A
Red-breasted Goose Conservation Workshop took place during
23-25 February in Moscow, Russia. The workshop was organized
by the Red-breasted Goose International Working Group and
was hosted by the Goose, Swan and Duck Study Group of Northern
Eurasia, Moscow Zoo and the Institute of Ecology and Evolution
of the Russian Academy of Science.

The meeting was generously
supported by the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA),
the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds(RSPB), the
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT),
Vogelbescherming
Nederland, and Moscow
Zoo.



The Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis) is a
globally threatened species breeding in the Russian arctic,
migrating through Kazakhstan and Russia, and wintering in
Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria.

The
meeting in Moscow was attended by around 25 people, actively
working in the field of Red-breasted Goose research and
conservation, including participants from Russia, Kazakhstan
and Ukraine as well as experts from WWT, Wetlands International,
and representatives from the Goose, Swan and Duck Study
Group of Northern Eurasia (RGG), Moscow Zoo and the Institute
of Ecology and Evolution of Russian Academy of Science.

The aim of the workshop was three-fold:
to develop the draft International Species Action Plan,
particularly to ensure input from Russia, Kazakhstan and
Ukraine; to develop and improve links with the RBGIWG in
these countries; and to provide an update on conservation
and research activities on the species and review the potential
for future collaborative projects.

Presentations on monitoring and research
activities in the breeding, staging and wintering grounds,
covering the results of recent monitoring throughout the
range, highlighting threats and issues for the geese, notably
fluctuations in water levels and fires. Results were also
presented for studies on the breeding grounds, including
associations with nesting raptors, and the potential effects
of climate change.

Talks
also covered IBAs in Kazakhstan, and Wetlands International’s
Wings over Wetlands Project and Critical Sites Network Tool,
the WoW Training and Awareness Raising program and their
relevance to Red-breasted Geese.

The Moscow Zoo provided accommodation for
the participants as well as a conference hall. During a
short excursion through the Zoo, participants were able
to see different waterbird species, among them also globally
threatened species, such as Red-breasted Goose.

For more information about the Red-breasted
Goose Conservation Workshop, please visit the RBGIWG website
at

www.brantaruficollis.org