Wildlife and biodiversity conservation Malhan Rese

Malhan Reserve in Al-Mahweet Governorate, Yemen, is one of the unique natural reserves that Yemen possesses, through which it embodies the excellence and beauty of the Yemeni environment, which is rich in all forms of plants and wildlife.

It was approved as a natural reserve by a government decree in 2010. It is also known as the “Arabian Leopard Reserve”, as it contains the Arabian leopard, lynx and other wild animals, as well as countless varieties of birds, plants, perennial trees, dense forests and water springs that impress visitors and capture their minds.

Before the outbreak of the war, Yemen had prepared an integrated file on Malhan Reserve in order to submit it to UNESCO in an effort to include it in the list of global natural reserves before everything stopped.

It must be emphasized here on the role of the competent authorities, citizens and residents of the reserve in preserving the natural and environmental components that abound in the reserve, and seriously thinking about implementing service and tourism projects in the region, as this is what will make it a tourist attraction with distinction.

Implemented Activities:

• Coordinating with the Public Authority for the Protection of the Environment for the field trip by the organization's team to the reserve to conduct a field survey.
• A statistic was prepared with the names and pictures of many birds in those areas, among which were known as "dove, partridge, eagle, sparrowhawk, hoopoe; in addition to other types of birds, pigeons, vultures... and many more others."
• Addressing a number of studies on natural areas - which are supposed to be approved as areas of natural reserves for birds in the Directorate of Malhan - in coordination with the Environmental Protection Authority in Al-Mahweet, due to the availability of natural and vital diversity, distinctive and fertile, and the rare birds and wild animals exist there.

Sanid Organization (Nature Conservation Sector) seeks through the official and competent authorities to activate the laws in force in Yemen that provide for the protection of this type of reserves and areas qualified to be bird sanctuaries. For five years, to serve as an example to all those who attack these reserves and their birds, by implementing the following:

-          Monitoring violations against rare birds, whether migratory or endemic, through a volunteer team.

-          To volunteer local activists in the targeted areas on the monitoring and reporting process.

-          Meetings were held with the Environmental Protection Authority and coordination between the organization and the authority in contracting with a legal office and a consultant to review the laws in force in Yemen concerned with protecting rare birds as well as protected ones in general and preserving their beauty as an authentic Yemeni natural cultural heritage.

-          Raising community awareness in the areas where rare birds of all kinds exist, to criminalize smuggling and killing, and to report any dangers to which these birds are exposed.

-          Making visits to educational institutions (schools, universities and institutes) to familiarize students with the importance of preserving and protecting reserves, the most important of which is the Malhan Reserve Develop plans for reserves.

-          Continuous meetings with the competent authorities in the government to activate the role of protection and legal prosecution of the perpetrators of crimes against bulldozing reserves.

-          Conducting an agreement between the organization and the competent governmental and popular authorities regarding the protection and preservation of the reserve.

-          Communicated with trusted and specialized partners on the ground.

-          The community has been educated (awareness sessions by a team of volunteers and interested people.

-          An evaluation questionnaire was conducted on the community's acceptance of the need to protect and preserve reserves in light of wars and conflicts.

-          Continuing to search for financial funding for the purpose of establishing centers to monitor migratory birds, their movements and the risks they are exposed to.

-          Field visits were made to the reserve, accompanied by a veterinary team, to see the health of animals and birds. Ensure that trees are not cut back by citizens and used as firewood.

-          Providing medical care to some birds by giving them vaccinations and special food supplies to keep them alive.

Indicators:

1. A high rate of awareness of the importance of preserving the reserve, not bulldozing it, not using its trees for firewood, and the need to protect it and preserve the beauty and splendor of its nature.
2. The great response from the official authorities regarding activating the laws to protect the reserve and its rare birds and wild animals) and limiting smuggling and killing of it and limiting its demolishing.

Challenges and obstacles:

1. The deterioration of the economic situation in Yemen and its reflection on the environmental deterioration.
2. The government's inability to provide the necessary needs for reserves
3. The lack of strict application of the laws in force by the government against those who neglect the importance of the natural environmental wealth and animals
4. The absence of model reserves.
5. Poor capabilities for monitoring and tracking migratory birds.
6. Lack of support and donations.

Learned Lessons

1. Prior coordination with the competent authorities (the Supreme Council for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - the Ministry of Agriculture - the local community - the Environmental Protection Authority).
2. Getting to know many Yemeni regions in which there are beautiful areas that can be declared as natural reserves.
3. A positive change in the society's view of the reserve and its importance, which has become a more important character than before due to the awareness carried out by the teamof Sanid Organization
4. Continuous communication with donors through GlobalGiving and clarifying the status of the reserve in Yemen.

Monthly Performance Report - Local Partner Sanid Organization (Nature Conservation Sector)

Project: Conservation of Biodiversity in the Malhan Conservation Area

November 2022 / AD

General information about the reserve in Yemen:

• The Malhan Reserve is located in Al-Mahweet Governorate and is characterized by being one of the few sites that still maintains the density of its natural vegetation cover, which depends on wildlife and animal life (mammals - reptiles - and insects ), as well as due to the small number of local residents present in it and their practice of customs and traditions that call for the preservation of that heritage And in the interest of its deterioration, as it exchanges care for them, provides them with their living requirements , and enjoys the beauty of its picturesque nature.

Location:

• Malhan is a mountain of Manea Husayn, west of Al-Mahweet Governorate, overlooking the city of Al- Mahjim from Tihama, and perpendicular to Jabal Hafash from the west, which was known in the past as Rishan. In terms of coordinates, it lies between the following two lines:
• 00  17  43N     30  7  15E
• 3017  43N     0024  15E

Space:

• The area of the directorate is estimated at (320) square kilometers.

the border:

• The borders of the forest coincide with the administrative borders of the Malhan District of Al Mahwit Governorate and the Tihama Plains, which are from the north, Hafash District, from the south, Al Dhaha District, Al Hudaydah Governorate, and Bani Saad District, and from the west, Al Zaydiyah and Al Mikhlaf Districts.

