Bird Electrocution and Collisions with Power Infrastructure in Elgazeira, Kassala and Gadarif States, Sudan

Introduction

Power lines are one of the major causes of unnatural deaths for birds in a large part of the African-Eurasian Flyways with, for example, an estimated many millions of collision victims each year in Germany alone [1]. The Rift Valley/Red Sea flyway is the second most important flyway for migratory soaring birds (raptors, storks, pelicans and some ibis) in the world, with over 1.5 million birds of 37 species, including 5 globally threatened species, using this corridor between their breeding grounds in Europe and West Asia and wintering areas in Africa each year. Electrocution and collision with power lines are considered to be a major cause of death for some avian species [1, 2, 3, 4]. Electrocution can occur when a bird perches on a cross`-arm and completes an electrical circuit with two or more body parts. Electrocution can also happen when the bird comes between two energized components or an energized and an earthed (also called ‘grounded’) component of the pole structure.

Collisions, on the other hand, happen when birds fly directly into electrical lines, poles and pylons and the bird is typically killed when it collides with such obstructions and the subsequent impact with the ground, or it dies from the resulting injuries [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. However, birds die either from the impact of hitting the line or from electrocution when they contact two lines simultaneously and complete the electrical circuit [10].

Several studies have shown that electrocution from power lines is a serious conservation problem and is one of the principal causes of mortality among many threatened species of birds [7, 11, 12].

In some areas, it is considered to be the main reason for the decline of endangered species [12, 13, 14]. Collisions may kill anything between hundreds of thousands to 175 Nesradin Y, et al. Bird Electrocution and Collisions with Power Infrastructure in Elgazeira, Kassala and Gadarif States, Sudan. Vet Sci Res 2018, 3(4): 000166.

million birds annually, and power lines electrocute tens to hundreds of thousands more birds annually.

Click to enlarge

Red color: Kassala stste Yellow color: Gadarif stste Blue color: Sinnar state. Map 1: location of Sinnar, Gdarif and Kassala state.

Methodology

Power lines o the three states were intensively studied in two seasons, from 28/6/2015 to 6/7/2015, and another season from 24 December 2015-6 January 2016.Three compilers walking under and at the both sides of the power line to cover about twenty meters at each side.

Dead birds were counted and recorded by location using GPS, then classified and documented by digital camera, and a photo taken for the poles with it's around habitat.

Copyright© Nesradin Y, et al.

Open Access Journal of Veterinary Science & Research

Several studies have already mentioned the importance of counting bird carcasses by the power lines even if this does not represent the actual number or the actual species affected by the power lines, especially the small species [15]. The majority of lines covered on food because most areas ploughed from last season with remain of dura, cotton, vegetables, or bare land. Less proportion covered by car where the lines goes along roads and open areas where the car find its way slowly and more difficulty.

A questionnaire is used to collect information from the local people in the three states, while a form used for cases of dead birds, collision and Electrocution typical copy of which prepared (Bird life international) by Avian demography in South Africa.

Discussion & Results

The study covered a total of 43 lines, Table 1, distributed as follow: 20, 14 and 9 lines for Gaziera, Kassala and Gadar if respectively, which all reflected the affected lines. The numbers of poles that counted are 3935 poles, Table 2, which they distributed along the lines in states as follow: 1351 poles in the Gaziera are 2127 poles in Gadarif and 457 poles in Kassala. The total number of birds’ species is varied the three states, Table 3 Kassala has high number of species during the two seasons followed by Gadarif, the second season 2016 is higher than the first one 2015. In general, the total number of dead species for the whole study is 23 species Table 4. And it will be mention that this may not the real number of species, since the small species may be burned, eaten, burrowed by soil or even pulled away by wind action.

State First season Second season Total Gaziera 9 11 20 Kassala 7 7 14 Gadarif 0 9 9 Total 16 27 43 Table 1: Number of Power lines studied during the study period at the three states.

Nesradin Y, et al. Bird Electrocution and Collisions with Power Infrastructure in Elgazeira, Kassala and Gadarif States, Sudan. Vet Sci Res 2018, 3(4): 000166.

Copyright© Nesradin Y, et al.

Open Access Journal of Veterinary Science & Research

The total number of dead birds is 357 birds. Although this number probably does not represent the actual bird mortality due to electrocution or collision with the power lines, the occurrence of predators, where tracks of a large of dogs, Common genet (Genetta genetta) African civet (Civettictis civetta) and scavingers in many sites were seen along the power lines, could confirm this fact which stated by Shobrak [16]. The type of effect on birds (Collision and electrocution) is shown in Table 5. It reveals that collided birds were 56 individuals of proportion 15.7% while the Electrocuted birds were the most dominant 301 individuals of 84.3%. The remarkable things that both collision and Electrocution were increased in the second season, which can be big challenge in the future. The effect of collision and Electrocution is varied between the states for the same period, Table 5, Figures 2 & 3. Kassala always has a high mortality of birds either for collision or Electrocution at Awadat lines (begins N: 15 46 384 E36 29 713 and end at N: 15 46 031 E: 366 33 436).

Nesradin Y, et al. Bird Electrocution and Collisions with Power Infrastructure in Elgazeira, Kassala and Gadarif States, Sudan. Vet Sci Res 2018, 3(4): 000166.

Copyright© Nesradin Y, et al.

