香港觀鳥會研究經理余日東7月17至18日遠赴蒙古，出席「卷羽鵜鶘國際保育會議」，與相關國家的保育團體一起尋求保育卷羽鵜鶘的方案。相信很多香港觀鳥會會員仍然懷念昔日隆冬時份，身軀龐大的卷羽鵜鶘來到后海灣棲息的日子。但由於卷羽鵜鶘的數量下降，牠們已經很少出現在后海灣，香港最後一次紀錄已經是2009-10年的冬季。鳥類學家估計，現時在東亞－澳大利西亞遷飛區的卷羽鵜鶘只剩下少於150隻。蒙古是卷羽鵜鶘在東亞最後一個繁殖地，因此保育工作刻不容緩，必須制定合適的長遠保育措施。
Mr Yu Yat-tung, Research Manager of HKBWS, joined the meeting on 17-18 July 2019 in Mongolia to discuss and seek further international collaboration for conservation of the Dalmatian Pelican. Many of our members are still missing the winter days in Deep Bay that the magnificent pelicans loafed in front of the birdwatching hide at the Deep Bay. Due to its population decline, this species has become very rare in Deep Bay and the last bird was recorded in winter 2009/10. The current population of the Dalmatian Pelican in East Asian-Australasian Flyway is estimated below 150 individuals, hence conservation activities are urgently required for the sake of long-term survival of this species in this region. Mongolia is the last breeding ground for these pelicans in the region.
在「東亞－澳大利西亞遷飛伙伴關係」(EAAFP) 的支持下，超過30名來自蒙古、中國、俄羅斯及希臘的專家參與在蒙古舉行的國際保育會議，討論卷羽鵜鶘的現況及未來的保育措施。香港觀鳥會研究經理余日東亦應邀出席是次會議，分享觀鳥者搜集有關卷羽鵜鶘在香港后海灣的度冬狀況及長期的水鳥普查計劃，令與會者了解更多卷羽鵜鶘在后海灣度冬的行為及生境。會議期間，由「東亞－澳大利西亞遷飛區伙伴關係」的統籌下成立卷羽鵜鶘工作小組，並起草相關的保育工作計劃，工作小組成員需要更多支持才能開展這一系列的保育工作。期待已久的卷羽鵜鶘保育工作終於展開，或許，這是保育牠們的最後機會，請與我們一同守護這獨特而壯碩的卷羽鵜鶘！
With support from East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP), this meeting was held at Khar Us National Park, Khov Province, Mongolia and more than 30 participants from Mongolia, China, Russia and Greece joined to discuss the current situation and future conservation activities for the population in the flyway. HKBWS presented background information of the pelican in Deep Bay collected from birdwatcher’s records and long-term waterbird monitoring programme, and this provided some understanding of behaviour and habitat uses of pelicans wintering in Deep Bay. During the meeting, a Dalmatian Pelican Task Force under EAAFP is established to coordinate and draft a work plan of conservation activities for this species. Members of the task force will need to find supports to conduct these activities. This is a long-waiting start for safeguarding the last pelicans in East Asia, and perhaps it is the last chance for them.
