Information required 
Although any information (published or unpublished) on the ecology of 
sandgrouse, particularly in terms of their ecological roles as consumers and 
dispersers of seed, and as a source of food and recreation for humans, is welcome, 
we specifically require answers to the following questions. 
1 . Where a re high population density nuclei loca ted for each species of sandgrouse? 
2. What are the sizes of these populations? 
3. What are the limiting factors of these populations (e.g. habitat destruction for 
agriculture, human predation, etc.)? 
4. Are these populations (species specific) utilized for human food or recreation 
(hunted, trapped, netted, etc.)? 
5. If so, how many birds are 'hunted' each hunting season/year? 
6. Is this utilization for subsistence, socializing or commerce? 
7. What are the values of these bags as substitutes for traditional protein sources 
or as commercial (paid) hunting? 
Please specify sandgrouse species, specific locality, country, or general region 
relevant to the information wherever possible and send information or addresses 
of any biologists, hunters, conservationists, farmers, etc. who might have such 
information to: Dr R. M. Little or Prof. T. M. Crowe, Gamebird Research 
Programme, FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, 
South Africa. 
References 
ALI, S. AND RIPLEY, S. D. (1969) Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. 
Oxford University Press, London. 
BAKER, E. C. S. (1921) The Game-birds of India, Burma and Ceylon. The Bombay 
Natural History Society and John Bale, Sons & Danielsson, London. 
LYNN-ALLEN, B. G. (1951) Shot-gun and Sunlight: tlie Game Birds of East Africa. 
Batchworth Press, London. 
MEINERTZH AG EN, R. (1954) Birds of Arabia. Oliver & Boyd, London. 
mTHERBY,H.F. (1902)Birdhuntingontlie.WhiteNile. The Office of "knowledge", 
London. 
Mammals of Abu Dhabi 
All records of free-living mammals observed in Abu Dhabi at any time are 
needed for incorporation in a species-by-species review of the status of mammals. 
This will be part of an environmental profile of the emirate. Contributors will be 
fully acknowledged in the work, which will be a baseline of available information 
for all future biologists surveying or observing in the region. Records (including 
those of roadkills), accompanied by as many details of locality and date as 
possible, should be sent to: Dr J. W. Duckworth, Abu Dhabi mammal records, 
East Redham Farm, Pilning, Bristol BS12 3JG, U.K. 
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