Samson Zelleke
- Project name: Threats and population status of sedentary and migratory Egyptian Vultures in Ethiopia.
- Project site: Amhara, Afar & Oromia regions of Ethiopia
- EDGE species: Egyptian vulture, Neophron percnopterus
- Active: 2020 - ongoing
Biography
Samson is a freelance environmental consultant in Ethiopia, and has recently joined the Ethiopian Wildlife & Natural History Society (EWNHS) as a communications officer. He has a MSc in Environmental Science for Addis Ababa University.
Samson hopes that the Fellowship will help him to develop skills in project planning, implementation and leadership skills. He would also like the opportunity to develop raptor-specific research design and field methods to update his knowledge and experiences. Samson also believes that the Fellowship will give him necessary exposure to the international community for further collaboration in conservation and research.
EDGE Project
Samson’s project aims to improve knowledge on the breeding ecology and extent of electrocution threat on Egyptian Vulture in four localities of Afar, Oromia and Amhara regions.
His objectives are to:
- Estimate the number of Egyptian vulture electrocuted by unprotected power lines along the migration flyway in the region of Oromia and Afar, Ethiopia;
- Identify and map priority-breeding sites of Egyptian vulture in Debrelibanos and Debresina;
- Estimate (conservative) the economic repercussions of bird strikes by power line infrastructure on the Ethiopian Electric Service company;
- Increase conservation awareness of vultures among 1000 school children in Methara and Logia town and other stakeholders by sharing project findings in a workshop.
