|
|
Puffinus mauretanicus
– Critically Endangered
Taxonomy
|
Kingdom:
|
ANIMALIA
|
|
Phylum:
|
CHORDATA
|
|
Class:
|
AVES
|
|
Order:
|
PROCELLARIIFORMES
|
|
Family:
|
PROCELLARIIDAE
|
|
Scientific Name:
|
Puffinus mauretanicus
|
|
Species Authority:
|
Lowe, 1921
|
|
Common Name/s:
|
| English | — | BALEARIC SHEARWATER |
|
|
Taxonomic Notes:
|
Puffinus yelkouan (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into P. yelkouan and P. mauretanicus following Brooke (2004).
|
Assessment Information
|
Red List Category & Criteria:
|
CR A4bce ver 3.1 (2001)
|
|
Year Assessed:
|
2005
|
|
Assessor/s:
|
BirdLife International
|
|
Evaluator/s:
|
Butchart, S. & Stattersfield, A. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)
|
|
Justification:
|
This species has a tiny breeding range and a small population that is undergoing an extremely rapid population decline due to a number of threats, in particular predation at breeding colonies by introduced cats, and by-catch of foraging birds by long-line fisheries. Population models predict a decline of 98% within 54 years (three generations). It qualifies as Critically Endangered because of the very severe nature of these declines.
|
|
History:
|
| 2000 | - | Lower Risk/near threatened (BirdLife International 2000) |
| 2004 | - | Critically Endangered (BirdLife International 2004) |
|
Geographic Range
|
Range Description:
|
Puffinus mauretanicus breeds in the Balearic Islands, Spain. Its breeding population has been recently estimated at 1,750-2,125 pairs1,3 and at 1,447-1,927 pairs2, both significant reductions from the 3,300 breeding pairs estimated in 1991. However, there has been no exhaustive census due to the inaccessibility of breeding sites and this precludes an accurate estimation of population trends. Up to 70% of the population breeds in cliffs on Formentera and surrounding islets. The remainder of the population are on Mallorca, Cabrera, Menorca and Ibiza, primarily on islets rather than the main islands themselves. In winter, it occurs in the Balearic Sea and on the north-east Spanish coast with most of the population concentrated between Valencia and Catalonia from November to February. Some birds migrate north to seas off the British Isles and the south of the Scandanavian Peninsula1.
|
|
Range Map:
|
 (click for detailed map)
|
|
Countries:
|
Native:
Algeria; Gibraltar; Ireland; Morocco; Portugal; Spain (Baleares); United Kingdom
Vagrant:
Belgium; Cape Verde; Germany; Greece; Israel; Italy; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Sweden
|
|
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:
|
Native:
Atlantic-eastern central; Atlantic-northeast; Mediterranean and Black Sea
|
Population
|
Population Trend:
|
|
Habitat and Ecology
|
Habitat and Ecology:
|
Puffinus mauretanicus breeds on cliffs and small islets, is very philopatric and lays only one egg. When raising young from September to late June, birds form concentrations on the east coast of Spain. Most birds leave the Mediterranean for a post-breeding moult in the Bay of Biscay, though some remain in the Alboran Sea.
|
|
System:
|
Terrestrial; Marine
|
Threats
|
Threats:
|
This is a long-lived species and therefore immediate threats affect adult mortality. Threats include predation by introduced cats Felis domestica, genets Geneta geneta and rats Rattus rattus. Long-line fishing appears to be a more significant threat than previously thought with birds becoming hooked and then drowned. The species's gregarious behaviour and its close association with fishing boats means that occasional "mass mortality" occurs when long-line boats fish close flocks. Such an event probably caused the death of c.50 birds near Tarragona in 1999-20001. The importance of fish waste from trawl fishing has become a very important source of food during the reproductive period as other sources of food, e.g small pelagic fish populations, have declined. A reduction in the amount of this waste that is disposed of at the sea, along with a ban on trawl fishing during two months in spring, could be a serious threat to the species and reduce its reproductive success1. The National Hydrological Plan (Spain) will reduce the amount of nutrients discharged at the Ebro delta and this will further reduce fish stocks in this key feeding zone for Puffinus mauretanicus1. Available habitat for breeding is decreasing through encroachment by mammalian predators and urbanisation of the coastal zone. This is concerning as Puffinus mauretanicus apparently has greater difficulty in recolonising suitable habitat than other shearwaters1. Pollution is a possible threat, e.g. from hydrocarbons and high mercury levels1. The mercury problem might be accentuated as the sea area close to the Ebro delta has higher than normal mercury levels1. The potential threat of oil pollution should not be ignored. There is limited harvesting of adult birds on Formentera, which may have had a very negative effect over recent decades1.
|
Conservation Actions
|
Conservation Actions:
|
Conservation measures underway:
In 2000 the Balearic Government designated three new Special Protection Areas such that all the Important Bird Areas for nesting Puffinus mauretanicus are now protected1. Funds have been made available for the removal and control of mammalian predators from various colonies on Mallorca and Formentera1. A current project is assessing the impact of long-line fishing on Puffinus mauretanicus and other relevant seabird species in the Columbretes Islands1. A European action plan was published in 2000.
Conservation measures proposed:
Develop a wide and well coordinated conservation and recovery strategy involving relevant partners to study population trends, size and distribution; threats and competition with other bird species.1 Control and eradicate predators in breeding colonies identified to be at risk. Evaluate eradication of rabbits. Thoroughly study the problem of by-catch by long-line fishing and develop awareness campaigns directed at the fishing industry, in order to mitigate this threat. Ensure effective protection for nesting sites and monitor management plans. Raise awareness and stop human exploitation. Study small pelagic fish populations in the western Mediterranean and in the Vizcaya gulf to assess extent of over exploitation and how this affects Balearic Shearwaters. Ensure that bans on trawl fishing is coordinated to avoid the total absence of fishing waste. Assess the impact of pollutants and heavy metals on this species. Develop a rapid response plan for a potential oil spill close to main feeding and breeding areas. Investigate the potential establishment of marine protected areas to conserve this species.
|
|
|
