulnerable to bad weather, predation and desertion. The major breeding colony at Taolimiao-Alashan Nur , China, has been affected by recent tourist developments. In South Korea, most of the mudflats at the Nakdong estuary have been reclaimed and it is likely that many other coastal wetlands are under similar pressure from development. The major wintering area at Bothai Bay, China, has been affected by reclamation for oilfields, harbours, roads and other developments, and plans are in hand to reclaim 43% of the remaining habitat⁴.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix I. CMS Appendix I. It is protected from hunting in Russia. A nature reserve was established to protect breeding sites in Alakol' lake (Kazakhstan). Breeding sites in Russia are protected in the Tsasuchey-Torey Sanctuary and several localities in Mongolia are Ramsar Sites. A poster campaign has been carried out to inform communities on the Ordos Plateau about the importance of the breeding colonies. A nature reserve has been delimited around the major breeding site at Taolimiao-Alashan Nur, China³. Conservation Actions Proposed Conduct surveys to locate further breeding sites in Russia, Mongolia and China, with the aim of establishing new protected areas. Extend the protected area at Taolimiao-Alashan Nur, China, to incorporate breeding sites used in dry years³. Conduct surveys to locate further wintering areas, possibly including the use of satellite tracking. Survey the southern part of Bothai Bay, China, to determine the full size of the wintering population there. Study its habitat requirements and evaluate the threat posed by development. Increase wardening at major breeding colonies and conduct education campaigns amongst local communities to minimise disturbance. List it as a protected species in Mongolia.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix I. CMS Appendix I. It is protected from hunting in Russia. A nature reserve was established to protect breeding sites in Alakol' lake (Kazakhstan). Breeding sites in Russia are protected in the Tsasuchey-Torey Sanctuary and several localities in Mongolia are Ramsar Sites. A poster campaign has been carried out to inform communities on the Ordos Plateau about the importance of the breeding colonies. A nature reserve has been delimited around the major breeding site at Taolimiao-Alashan Nur, China³.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct surveys to locate further breeding sites in Russia, Mongolia and China, with the aim of establishing new protected areas. Extend the protected area at Taolimiao-Alashan Nur, China, to incorporate breeding sites used in dry years³. Conduct surveys to locate further wintering areas, possibly including the use of satellite tracking. Survey the southern part of Bothai Bay, China, to determine the full size of the wintering population there. Study its habitat requirements and evaluate the threat posed by development. Increase wardening at major breeding colonies and conduct education campaigns amongst local communities to minimise disturbance. List it as a protected species in Mongolia.

Bibliography [top]

	BirdLife International. 2001. Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K. He Fen-qi; Ren Yong-qi. 2006. Alternative choosing of breeding sites of those Ordos Relict Gulls. China Nature 4: 16-17. He Fen-qi; Xing Xiao-jun; Ala Tungbao; Ren Yong-qi. 2005. Impact of climate charge to the breeding colonies of the Relict Gull. In: Li Dian-mo and Xu Ru-mei (eds), Species Endangerment and Conservation, pp. 291-309. Science Press, Beijing. Rubini, B.; Berezovikov, N. N. 2002. The fluctuation of breeding numbers of Relict Gull Larus relictus on Lake Alakol (SE Kazakhstan): a review of surveys from 1968 to 2001. Acrocephalus 23(115): 185-188. Wetland International - China Office. 2006. Relict Gull surveys in Hongjianao, Shaanxi Province. Newsletter of China Ornithological Society 15(2): 29. Yang Liu; Holt, P. I.; Jin-yu Lei; Yu Zhang; Zheng-wang Zhang. 2006. Distribution, numbers and age structure of Relict Gull Larus relictus in Bohai Bay, China. Waterbirds 29(3): 375-380.

BirdLife International. 2001. Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.

He Fen-qi; Ren Yong-qi. 2006. Alternative choosing of breeding sites of those Ordos Relict Gulls. China Nature 4: 16-17.

He Fen-qi; Xing Xiao-jun; Ala Tungbao; Ren Yong-qi. 2005. Impact of climate charge to the breeding colonies of the Relict Gull. In: Li Dian-mo and Xu Ru-mei (eds), Species Endangerment and Conservation, pp. 291-309. Science Press, Beijing.

Rubini, B.; Berezovikov, N. N. 2002. The fluctuation of breeding numbers of Relict Gull Larus relictus on Lake Alakol (SE Kazakhstan): a review of surveys from 1968 to 2001. Acrocephalus 23(115): 185-188.

Wetland International - China Office. 2006. Relict Gull surveys in Hongjianao, Shaanxi Province. Newsletter of China Ornithological Society 15(2): 29.

Yang Liu; Holt, P. I.; Jin-yu Lei; Yu Zhang; Zheng-wang Zhang. 2006. Distribution, numbers and age structure of Relict Gull Larus relictus in Bohai Bay, China. Waterbirds 29(3): 375-380.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Larus relictus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2012.
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