Open Access Journal of Veterinary Science & Research

Click to enlarge

The other line begins at the same point and goes parallel to two kilometers before separate, they consider fatal lines for birds, in spite they are shorter and less number of poles, Table 2, compared to the other states. Gazira state recorded high mortality for collision after kassala while Gadarif came after Kassala in electrocution. The reasons beyond variation in dead number of birds are exactly un known which were determined by the specific factors around the events seasonally (temporary) or annually (permanent) [17, 18] stated that birds from the family Corvidae Passerifоrmes and Storks (Ciconiiformes), most vulenable to electrocution. Raptors and Crows represented 62% of the losses caused by electrocution. Similar results were presented in the research of Demerdzhiev, et al. [18], carried out in four IBAs in Southern Bulgaria, where electrocution of diurnal birds of prey and Crows was suspected for 53% of all detected carcasses. In different parts of Spain these two systematic groups represent 80% to 96% of the suspected electrocutions [19, 20]. Similar results were reported in southeastern France, where raptors and Crows represent 85% of suspected electrocution [7]. The high mortality rates of these species are related to their ecology, as they use electric poles as roosts or perches for hunting [18]. Perching on the poles, the birds sometimes get in contact with parts of the pylons or conductors and die from electrocution [18, 21, 22, 23].

The study agreed with the previous studies above that some species are more valuranable to electrocution in Nesradin Y, et al. Bird Electrocution and Collisions with Power Infrastructure in Elgazeira, Kassala and Gadarif States, Sudan. Vet Sci Res 2018, 3(4): 000166.

many part of the year. The most threatened bird’s species were a group of birds of prey, Figure 4, these are: Lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) 20.7%, Black kite 16.3, Common kestrel (Falco tinnuculu), 15.1%, Abdims’ stork (Ciconia abdimii) 11, 2%, Pied crow (Corvus albus) in Gaziera state with percentage of 8.7%. Albania line N: 14 00 794 E: 33 25 233 to Abu amna N: 14 04 73 E: 33 23 426 and Grayish Owl (Bubo cinerascens) of 7.6%. for most birds the conservation status and the globally population trends are least concern (LC) according to the Red list of International Union of Conservation of nature (IUCN) 2018, in exception of lesser kestrel which is internationally threatened. With Grayish owl.

Click to enlarge

Specific and separated data form for collision and electrocution filled directly in the field at the site of incidence by coordinates indicated that most lines are crossing or passes near agricultural field, the majority are un irrigated.

In most cases the pylons are the higher altitude, animal Caraca s and canals and slouther houses are contribution factors in the vicinity. The type of pole designation used in Sudan (Insulator up) may be important factor never be neglected for increasing bird death (Plates 1-12).

Copyright© Nesradin Y, et al.

Open Access Journal of Veterinary Science & Research

Click to enlarge

Plates: A: Common kestrel in Kassala; B: Marabou storl in Gaiera state; C: Lessser kestrel in Gaziera state; D: Pied crow in gaziera state; E: Black kite in Gadarif state; F: Lesser kestrel in Gadarif state; G: Red necked buzzard in Gadarif state; H: Type of pole; I: Type of pole; J: Type of pole; K: Insulator; L: Common kestrel in Kassala.

Habitat around the cases mostly were agricultural land, irrigated for dura in Egaziera or unirrigated for sesame and dura in Gadarif, kassala and few cases are fallow land. In one different site is Forest of Acacia Seyal at Abu amna village where pied crow aggregated. Most common shrubs and small trees are Sayal, (Balanites aegyptiaca), (Acacia nilotica), (Ziziphus spina Christi) in Elgaziera and miskeet in kassala.

The most remarkable thing that most electrocution under the double poles sometime reach 11 birds in one double poles in Gadarif state, and the collision varied between under the wire and to about 15 meter may the distance depending on the flying speed, wind action or other factor shifting the Caracas.

The historical information from the personnel of electricity corporation stated that they were suffering more from the birds during the rainy season, they explained that large birds with their high wing span ratio Nesradin Y, et al. Bird Electrocution and Collisions with Power Infrastructure in Elgazeira, Kassala and Gadarif States, Sudan. Vet Sci Res 2018, 3(4): 000166.

like storks, Herons and birds of prey caused electric outage when they are perching on the double poles, in this time of the year correspond with growing season begins in July and harvesting of crops on October, surprisingly this period coincides with migration season of many birds species to Sudan.

Species with less mortality may not indicate the real number of death, dogs and other carnivores around, beside the other contributing factors and the variation in the amount of rain fall which affect availability of food and consequently the number of birds that using habitat.

Obviously the study indicate that birds suffered extremely from power lines and need protection and urgent conservation measures in the three states, especially Kassala, where the greatest threat falls on the birds of prey, especially Lesser kestrel and Abuamna area where the crow killed. The death of birds in these areas can be justified that lines in the Kassala station (Awadat) Copyright© Nesradin Y, et al.

Open Access Journal of Veterinary Science & Research

distributes in a network of parallel lines that consist of large number of poles, especially dabble poles where birds perch and nest. Abomna area there is a forest for trees Acacia seyal where the crow is nesting and feeding from the villages around. It is very difficult to obtain accurate and detailed information to predict the occurrence of electrocutions and collision makes it difficult to know how it happened and the circumstances associated, this situation cause growing concern over time about birds not only in this area, but in many part of Sudan as whole.

Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful to the Sudanese Wildlife Society (SWS) and its head, Professor Ibrahim Mohammed Hashim, for the financial support provided for the field studies. We would like to thank The United Nation Development Program (UNDP), Government environmental Facilities (gef) and Bird Life International for the donation and our thanks to the National Electricity Corporation who helped in the field studies and provided some useful information in the states.