Fauna and flora targeted by A Rocha’s research and conservation programmes

Common to all A Rocha’s national programmes is research into priority plant and animal species within their study areas. A species can be considered to be such when it fits into one or more of the following categories:

Indicator species A species whose presence, absence, or relative well-being in a particular environment is indicative of the health of its ecosystem as a whole.
Endangered species A species of plant or animal that is in danger of becoming extinct throughout all or in a significant portion of its range.
Keystone species A species that is critical for the support of a food web. Its elimination causes the food web to collapse and the ecosystem to change.
Flagship species A popular, charismatic species that serves as a symbol and rallying point to stimulate conservation awareness and action.
Endemic species A species which is only found naturally in a given region or location and nowhere else in the world.

A Rocha combines species-targeted research with wider approaches that will realise longer-term benefits for whole habitats and their species assemblages.

Listed below are the priority species that A Rocha is currently researching and seeking to conserve.

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Birds

SPECIES	A ROCHA ACTION
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis	A Rocha Czech has been experimenting with artificial nest sites following storm damage of formerly suitable nest banks. ARCz’s director has been ringing Kingfishers for nearly 40 years and has noticed a significant decline.
White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus	A Rocha Czech’s young people’s nature clubs have been involved in monitoring local populations of this riverine bird which has been adversely affected by flood damage and acidic pollution. Artificial nest boxes are being made.
Corncrake Crex crex and Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio	A Rocha Czech has focused on these two priority species as part of its monitoring work on the Orlické Záhorí Special Protection Area (SPA).
Little Owl Athene noctua	A Rocha Portugal and A Rocha France have been censusing local populations of this owl which is in widespread decline across Europe. A Rocha Czech has been providing nest boxes for this species in a country where the decline has been dramatic.
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus and Little Tern Sterna albifrons	A Rocha Portugal has since 1992 been monitoring and investigating the internationally important breeding population of Kentish Plovers at the Alvor Estuary. The local breeding colony of Little Terns has also been under study.
Roller Coracius garrulus	A Rocha France has spearheaded studies of habitat and diet of this species at one of its most important European sites, and liaises with landowners on the establishment and monitoring of nest boxes.
Spotted Ground Thrush Zoothera guttata	A Rocha Kenya is a key partner in implementing an international action plan for this globally threatened species, through ringing and monitoring studies.
Clarke’s Weaver Ploceus golandi	A Rocha Kenya has been searching for the hitherto unknown breeding areas of this Kenyan endemic.
Great Snipe Gallinago media	A Rocha Lebanon has designed a scheme for monitoring this bird, which is globally near-threatened, in the Aammiq Marshes.
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus	A Rocha Portugal’s ongoing ringing programme which commenced in 1990 is now concentrating on the effect of climate change on these and other sea birds.
Eagle Owl Bubo bubo	A Rocha France is investigating the status in the Vallée des Baux of this species which is one of the world’s largest owls.
Tristram’s Serin Serinus syriacus	A Rocha Lebanon has developed recommendations for managing habitat in the Bekaa Valley for this Near East species
Pale Rock Sparrow Carpospiza brachydactyla	A Rocha Lebanon has carried out an investigation of the habitat selection of this species. It has been published in Ibis (2005) 147, pages 324-333..
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii and Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata	A Rocha Kenya has developed and implemented monitoring protocols for these species on Whale Island.
Saunders’ Tern Sterna saundersi	A Rocha Kenya has discovered a night roost of 75-100 thousand birds, as part of its survey of the Sabaki River Mouth.
East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi	A Rocha Kenya participates in a survey of this bird which is vulnerable because of its small range and threats to its forest habitat.
Slender-billed Finch Xenospingus concolor	A Rocha Peru has been collaborating with local biologists on research into the ecology and habitat of this threatened west coast endemic.

Mammals

SPECIES	A ROCHA ACTION
Otter Lutra lutra	A Rocha Lebanon has confirmed the return of Otters to the Aammiq Marshes after an absence of almost 40 years, further highlighting the importance of this wetland for freshwater fauna.
African Elephant Loxodonta africana	A Rocha Ghana is trialling an improved elephant censusing method in the Kakum Conservation Area, with potentially wide applicability. This species will also be helped by ARG’s community conservation programme at the Mole National Park.
Asian Elephant Elephas maximus	A Rocha India is investigating the nature of the human-elephant conflicts around the Bannerghatta National Park, with a view to developing management recommendations.
Greater Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum	A Rocha Portugal recorded this notable species for the first time in the Alvor area as part of a preliminary investigation of bats in the area.

Reptiles, amphibians and fish

SPECIES	A ROCHA ACTION
European Pond Terrapin Emys orbicularis	A Rocha France has been monitoring the population of this species in their study area, and put into place restrictions on vehicular access to protect breeding grounds.
Green Turtle Chelonia mydas	A Rocha Kenya supports Watamu Turtle Watch in the protection of a nesting colony on the Kenyan coast.
Painted Frog Discoglossus sp.	A Rocha Lebanon and A Rocha France are investigating the possible presence in Lebanon of a species thought to have become extinct.
Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch	A Rocha Canada has been undertaking salmon habitat restoration in the Little Campbell River of North Vancouver, and monitoring spawners and fry.

Invertebrates

SPECIES	A ROCHA ACTION
Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus	A Rocha US participates in the monarch larva monitoring project, whilst on the other side of the Atlantic A Rocha Portugal has recorded breeding of a recently colonised population.
Swallowtail Butterfly Papilio machaon	A Rocha Portugal has been monitoring the change in the status of this and other butterflies in relation to 12 years of habitat change.
Southern Damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale	A Rocha France has participated in surveys of this and other dragonflies and damselflies, and been actively involved in the conservation and re-creation of their wetland habitats.
Death’s-head Hawkmoth Acherontia atropos	A Rocha Portugal has recorded this amongst over 500 other moth species during 15 years of studies. A Rocha France also carries out moth trapping.
Northern Hawker Aeshna isosceles antehumeralis	A Rocha Lebanon has recorded this dragonfly, which is only known from Greece, Turkey and the Jordan Valley, in a survey that revealed the presence of over 20 other dragonflies and damselflies in the Aammiq area.
Small Desert Blue Chilades galba	A Rocha Lebanon has produced a guide describing this and over 50 other butterflies in the Aammiq area. A similar guide was produced for dragonflies (see above).

Flora

SPECIES	A ROCHA ACTION
Garry Oak Quercus garryana	A Rocha Canada has carried out inventories, management planning and restoration work on rare woodlands composed of this single native oak of British Columbia.
Camphor Thyme Thymus camphoratus	A Rocha Portugal has carried out a detailed study of an outlying population of this endemic Portuguese thyme.
Algarvian Toadflaxes Linaria algarviana and L. munbyana	A Rocha Portugal is monitoring the occurrence of two rare toadflax species that occur at Alvor on vulnerable habitats.
Cork Oak Quercus suber	A Rocha Portugal has a long-standing programme of investigation into the relative importance for biodiversity of cork oak woodland versus modern forestry plantations.
Common Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera	A Rocha UK has identified and is monitoring the presence of this flagship species at its urban park restoration project.
Eelgrass Zostera marina	A Rocha Canada takes part in the monitoring of eelgrass beds in British Columbia, as well as restoration schemes for this valuable keystone species.
Anatolian Orchid Orchis anatolica	A Rocha Lebanon has created a photographic database of plants such as this orchid growing in the Western Bekaa.