(PR / 10-01-11)  The Biodiversity Foundation and Guelaya-Ecologistas en Acción Melilla will develop a proyect whose main purpose is to expand the number of groups that assist strandings of cetaceans and sea turtles in the northern coast of Morocco.

This project appears mainly as a result of the work carried out by the marine wildlife group of Ecologistas en Acción, composed of different groups in the Andalusia coastline, Melilla and Ceuta, and has the inestimable and unselfish help of many volunteers.

It was expected that there were similar initiatives in Morocco. The only thing was to join the work of both shores and get results. Last year, Ecologistas en Acción published a report inside the agreements adopted in the 2nd Meeting Alboran of the UICN (International Union for Nature Conservation) in Oujda, Morocco, in 2009, where there were collected data about strandings in the Alboran basin, being AZIR and Moustaqbal the two Moroccan associations from Alhucemas whose work was part of such report.

Later on, the Association Moubadara, from the area Ras el Má (Cabo de Agua), joins the project, and then APROCIB, from Berkane and the Biologic Station of the Chafarinas Islands (National Autonomous Park)..

As it was expected, several Moroccan associations and institutions want to help and are willing to work. Therefore, some organization and coordination is essential when working, although every group keeps own identity, as it can be the use of the same methodology and use of same protocols, exchange of information and knowledge, sharing resources, etc.

The project is called “Formation of a Stranding Network of mammals and turtles in Alboran South- Morocco”. There will be some theoretical- practical sessions in Alhucemas in the second week in January this year, in the geographical centre of the north Moroccan coast.

It is for volunteers from the different North African associations, a total of 30 people. The students will acquire the basic necessary knowledge to take care of the animals arriving with problems or dead to the respective coastal demarcation.

The papers will be directed by Paco Toledano, expert of PROMAR and responsible of the Group of Marine Fauna of the Marine Area of Ecologistas en Acción, with the support of the Moroccan associations Azir (Mohamed Andalousí) and Moubadara (Mohamed Moumni).

Marine Area Guelaya-Ecologistas en Acción.
Tel.: 0034 686.538.137 (Juanjo Villalón).
E-Mail: mar@guelaya.org