Population:

• The population of the Malhan district is estimated at about (89,224) thousand people (according to the 2004 census).
•  

Executed activities:

• Coordinating with the Public Authority for the Protection of the Environment for the field trip by the organization’s team to the reserve to conduct a field survey.
• Discovering a number of rare bird species in the reserve , including migratory and endemic birds Due to what is available in it of dense vegetation cover and fertile environmental diversity filled with various types of birds , the reserve abounds with many migratory and endemic birds that breed and spread mainly in it, including (Arab partridge - Abu Hammer (Ghayl hen) - Abu Qerdan and Abyssinian crow - Yellow nightingale Disability - Abu Maal Al-Ramadi - Ringed Pigeon - Ablaq Al-Jazeera) Preparing integrated studies on natural areas - which are supposed to be approved as natural reserves for birds in the Directorate of Malhan - in coordination with the Environmental Protection Authority in Al-Mahweet, due to the availability of natural and vital diversity, distinctive and fertile, and the rare birds in it Multiple wild animals . It provides all the factors and elements that enable this directorate to be adopted as a natural reserve, especially after the results of environmental surveys revealed the existence of a large cultural and civilizational diversity and a huge and unique environmental, natural and vital diversity that must be urgently protected from the state of urban expansion and human encroachment, which cannot be achieved unless this directorate is approved New nature reserve .
• A statistic was prepared with the names and pictures of many birds present in those areas, among which were known as “the wanderer , partridge, eagle, sparrowhawk, Abu Qerdan, and the hoopoe; in addition to other types of birds, pigeons, vultures, and others.
• Endeavor with the competent and interested authorities to quickly adopt these areas and other natural areas of the governorate as natural reserves for birds.
• SANED (Nature Conservation Sector) through the official and competent authorities , seeks to activate the laws in force in Yemen that provide for the protection of this type of reserves and areas qualified to be bird sanctuaries . For five years, to serve as an example to all those who attack these reserves and their birds, by implementing the following:
• Coordination and educating the people of the areas where the reserve is located and inhabited by these rare birds 
• Training of volunteers from local activists in the targeted areas on the process of monitoring and reporting violations against rare birds, whether migratory or endemic. 
• Two meetings were held with the Environmental Protection Authority and proposals were submitted on work and coordination between the organization and the authority in contracting with legal offices and consultants to review the laws in force in Yemen concerned with protecting rare birds as well as protected ones in general and preserving their beauty as an authentic Yemeni cultural and cultural heritage.
• Submitting a letter to the Environmental Protection Authority to address the Yemeni government to stop all permits for the release of rare birds in the Malhan Reserve and other reserves.
• Intensifying awareness-raising efforts in areas where rare birds of all kinds are found by criminalizing smuggling and killing, and reporting any dangers to which these birds are exposed.
• Intensifying visits to educational institutions (schools, universities and institutes) to inform students of the importance of preserving and protecting reserves, the most important of which is the Malhan Reserve, in coordination with educational institutions.
• drawing up plans for reserves,
• Continuous meetings with the competent authorities in the government to activate the role of protection and legal prosecution of the perpetrators of crimes against bulldozing reserves.
• Providing medical care to some birds by giving them vaccinations and special food supplies to keep them alive.
• Providing food under the supervision of a veterinary specialist for the Arabian tigers in the Malhan Reserve.

Indicators:

1.  High level of awareness of the importance of preserving the reserve, not bulldozing it, not using its trees for firewood, and the need to protect it and preserve the beauty and splendor of its nature.

1. The relative response from the official authorities regarding the activation of the laws for the protection of the reserve and its rare birds and wild animals) and the reduction of smuggling and killing of it and the reduction of its bulldozing.

Challenges and obstacles:

1.  The deterioration of the economic situation in Yemen and its reflection on the deterioration of the environmental situation.

2.  The government's inability to provide the necessary needs for reserves, including the density of trees, birds and animals.

3.  The lack of strict application of the laws in force by the government against those who neglect the importance of natural environmental wealth and authentic animals.

4.  Lack of standard reserves.  

5.  Poor capabilities for monitoring and tracking migratory birds.

6.  Lack of support and donations.

7.  Prior coordination with the competent authorities (the Supreme Council for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - the Ministry of Agriculture - the local community - the Environmental Protection Authority.

1. Get acquainted with many Yemeni regions, in which there are beautiful areas that can be declared as natural reserves.

Lessons learned:

• Continuous communication with donors through globalgiving and clarifying the status of the reserve in Yemen, which is considered one of the most important natural and indigenous national animal resources in Yemen and the extent of its exposure to danger.

 Upcoming activities:

• Follow up the agreements and minutes of previous meetings held between the organization and the competent governmental and popular authorities with regard to protecting and preserving the reserve.
• Follow up the government in finding legal and logistical government support
• Communicate with the reliable and competent partners on the ground.
• Community awareness (awareness sessions by a team of volunteers and stakeholders.
• Conducting an evaluation questionnaire on the community's acceptance of the need to protect and preserve reserves in times of wars and conflicts.
• Searching for financial funding for the purpose of establishing centers for monitoring migratory birds, their movements and the risks they are exposed to,
• Field visits to the reserve accompanied by a veterinary team to see the health of animals and birds. Ensure that trees are not cut back by citizens and used as firewood.

• Monthly Performance Report - Local Partner Sanid O (PDF)