FAO DESERT LOCUST BULLETIN NO. 251 (issued 7 September 1999)
GENERAL SITUATION DURING AUGUST 1999
FORECAST UNTIL MID-OCTOBER 1999
1. SUMMARY
The Desert Locust situation remained calm during August even though conditions are favourable in the summer breeding areas. Only low numbers of solitary locusts were reported in parts of the Sahel of West Africa and Sudan, northern Somalia and Yemen where they are expected to mature and breed on a small scale. Low numbers of adults reported along the Indo-Pakistan border are maturing and limited breeding is expected. Even if the summer rains continue, no significant developments are expected due to the extremely low numbers of locusts currently reported.
Western Region. Good, and in some places unusually heavy, rains fell in the Sahel. As a result, conditions were favourable in Mauritania, southern Tamesna and the majority of the wadis of the Adrar des Iforas in Mali and in Aïr in Niger. Although no locusts were reported from any country in the Region, small scale breeding may occur. No significant developments are expected.
Central Region. As a result of good to unusually heavy rainfall, vegetation is green and conditions are suitable for breeding in the interior of Sudan, the Railway area of Ethiopia, the escarpment of northern Somalia, the interior of Yemen and on the southern Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Conditions remained dry in Egypt. No breeding was reported during August and only a low numbers of adults were present in parts of northern Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Although small scale breeding is likely to occur, no significant developments are expected.
Eastern Region. Scattered maturing adults at low densities were present in a few places of the Tharparkar Desert, in Pakistan, and in Rajasthan, in India, where conditions were suitable for breeding. In Iran, very low numbers of mature adults were seen on the southeastern coastal plains.
2. WEATHER & ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN AUGUST 1999
Unusually heavy rains fell along the Red Sea coast of the Saudi Arabia, in Rajasthan of India and in parts of Sahel of West Africa and Sudan. Vegetation is green or becoming green. Breeding conditions have improved in all the areas of recent rain.
In West Africa, the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) mainly fluctuated between 16-24N during the month and reached 25-27N at times after mid month. Good rains fell in the Sahel and breeding conditions have improved in most areas. In Mauritania, light to moderate rains fell throughout the south and unusually heavy rains were recorded at Aïoun El Atrouss. Green vegetation extended northwards to central Tagant. In Mali, unusually heavy rains fell in Tombouctou and Kidal. Satellite imagery for the second dekad suggests that vegetation is green north of Tombouctou and Menaka and in the majority of the wadis of the Adrar des Iforas. In Niger, moderate to heavy rains fell in the northwest where vegetation is green up to southern Tamesna and to Agadez. The majority of the wadis of Aïr were green by the end of the second dekad. Cold clouds over northeastern Mali and northwestern Niger on several days in August suggest that parts of Tamesna may become suitable for breeding within the coming weeks. In Chad, light to moderate rains fell during the month and green vegetation extends northwards to Fada.
In North-West Africa, hot dry weather was reported in Algeria and Morocco and vegetation was dry in both countries. In Morocco, unusually moderate rain fell over south of the Atlas Mountains and on the southern coast during the last days of the month (Ouarzazate, 27mm; Tan-Tan, 23mm) but the conditions remain dry. Unusual rains were also reported in parts of central Algeria (Adrar, 15mm; Bechar, 16mm) and conditions are suitable for breeding west and southwest of the Hoggar. Winds were mainly from the southwest over the Algerian Sahara and from the west and northwest over Morocco. Few locusts are thought to be present that could take advantage of these rains.
In Eastern Africa, the ITCZ laid between 18-22N during August. In Sudan, moderate to heavy rains fell in Northern Darfur, Northern Kordofan and in the Northern Province near Atbara. Vegetation is green and conditions are suitable for breeding over large portions of the interior. Dry conditions prevailed along the Red Sea coastal plains despite rainfall near Port Sudan at the end of the month. Satellite imagery suggests that some wadis are green in the western lowlands in Eritrea. Light to moderate, and locally heavy, rains fell in the Railway Area of Ethiopia where vegetation is green. In northern Somalia, good rain fell at times during the month and the vegetation is green on the escarpment near Hargeisa. In both countries, breeding conditions are expected to improve.
In the Near East, cold clouds were present at times over the southern Red Sea coast. In Saudi Arabia, unusually heavy rains fell at Jizan several times during the month. In Yemen, light to moderate rains fell at the end of the month over the Tihama coastal area where breeding conditions are expected to improve. Moderate rains also fell in the eastern desert between Ataq, Ayad and Wadi Markhah and vegetation is becoming green. Satellite imagery for the second dekad suggests that the Red Sea coasts of Saudi Arabia and Yemen were still dry but breeding conditions will improve in areas of recent rains. Conditions are reported as dry in Kuwait and Egypt. In Oman, light to moderate rains fell in the northern interior where dry and hot conditions prevail.
