The Aldabra population of the Madagascar sacred ibis, estimated in 2001 to be around 300 to 750 individuals, currently receives significant protection (2). The entire atoll is designated a Strict Nature Reserve and a Natural World Heritage Site, and only small scale ecotourism, deep-sea fishing and limited exploitation of some resources are permitted. However, the conservation of the island and enforcement of its protection are the responsibility of the Seychelles Island Foundation, which requires subscriptions and donations in order to fund its valuable work (5).
In Madagascar, the conservation of the Madagascar sacred ibis is much less stringent; currently, 70 percent of its population is found outside of protected areas. In those areas that are protected, enforcement of legislation is lacking. Hence, there is a clear requirement for the improvement of this enforcement and for the creation of additional areas of protection (2). Recently, there have been some positive developments towards this goal; in 2005 the Malagasy Association Voronosy was formed to specifically protect the Madagascar sacred ibis in the region of Bombetoka Bay. The programmes implemented by this organisation have helped to educate local people about the plight of this species and there are now plans to develop local protected areas. The organisation also intends to benefit the livelihoods of the local people by giving them the chance to offer eco-tourism boat trips, and develop the use of alternative sources of food, such as keeping egg-laying hens (6). As a measure of the organisation’s success, the programs that they have already implemented resulted in an increase in numbers of young birds in 2006. The conservation organisation, BirdLife, is also working towards protecting this species. As a result of its ongoing Madagascar Action Plan, in 2007, a temporary decree was made to protect the Mahavavy-Kinkony Wetlands, an area of almost 3,000 square kilometres that harbours a significant number of Madagascar sacred ibis. The organisation is currently working towards making this a permanent zone of protection (7). Conservation efforts such as these will help to assure the survival of this distinctive bird and the other threatened species with which it shares its habitat.