Zanzibar Birds’ Conservation Project (ZABICOP)

Background
Global biodiversity (includes both genetic and ecosystem diversity) is decreasing due to human influence (Sutherland, 2000). Forest habitats are disappearing, taking the gene pools they harbor with them, along with refuge and sustenance they provide to numerous species.
Certain areas in the world are especially diverse and they support high numbers of endemic species due to various reasons such as latitude and level of isolation, placing them under classification of global ‘hotspots’. One of this hotspot is found in East Africa in the Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane Coastal Forest Mosaic, where densities of plant species are among the highest in the world. It is estimated that there 4,000 plant species of which 1,500 (35%) are endemic. They also support wide fauna diversity including bird’s species (Addition, 2004).  
The forests of Zanzibar are part of the Eastern Arc and Coastal forest hot spot which is one of the worlds and most diverse areas. The forest harbors about 161 bird’s species, some of which being considered as global threatened such as Fischer’s Tura co. The forests are under severe threats from expanding unplanned settlements, and expansion of agricultural particularly, in coral rag areas. These areas were once considered to have low productive but in recent years, due to demands from an increasing human population and a growing tourism industry the level of encroachment is increasing. Such threats also include indiscriminate cutting for firewood, construction poles and lime making but with low replenishing ability. Previous study estimated about 1000ha of natural vegetation is cleared annually in Zanzibar for various purposes. Of these 950ha is coral rag vegetation.
East Africa region is a home of to 585 bird species, 22 of the species in the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests are endemic.  Birds play an important role as indicator species in any ecosystem for many reasons.  Bird species occupy a broad range of ecosystems with varied natural histories and they are widely dispersed. They are one of the best-known and documented major taxonomic groups, making population trends, distributions and species counts manageable.  Birds are very high in the food chain, so change in lower levels is visible in bird species.  They are also very sensitive to environmental disturbance and can be used to monitor potentially harmful environmental changes (Bird Life International, 2004).
The Eastern Coast of Zanzibar has been identified as an Important Bird Area, recognized for sheltering endemic, threatened or restricted species (Stevenson, 2002).  The area also contains diverse flora and fauna of all types, making protection essential.  In order to make decisions concerning the conservation of an area, information needs to be known on the plant and animal species involved.  One third of East Africa’s birds are found in forests, including forest specialists, generalists, and those found in, but not dependent on the forest.  Habitat destruction is most harmful to the forest specialist species.  These birds rarely, if ever, leave the dense core forest.  As the amount of core forest remaining decreases, and is disturbed for lumber and stone collection, the birds are faced without appropriate habitats for
their survival.