Western Region. The small outbreak that began last month in central and western Mauritania continued as more hopper groups and bands formed during November. By the end of the month, small swarms had started to form and another generation of breeding was detected. Ground control operations treated over 10,000 ha during the month. Current infestations may extend into areas of recent rainfall in Inchiri and into adjacent areas of southern Morocco. There is a strong possibility that some adults have already moved into the extreme north of Mauritania and started to lay in areas that have received rainfall. These populations are likely to be supplemented by small swarms arriving from current infestations. In northern Mali, few locusts remain suggesting that the adult groups and swarms reported since early September may have migrated into southern Algeria or northern Mauritania where they dispersed. There were unconfirmed reports of locusts in both areas. Scattered adults were present in north-western Niger.

Central Region. Some adults were present in southern Egypt, eastern Sudan, and in northern Somalia. Good rains fell for the second consecutive month along coastal plains on both sides of the Red Sea in Sudan, Eritr ea, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Although no locust activity was reported, numbers are expected gradually to increase during the forecast period as a result of small scale breeding.

Eastern Region. Dry conditions prevailed and no locusts were reported in Pakistan and India. No significant developments are likely in the Region.

In West Africa, moderate rains fell over northern Mauritania from 12-14 November (22mm at Atar, 20mm at Zouerate and 17mm at Bir Moghrein) while no rainfall was reported in the other Sahelian countries (see map). As a result, vegetation should s tart to become green in northern Mauritania during the next few weeks. Vegetation was still green and conditions were favourable for breeding in central and western Mauritania from western Inchiri to south-western Tagant where moderate rains fell during t he second dekad of the month. Elsewhere in Mauritania, in the Adrar des Iforas of northern Mali, and in Air of northern Niger, green vegetation was limited and confined to wadis and low-lying areas. Vegetation was dry or becoming dry and conditions were g enerally unfavourable for breeding in Tamesna, Niger and in Chad.

In North-West Africa, dry conditions prevailed with the exception of central Morocco where light rain fell. Light to moderate rains may have also fallen in southern Morocco near the Mauritanian border as indicated by Meteosat satellite imagery. Vegetation remained dry and conditions were unfavourable for breeding in the Region except for wadis near the Hoggar Mountains in southern Algeria where ecological conditions were reported to be favourable for breeding.

In Eastern Africa, moderate to heavy rains were reported on the Red Sea coast for the second consecutive month where vegetation was green or becoming green in most areas from Port Sudan to Assab, Eritrea. Light to moderate rains fell on the nort h-western coastal plains of Somalia. In the interior of Sudan, no rainfall was reported, vegetation was drying out and conditions were no longer favourable for breeding.

In the Near East, moderate to heavy rains fell on several different days during the month on the Red Sea coastal plains from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Zabid, Yemen. As a result, vegetation is greening in most of these areas and conditions are favo urable for breeding. Light rain fell over parts of the coastal plains of northern Oman between Sur and the Musandam Peninsula, but vegetation remained dry.

In South-West Asia, no rain was reported in November and dry conditions prevailed in the Region.

Mauritania 10,655 ha (1-30 November)

The small outbreak that began last month in central and western Mauritania continued as more hopper groups and bands formed during November in northern Brakna, eastern Trarza, south-western Adrar, and in Inchiri. The infestations were confin ed to an area east of Nouakchott between Tidjikja, Boutilimit and Akjoujt. Parts of this area could not be accessed by survey and control teams. By the end of the month, the hoppers had reached fourth and fifth instar with densities up to 45 hoppers per s q. m. Fledging was in progress and small swarms had started to form. On the 29th, there was a report of new hatchlings and small first and second instar bands at densities up to 80 hoppers per sq. m. within 3,200 ha in the Tamkarkart area (ca. 1910N/1300W ) of south-western Adrar. This suggests that another generation of breeding had taken place from laying during the second week of November. Although there was no confirmation that adults had started to move northwards, nomads indicated that some locusts were present in the extreme north. Ground control operations increased in the above areas throughout the month, treating a total of 10,655 ha during November.

Low numbers of solitarious and transiens immature and mature adults mixed with fourth to fifth instar hoppers were present at 23 locations in Timetrine, the Tilemsi Valley and the central Adrar des Iforas during surveys carried out on 13-28 Novembe r. This suggests that the hopper bands present during October fledged and many of the resulting adults probably moved towards southern Algeria or northern Mauritania where they may have dispersed.

Low numbers of immature adults were seen at four locations in green wadis in south-western and south-eastern Aïr during surveys carried out on 6-15 November.

No reports received.

No reports received.

No locusts were seen by any of the three survey teams in the Hoggar and Tassili regions during November. There was an unconfirmed report of some adult populations in several areas of southern and south-western Hoggar. Details are awaited.

No locusts were reported during November in the south near the Mauritanian border at Bir Gandouz, Techla and Aousard, and further north near Galtat Zemmour.

No reports received.

No reports received.

A few mature solitarious adults were present at 5 locations in the winter breeding areas on the Red Sea coastal plains around Suakin (1908N/3717E) during surveys carried out on 23-24 November.

No locusts were seen during surveys along the Red Sea coast during November.

Low numbers of immature adults were seen in a few green wadis along the coastal plains north of Erigavo at Xidid (1104N/4725E) and east of Berbera at Biyodader (1024N/4527E) during surveys on 8-25 November. No other locusts were seen on the north-w estern escarpment or coastal plain.

No locusts were reported during November.

No locusts were seen during surveys carried out on 20-23 November along the coastal plains near Djibouti.

No locusts were reported along the Red Sea coastal plains or in the interior during November.

No reports received

During surveys carried out in November, isolated solitarious adults mixed with grasshoppers were seen at a few farms in the agricultural scheme near the Sudanese border at Sharq Oweinat (2234N/2834E). No locusts were reported from the Red Sea coas tal plains, adjacent subcoastal areas or in the oases of the Western Desert.

No reports received.

No locusts were seen during surveys carried out in northern Oman from 18 October to 5 November.

No reports received.

No locusts were seen during surveys carried out in the Hormozgan, Kerman and Bushehr Provinces on 6 November.

No locusts were reported during the first half of November.

No locusts were reported during the first half of November.

No reports received.

Locust reporting. Affected countries are kindly reminded to make sure that locust situation reports are sent to FAO HQ by the 25th day of the month so the information can be included in the FAO bulletin for the current month; otherwise, it will not appear until the following month. Reports should be sent even if no locusts were found or if no surveys were conducted.

Reporting by email. Affected countries are encouraged to send completed FAO Desert Locust Survey and Control Forms with a brief interpretation of the results by email to eclo@fao.org.

Locust survey in Egypt. Photos of a survey in the Western Desert are available on the Internet at: http://www.fao.org/NEWS/GLOBAL/locusts/EGY0011/EGY.htm

EMPRES Consultative Committee. The 3rd meeting will be held in Rome on 7-8 December.

EMPRES (Desert Locust) Western Region Programme. A Planning Workshop: EMPRES activities in the Western Region  Phase I: Pledges and operations, will be held in Nouakchott, Mauritania from 10-15 February 2001.

The Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region. The 23rd Session will be held in Cairo, Egypt in April 2001.

The Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in North-West Africa. The 23rd Session will be held in Algiers, Algeria from 2-7 June 2001.

Desert Locust Control Committee. The 36th Session will be held in Rome from 24-28 September 2001.