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.

Hifadhi ya Zanzibar Ndege 'Project (ZABICOP)

Background
Global viumbe hai (ni pamoja na maumbile na mazingira tofauti) ni kupungua kutokana na ushawishi wa binadamu (Sutherland, 2000). Misitu ni makazi ya kutoweka, kuchukua mabwawa ya gene wao bandari pamoja nao, pamoja na kimbilio na riziki wao kutoa na aina mbalimbali.
Baadhi ya maeneo katika dunia ni hasa tofauti na wao msaada high idadi ya spishi kutokana na sababu mbalimbali kama vile latitude na ngazi ya kutengwa, kuweka hao chini ya uainishaji wa 'maeneo yenye' ya kimataifa. Moja ya eneo hili unapatikana katika Afrika ya Mashariki ya Kaskazini Zanzibar-Inhambane Musa Pwani Forest, ambapo msongamano wa kupanda miti ni kati ya juu zaidi duniani. Inakadiriwa kuwa kuna mimea 4000 ambapo 1,500 (35%) ni endemic. Pia msaada fauna pana tofauti ikiwa ni pamoja na aina ya ndege wa (Aidha, 2004).
misitu ya Zanzibar ni sehemu ya Tao la Mashariki na Pwani msitu moto doa ambayo ni moja ya viumbe vyote na maeneo mbalimbali. msitu bandari karibu aina 161 ndege, ambayo baadhi ya kuchukuliwa kama kutishiwa kimataifa kama vile ushirikiano wa Tura Fischer. misitu ni chini ya vitisho kali kutoka kupanua makazi bila mpango, na upanuzi wa kilimo hasa katika maeneo ya matumbawe rag. Maeneo hayo walikuwa mara moja kuchukuliwa kuwa na tija ya chini lakini katika miaka ya hivi karibuni, kutokana na mahitaji ya idadi ya watu kuongezeka binadamu na kukuza biashara ya utalii ngazi ya kuingiliwa ni kuongezeka. Vitisho vile pia ni pamoja na Kiholela kukata miti kwa ajili ya kuni za ujenzi na kufanya chokaa lakini kwa uwezo wa chini replenishing. Utafiti wa awali kuhusu makadirio ya 1000ha wa mimea ya asili ni akalipa kila mwaka katika Zanzibar kwa madhumuni mbalimbali. Ya 950ha hizi ni matumbawe rag uoto wa asili.
Kanda ya Afrika Mashariki ni nyumba ya ndege aina ya 585, 22 ya miti katika milima ya Misitu ya Tao la Mashariki na Pwani ni endemic. Ndege na jukumu muhimu kama aina kiashiria katika mazingira yoyote kwa sababu nyingi. Ndege aina anashughulika mapana ya mazingira na historia mbalimbali ya asili na ni sana kutawanywa Wao ni moja ya vikundi maarufu na kumbukumbu kubwa taxonomic, na kufanya hali ya idadi ya watu, mgawanyo na makosa ya aina manageable.. Ndege ni ya juu sana katika mzunguko wa chakula, hivyo mabadiliko katika ngazi za chini ni wazi katika aina ya ndege. Wao pia ni nyeti sana na usumbufu wa mazingira na inaweza kutumika kwa kufuatilia uwezekano wa madhara mabadiliko ya mazingira (Bird Life International, 2004).
Pwani ya Mashariki ya Zanzibar imekuwa kutambuliwa kama eneo muhimu Bird, kutambuliwa kwa makao endemic, aina kutishiwa au vikwazo (Stevenson, 2002). Eneo hilo pia ina tofauti flora na fauna wa aina zote, na kufanya ulinzi muhimu. Ili kufanya maamuzi juu ya uhifadhi wa eneo hilo, taarifa mahitaji kujulikana juu ya aina mbalimbali ya mimea na wanyama wanaohusika. Theluthi moja ya ndege Afrika Mashariki hupatikana katika misitu, ikiwa ni pamoja na wataalam wa misitu, generalists, na wale kupatikana katika, lakini si tegemezi kwa misitu. Uharibifu wa makazi ni ya hatari kwa jamii mtaalamu wa misitu. Ndege hizi mara chache, kama milele, kuondoka...