2012. Review of Significant Trade - Cites

Balearica regulorum
Management: The Mozambique Forest and Wildlife Act (No. 10/1999) includes
requirements for hunting permits (Government of Mozambique, 1999), but does not detail
for which species hunting is permitted.
Parker (2001) reported that the species was found in “notable numbers” in the Maputo
Special Nature Reserve and that it occurred regularly in the Gorongosa mountain and
National Park.
RWANDA
Distribution in range State: The species occurs throughout the country (BirdLife
International, 2011; Meine and Archibald, 1996b), including Kigali and Nyanza in central
Rwanda, Astrida and Rubona in the south and Kisenyi in the north-west of the country
(Schouteden, 1966b). The populations were reported to be “scattered in different wetlands”
(C. Nsabagasani, pers. comm. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011).
Population trends and status: The status in Rwanda was considered to be unknown
(Kanyamibwa, 1996; C. Nsabagasani, pers. comm. to UNEP-WCMC 2011) although it was
thought to be decreasing, particularly in areas close to human settlements (Kanyamibwa,
1996). Its status in Rugezi Marsh Ramsar site was “currently stable” (Nsabagasani, 2010).
Beilfuss et al. (2007) estimated a population size of some hundreds in 2004. Nsabagasani
(2010) recorded a total population of 108 individuals in the Rugezi Marsh Ramsar site in
2009; this was considered to be probably the largest population in the country (Nsabagasani,
pers. comm. to UNEP-WCMC 2011).
Threats: Capture for domestication was considered a main threat to the species
(C. Nsabagasani pers. comm. to UNEP-WCMC 2011; K. Morrison, in litt. to UNEP-WCMC
2011), however it was not known whether any of these individuals are exported (K.
Morrison, in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011). The main causes of the decline in the Rugezi
population included hunting and egg collection (Nsabagasani, 2010). Kanyamibwa (1996)
noted that agricultural conversion had contributed to the population decline.
Trade: According to data in the CITES Trade Database, no trade from Rwanda was reported
2000-2010. Annual reports have not been received from Rwanda for 2003, 2008, 2009 or 2010.
The trade from Rwanda was considered to be significant by R. Beilfuss (pers. comm. to
UNEP-WCMC, 2011) and, based on anecdotal information, although largely illegal, a
portion of it was recorded at border points, but CITES permits were rarely issued and the
trade was usually not reported to CITES. The source of individuals held by households and
hotels was unknown (C. Nsabagasani, pers. comm. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011).
Management: The Ministerial order no. 007/2008 listed B. regulorum as a protected species
and banned all unauthorised hunting (Rwanda Journal Officiel, 2008). C. Nsabagasani
(pers. comm. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011) stated that capture and export permits are authorised
by the Rwanda Development Board/Tourism and Conservation Department.
The species was reported to occur in Rugezi Marsh, which was the only Ramsar site in the
country, and thus the only wetland area where human activities were regulated
(Nsabagasani, 2010).
UGANDA
Distribution in range State: The species occurs in central and southern Uganda (BirdLife
International, 2011; Meine and Archibald, 1996b), although Mafabi (2011) described a wide
distribution in the country. Based on a study in 2005-2006, Olupot et al. (2009) concluded
that most breeding sites were located in south-west Uganda and in swamp areas along the
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