New article shows protected areas are contributing significantly to the conservation of rare & threatened birds across tropical biodiversity hotspots. Led by Victor Cazalis (University of Montpellier), the study was co-authored by former Inspire4Nature fellow Joseph Kelly and by Inspire4Nature senior scientists Stu Butchart and Ana Rodrigues.
The study show protected areas retain more bird species of concern – threatened, endemics, forest specialists – than similar but unprotected areas. Protected areas achieve this by preserving forest quantity & quality, which in turn has a positive effect on species of concern. The analyses covered 8 tropical forest Biodiversity Hotspots (regions with high levels of endemism that have already lost most of their original habitat) and were based on data collected through eBird, the world’s largest citizen science biodiversity platform.
Cazalis, V., Princé, K., Mihoub, J.-B., Kelly, J., Butchart, S.H.M. & Rodrigues, A.S.L. (2020). Effectiveness of protected areas in conserving tropical forest birds. Nature Communications 11, 4461 (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18230-0.
(Image by Victor Cazalis, showing the 8 hotspots analysed)