Plett Marine birds in full plight
With concerns over the fragility of the plover population in and around Plettenberg Bay growing by the day, conservation organisation Nature’s Valley Trust (NVT) has put a call out to the public to be more vigilant when accessing beaches.
Shorebirds have become synonymous with the majority, if not all, of the beaches in the greater area around Plettenberg Bay, and while there has been a resurgence in the African oystercatcher population in the area, the plovers aren’t doing so well.
The white-fronted plover, a wading bird, is the most prevalent of its kind on beaches around Plettenberg Bay and the only plover that breeds consistently in the area. However, this doesn’t mean these birds are exactly thriving, in fact, quite the opposite.
“Our main concern right now is the white-fronted plover, which has proved, over the last five years, to have an extremely low breeding success rate (10%) on beaches in the greater Plettenberg Bay area and now even lower at Lookout Beach (7,4%) in the 2019/2020 breeding season,” said NVT conservation ecologist Brittany Arendse.
“They have gone locally extinct on some highly visited beaches in Cape Town and their density has decreased by 70% over a 30-year period along the Western Cape coast. We want to proactively prevent a local extinction from happening to these birds here and tackle it before it’s too late.”
Birds in Plett are seeing a decrease in numbers, partly due to dogs being let off their leashes.
Arendse pointed out that one of the main reasons for the drop in local plover numbers – other than natural disturbances such as flooding and predation – is the high number of visitors and companion animals frequenting the nesting areas in breeding season.
“It is not so much the trampling of eggs or chasing of birds that are of concern, but rather the fact that incubating birds are scared off their nests by beach visitors and their dogs in very hot conditions,” Arendse said, adding that plovers incubate to cool their eggs down, as extended exposure to the sun can be fatal for the eggs.
“For the last four years, NVT has focused on the beaches that have the highest density of breeding pairs left and this also coincides with the high-tourism beaches,” she explained.
In light of this, Arendse and the organisation are pleading with the public to be more vigilant when using local beaches. “We ask that beachgoers please stick to the wet sand where possible and refrain from frolicking or allowing kids to play in the dune and foredune areas (those nearest to the sea) as this is typically home to the nesting areas,” she said.
“Be aware of your surroundings – birds will act nervous and defend their territory by frantically calling, faking injury and trying to lure you away or even dive-bombing you, depending on the species. If any of these behaviours are displayed you are already too close for comfort. Plovers are so secretive and inconspicuous that often we don’t even notice when they are feeling uncomfortable with our presence. If you are unsure whether you are too close; you probably are.”
Off-leash dogs can easily wreak havoc on the beaches around Plett, placing the birds in danger, say local conservationists.
Arendse urges people to familiarise themselves with and stick to their local beach’s dog regulations – especially during breeding time, which can be up to eight months in these parts, potentially stretching from July through to late March.
“Beaches are zoned all the way from Wedge Beach at the end of Robberg to Nature’s Valley Beach, with signage at every beach entrance to help you find your preferred zone,” Arendse said. They have been broken down into three zones: red – no dog allowed at any time; orange – dogs allowed on leash; and green – dogs allowed off leash.
Beaches in Plett encompass all three zones, with Robberg and Keurbooms providing kilometres of off-leash areas. “We ask that all visitors and residents please be mindful of the impact we may have, knowingly or otherwise, on the wildlife we all enjoy and visit Plett for.”
When dogs are let off their leashes and allowed to run around freely, they pose a threat to breeding plovers.
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Source: Knysna Plett Herald News