In South-West Asia, unusually moderate to heavy rains fell during August in the summer breeding areas of Khairpur desert in Pakistan (Sukkur and Rahimyar Khan districts) where conditions were becoming favourable for breeding. In India, unusually heavy rains occurred at many places in Jaisalmer and Jodhpur districts during the first fortnight and conditions are reported as very suitable for breeding.
3. AREA TREATED
No control operations were reported during August for the fourth successive month.
4. DESERT LOCUST SITUATION & FORECAST
(See also the summary on the first page)
WEST AFRICA
Mauritania
• Situation
No Desert Locusts were seen during surveys carried out in the east and the southeast during August.
• Forecast
Low numbers of solitarious adults are likely to be present in central and southern areas where they will lay eggs now with the improvement of breeding conditions. No significant developments are likely.
Mali
• Situation
No reports were received.
• Forecast
Isolated locusts are likely to be present in a few areas in the Adrar des Iforas and Tamesna. Small scale breeding could occur in these areas.
Niger
• Situation
Some solitary mature adults were observed in Tamesna during the first dekad of August.
• Forecast
Isolated locusts are likely to be present in Aïr and increase slightly in Tamesna as a result of small scale breeding during the forecast period.
Chad
• Situation
No reports received.
• Forecast
Some isolated adults could be present and breed south of Fada.
Senegal
• Situation
No reports received.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Guinea Conakry
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
NORTH-WEST AFRICA
Algeria
• Situation
No locusts were reported during August.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
Morocco
• Situation
No locusts were seen in the south and the southeast during August.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
• Situation
No locusts were seen during August.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
Tunisia
• Situation
No reports received.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
EASTERN AFRICA
Sudan
• Situation
In mid-August, there was an unconfirmed report of solitary adults near Shendi (1627N/3320E), between Khartoum and Atbara. No other locusts were observed during ground surveys carried out in Northern Kordofan during August.
• Forecast
Low numbers of adults are likely to be present and breeding on a small scale in the summer breeding areas of Northern Darfur, Northern Kordofan, Kassala and Northern Provinces where the vegetation is green. No significant developments are likely.
Eritrea
• Situation
No reports received.
• Forecast
Isolated adults may be present and could breed on a small scale in areas of green vegetation in the western lowlands.
Somalia
• Situation
Low numbers of mature locusts were seen on the escarpment near Boroma and east Hargeisa on 20-28 August.
• Forecast
Small scale breeding may occur in a few places on the escarpment.
Ethiopia
• Situation
No locusts were seen during surveys near Dire Dawa in early August and between Jijiga and AsbeTeferi (0903N/4043E) during the third week.
• Forecast
A few adults could be present in the Railway Area and may breed in the areas of green vegetation.
Djibouti
• Situation
No reports received.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
NEAR EAST
Saudi Arabia
• Situation
No locusts were reported during August.
• Forecast
Isolated adults may appear and breed on a small scale in areas of recent rainfall on the southern Red Sea coast near Jizan.
Yemen
• Situation
Only one locust was seen on 9 August in the interior desert at Al-Jahwa (1432N/4634E) during a survey carried out south of Ayadh.
• Forecast
Low numbers of adults may be present and breed on a small scale in the interior where rains were widespread in June and July. A few adults may appear on the Red Sea coastal plains in areas of recent rainfall.
Egypt
• Situation
There was an unconfirmed report of solitary Desert Locust hoppers mixed with grasshoppers in the western desert, at Sh.Oweinat (2240N/2845E).
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
Kuwait
• Situation
No locusts were reported during August.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
Oman
• Situation
No desert locusts were reported during August.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
United Arab Emirates
• Situation
No reports received.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Syria Arab Republic and Turkey
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
SOUTH-WEST ASIA
Iran
• Situation
Very low numbers of mature adults were seen at one of 11 sites surveyed near Jask (2540N/5746E) on 6-11 and 14-18 August where dry conditions prevailed.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.
Pakistan
• Situation
Isolated maturing adults at densities 1- 9 per ha were found in Uthal, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Bahawalpur and Rahimyar Khan districts during the first dekad of August.
• Forecast
Small scale breeding is likely to occur in the areas of recent rainfall along the Indo-Pakistan border.
India
• Situation
In Rajasthan, scattered adults at densities up to one per ha were seen during the first fortnight at three sites in Barmer District and at one place in Bikaner District. Up to five locusts per ha were seen at one place in Jaisalmer district. During the second fortnight, scattered adults at densities up to 5 per ha were reported from six localities of Jaisalmer district, in Rajasthan.
• Forecast
Small scale breeding is likely to occur mainly in Jaisalmer district.
Afghanistan
• Situation
No reports received.
• Forecast
No significant developments are likely.