Conservation

Djibouti faces a wide range of conservation problems, principally over-grazing of most areas, deforestation, desertification and industrial and urban spread around Djibouti city. Two areas of coral reef around the islands of Moucha and Maskali are designated as protected areas and the Forêt du Day was formerly listed as a National Park but this designation no longer appears to be valid. Enforcement of conservation and environmental legislation is largely non-existent.

The African Bird Club made an award in 2004 for survey and research work on the rare and endangered Djibouti Francolin Francolinus ochropectusby Djiboutian Houssein A Rayaleh, with technical assistance from the World Pheasant Association and the Partridge, Quail and Francolin specialist group of BirdLife.

The African Bird Club partly funded waterbird counts in the country in February 2001. The awards were made in order to train staff from the Djibouti government in survey techniques so that these surveys would become self-sustaining WELCH, G.R., WELCH, H.J. and RAYALEH, H.A. (2003).