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We had a chance to visit two sites in Mongolia from 22 July to 19 August 2002. It was under the Expert Dispatch Program of Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA). Here we report on our visit and waterbirds in two sites.

Ogii Nuur, by T. Shibuya.

Whooper Swan in Ogii Nuur, by T. Shibuya.

Ogii Nuur locates in Ogii Nuur Sum (Village), Arkhangai Aimag (Province), c. 370km west of Ulaanbaatar. The village has an area of 161,780 ha and a population of 3,500 people who are engaged mainly in livestock herding. Ogii Nuur is a mesotrophic, freshwater lake of 3,189 ha and 25.4 km coast line. It has extensive marshes in western and south-western part. Indeed we visited limited area of the lake and marshes, we counted > 1,700 Swan Geese Anser cygnoides, > 300 Bar-headed Geese A. indicus and > 300 Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus. We found first year birds of all these three species. Based on our observation, it is clear that the lake is of international importance for Anatidae. We also recorded a number of other waterbirds, e.g. Anthropoides virgo, Tadorna ferruginea, T. tadorna, shorebirds, terns, gulls and egrets, and birds of prey.

Local people in this village has traditionally used the closed lake carefully, but recently the circumstance of the lake has been getting worse on various factors. Local people has decided to promote and manage the ecotourism to the lake with enhancing the conservation and wise use of the lake and showing their traditional knowledge.

In January 2002, the governor and a staff of the village, together with staff of the Mongolia Ministry of Nature and Environment, joined in the JICA training programme on ecotourism at Kushiro International Wetland Centre in Hokkaido, Japan. After their training programme, Birdwatching Board was established in the village. Our visit aimed at assisting in the establishment of Ecotourism Council with main contribution from the Birdwatching Board.

Terhiyn Tsaggan Nuur locates in Tariat Sum, Arkhangai Aimag, c. 500 km west of Ulaanbaatar. It is a larger freshwater and oligotrphic lake with 80 km coast line at the height of c. 2,000m above sea level. We counted > 900 Bar-headed Geese and confirmed their breeding. We also found other Anatidae species including Whooper Swans, as well as a large breeding colony of cormorants, terns and gulls on a small island in western part of the lake.

The shorter visit in the Terhiyn Tsaggan Nuur forced us to obtain limited information but it suggested us various conservation needs in this Ramsar Site and through the Anatidae Site Network. The JICA project needs further assistance to the Ogii Nuur. We hope various support and assistance from relevant agencies, organisations and experts in co-operation in the flyway.

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