Within the scope of the World Bank’s audit of the double-circuit overhead transmission line project from the Gulf of Suez to Samallut (500 kV of length 280 km), as well as the OHTL projects intended to be constructed at Ras Gharib and Ras Shokeir areas, the World Bank representatives requested carrying out a bird carcass survey.
This survey to be carried out for Autumn 2019 and Spring 2020 includes:
· The double-circuit OHTL of Gulf of Suez/Lekela BOO Wind Plant of 220 kV, with the reflectors partially installed, covering about 15 km length.
· The Gulf of Suez/Samallut 500 kV OHTL, with the reflectors installed, covering about 25 km length.
· The existing Zaafarana/Gabal El-Zeit OHTL, covering the section parallel to the two transmission lines currently being constructed by Lekela, of about 30 km length.
EETC commissioned Environics to carry out the required carcass survey, as per the requirements of the World Bank.
Environics cooperates with Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) to carry out the scope of work for this assignment, which includes:
· Carcass survey for eight rounds throughout the peak periods of each of the Autumn 2019 and Spring 2020 seasons.
· Each survey round documents: type of deceased bird, estimated time of its death, GPS location of the carcass, and marking the carcass to prevent double-counting.
· Reporting, which covers: survey methodology; documented data outlined in tables and delineated on maps for the three sites of the survey; data analysis for determining spatial and temporal patterns; comparative analysis concerning the impact of reflector installation, and where possible, comparison of the results of both seasons, to determine the effectiveness of reflectors as mitigation measures for the protection of birds.