it imposed in 1993 on trade in Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata, 
Hoopoe Upupa epops, Ostrich Struthio camelus and species of pelican, 
crane, flamingo, stork, owl and some otiier birds of prey. Trade in other 
animals covered by the ban remains prohibited (Source: TRAFFIC Bulletin 
14(1): 11.) 
YEMEN 
New conservation group - A conservation group to promote av^areness of 
the issues and to sponsor a major project each year for the benefit of 
wildlife has been initiated by the Yemen Times following public interest 
in a series of articles on conservation and the environment rim by the 
newspaper. (Source: Network News 2 (2).) 
Socotra proposed as Biosphere Reserve - A proposal to desigr\ate Socotra as 
a Biosphere Reserve is being prepared by UNESCO and Yemen's 
Environmental Protection Council. The results of the OSME 1993 
Expedition are being used in the preparation. 
Outbreak of war - The outbreak of war has halted the formation of a non- 
governmental wildlife conservation organisation. We hope that 
conservation activities will resume with the end of the war. 
WORLD BIRDWATCH 1993 
BirdLife International organised a world birdwatching event on 9-10 
October 1993. The aim was to get as many people out birdwatching as 
possible over one weekend and to record as many of the world's 9,000 
species as possible. The magnitude of the response was enormous and 
staggered all involved. 256 organisations from 99 countries participated 
including nine countries in tfie OSME area: Bahrain, Cyprus, Jordan, 
Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. 
A total of 2,732 species was seen worldwide. The next World Birdwatch 
will be on 7-8 October 1995. 
RED SEA AND GULF OF ADEN ACTION PLAN 
In January experts from the member states of the PERSGA (Programme 
for the Environment of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden) Convention 
met at the Arab League Headquarters in Cairo to draw up a new Action 
Plan. This is necessary because of increased coastal developments, the 
growth of tourism and the spread of industry. It is essential that 
developments in these important marine areas are environmentally 
sound and sustainable. (Source: Network News 2 (2).) 
WETLAND INVENTORY 
An inventory of Middle East wetlands is currently being prepared in a 
joint venture between lUCN, WWF, the Ramsar Bureau, the International 
Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau (IWRB) and Birdlife 
25 
