Source: 
a 
decreed total protection for the ov 
eagle and sea eagle in Norway is very 
timely. The sea eagle is everywhere 
threatened - by slaughter and toxic 
chemical poisoning - but there are esti- 
mated to be about 300 pairs in Norway: 
the only population considered capable 
of ensuring the future existence of the 
species in Europe. 
USSR 
Encouraging meves | 
Kazakhstan , 
An ornithological sesearch centre is 
being established es @ nature reserve in 
the steppes of Nort’ Mazakhstan - on the 
main route to the aarth for birds migrating 
from southern Agia and Africa. The 
world’s northermm@est nesting place of 
greater flaminges is situated there. 
Ornithologists will work, in particular, on 
problems of preventing disease among 
birds, mammals, and fish inhabiting the 
reserve. The government has allocated 
funds to maintain optimum levels at local 
lakes — the first landing sites for millions 
of migrating birds. 
‘Other protection steps have also been 
taken. Shooting of Birds in spring has 
been prohibited; Lake Balkhask and the 
estuary of the River fli (which runs into 
the lake} provide nesting grounds for 
pelicans. white herons, and other rare 
birds, acd have been taken under govern- 
ANIMATI.S 
July 1969,..page 119 
ment protection. 
AFRICA 
National park for Ethiopio 
Despite incitements from international . 
conservation organisations, Ethiopia had 
no real National Parks until the end of 
1968. The start of the first park — occupy- 
ing the major part of the Awash Valley - 
was announced shortly before the recent 
visit of Prince Bernhard of the Nether- 
lands, President of WWF. The new park, 
about 100 miles south-east of Addis 
Ababa, at present covers about 300 
square miles. The magnificent scenery 
and rich fauna is certain to prove a great 
attraction to tourists. The Awash example 
will probably be followed by the creation 
of other parks: in the Semien Mountains, 
the Omo Valley and Rift. 
isaac's bongo in danger 
- The Cherangani Hills, in western Kenya, 
contain a large area of high altitude 
forest (7,500 feet) - the home of several 
animals about which very little is known, 
including bongo, giant forest hog, and 
the golden mole, recently recorded there 
for the first time. The forest is a remnant 
of a typically West African type, and con- 
tains plants not otherwise found in the 
area. Since the Cherangani are isolated 
from neighbouring hills by dry plains, 
eciation has been taking place within 
them, and several endemic plants are 
known. 
The most striking animal in the Cheran- 
gani is the bongo (Boocercus eurycerus 
isaaci), a large orange-red antelope which 
has on its back a number of vertical white 
stripes — usually about 12. This attractive 
animal lives only in dense forest, and has 
very acute senses of hearing and smell. It 
is very shy and consequently little is 
known about its habits. 
Bongo also occur in West and Central 
Africa, but the Kenyan. sub-species, 
Isaac's bongo, is confined to a few mon- 
tane forests, and is numerous only in the 
Aberdare Mountains. Until recently, how- 
ever, the Cherangani Hills have been 
famous as the place to see bongo, 
because of the absence of dangerous 
animals and the presence of salt-licks 
with hides built over them for easy view- 
ing. 
Now, due to poaching for meat and 
hides, the numbers of bongo there have 
dwindled from an estimated 300, ten years 
ago, to no more than one breeding 
group of 15 animals, and perhaps 20 
individuals scattered through the forest. 
No protection is given, and unless some 
measures are taken the animal will be lost. 
Many other strong reasons exist in favour 
of conservation in the Cherangani forest, 
and an expedition from Oxford has made 
recommendations for protection. 
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