2012. Review of Significant Trade - Cites

Balearica pavonina
Barlow and Wacher (1997) reported it as “locally frequent to common […] at a few regular
and well known sites” with occasional sightings in other areas. Gore (1990) considered the
species to be an uncommon resident.
Threats: No information was located.
Trade: According to data in the CITES Trade Database, no trade from Gambia was reported
2000-2010. With the exception of 2010, all annual reports have been received from Gambia.
Management: The Wildlife Conservation Act No. 36 of 1978 did not include B. pavonina in
the list of species for lawful hunting under Schedule III (The Republic of the Gambia, 1978).
GHANA
Distribution in range State: The species occurs in the northeast, including the Lower and
Southern Upper Volta River in northern Ghana and the Oti-Pendjari Basin (northeast
Ghana) (Williams et al., 2003). Grimes (1987) suspected any southern records referred to
individuals escaped from captivity.
Population trends and status: Urban (1988; 1996) estimated the population at
50 individuals. Based on surveys conducted 2000 and 2001, Williams et al. (2003) estimated
the population to exceed 20 individuals. For the site surveyed (Volta Basin), population
trend was reported to be declining (Williams et al., 2003). Beilfuss et al. (2007) estimated the
population size in 2004 at less than 50 individuals.
Grimes (1987) considered the species to be an uncommon non-breeding visitor in the north
during the dry season, and stated that it used to be more common. B. pavonina appeared to
be declining very rapidly in Ghana and few individuals appeared to remain in the wild
(Tréca, 1996b).
Threats: No information was located.
Trade: According to data in the CITES Trade Database, no trade from Ghana was reported
2000-2010. With the exception of 2006, all annual reports have been received from Ghana.
Management: B. pavonina was listed under the First Schedule of the Wildlife conservation
regulations of 1971, prohibiting the hunting and capturing of the species (Ghana, 1971).
GUINEA
Distribution in range State: The species was listed as breeding in the country (BirdLife
International, 2011b). Williams et al. (2003) indicated populations in Guinea at the Upper
Gambia River and in freshwater swamps and rice fields in the upper west of Guinea e.g. at
Iles Tristao-Kadiene.
Population trends and status: Based on surveys conducted in 2000 and 2001,
Williams et al. (2003) estimated the total population size at less than 25 individuals. For the
sites surveyed, population trend was unknown (Williams et al., 2003). The authors noted
that several Crane Areas, including Northwest Guinea, are seasonal sites that did not
support any cranes during the survey period. Beilfuss et al. (2007) gave an estimate of
200 individuals for the country for 2004.
Threats: The capture of live individuals for export to international private markets was
reported to be a particularly significant problem in Guinea (R. Beilfuss, pers. comm. to UNEP-
WCMC, 2011). Illegal trade was reported by Clemmons (2003, cited in Beilfuss et al., 2007)
and K. Morrison (in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011).
Trade: According to data in the CITES Trade Database, between 2000 and 2010 Guinea
reported the export of 73 live, wild-sourced birds for commercial purposes (Table 1).
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