Assessment of hunting pressure on Arctic-nesting shorebirds: first results from the Northeast of Russia

Abstract

Conservation of Arctic migratory birds is based on a holistic approach that considers all habitats of a species within its annual life cycle. Hunting for Arctic-nesting shorebirds in the Northeast of Russia can negatively impact Arctic shorebird populations, especially endangered species. The Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative (AMBI) program was initiated by CAFF in 2015 to improve the conservation status of declining of Arctic migratory bird populations. BirdsRussia began a project to assess hunting pressure on the Arctic shorebirds nesting in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway in 2019 in Kamchatka. This is the first project focused on estimating hunting pressure on Arctic shorebirds in Russia. Its methodology is based on an anonymous survey of hunters. The result showed that about 45,000 shorebirds were hunted per year in Kamchatka, of which 37,000 are Whimbrel, about 1,600 of large and medium-sized shorebirds other than Whimbrel, and about 6,000 small shorebirds of different species. Hunters often do not distinguish between different shorebird species, and by mistake they shoot many birds of protected species; in addition, they often shoot mixed flocks. Such shooting threatens the endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper and other protected shorebirds, such as the Far-Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit and others.