courtesy of: The Morning News
On March 18, 2011, Aruba’s National Anthem and Flag Day, the Department of Culture, in cooperation with Arikok National Park and Aruba Birdlife Conservation, will have its first National Bird Count. Everyone is invited to participate during this important fact-finding event.
Presently, there are 224 different bird species registered on Aruba. However, our island is very concerned about the bird population largely due to the menace of a quickly increasing number of Boa Constrictors, which are not natural to our environment, and have no known predator controlling their rapid propagation. As in many places, man’s continual encroachment on wildlife habitats in the name of development is also a principal menace to our birds.
The concept of The National Bird Count, to be held annually, will serve as an instrument to monitor our bird population, introduce strategic plans and stimulate citizens to respect and take care of our nature.
Participation is simple. Organizers ask all islanders, on March 18, just sit in their gardens for 15 minutes, between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m. when birds will be most active, and carefully observe and count the birds around your premises. There is an attractive instruction form available for FREE to aid in the bird count and make it fun and educational for all ages. These forms are then to be delivered at stipulated delivery places and will be used to compile important data regarding our avian population. It is requested that all who participate are diligent in turning in the forms, as it is necessary in assessing the threat accurately.
More information will be issued in due course.
