Western Region. Small hopper bands continued to mature in central and western Mauritania where they started to form groups of adults in early December. Control teams treated nearly 3,000 ha of hopper bands and adults. By the third dekad of the month, no further bands were found and control ceased. The newly formed groups of adults moved northwest into Inchiri while others are in the process of moving towards northern Mauritania. There is a possibility that some of these could appear in parts of southern Morocco and western Algeria. The scale of the recent breeding and the current movement is much less than one year ago which suggests that breeding in northern Mauritania during the coming months is likely to be on a relatively small scale and only limited control may be required. No reports were received from other countries in the Region.

Central Region. Scattered adults were present on the southern coastal plains of the Red Sea in Sudan where small scale breeding is expected but may be difficult to detect due to the extremely low numbers of locusts. Although no reports were received, a similar situation is expected in Eritrea, Saudi Arabia and Yemen where good rains fell for the third consecutive month. Scattered adults were present in northern Somalia and no locusts were seen in Egypt during December.

Eastern Region. No locusts were reported in Iran, Pakistan and India. No significant developments are likely in the Region.

In West Africa, no significant rainfall was reported during December in the Region. In Mauritania, temperatures declined steadily throughout the month, dropping to 23-300C (maximum) and 8-190C (minimum) by the end of the month. Conditions were favourable for the survival of locusts in the Tamkarkart, southern Adrar and Inchiri areas of central and western Mauritania but started to dry out during the last dekad. Although there was no indication of recent rainfall in the extreme north of Mauritania where locusts are expected to arrive, conditions have become favourable as a result of November rainfall between Zouerate and Bir Moghrein. In northern Mali, sparse vegetation is thought to be present in parts of the Adrar des Iforas which should be enough to provide shelter for locusts. Elsewhere in the Region, it is dry and unfavourable for breeding.

In North-West Africa, heavy rains fell in Morocco in late December, mainly north of the Atlas Mountains but light showers extended south along the coast to Laayoune. In north-western Algeria, Oueds Bechar and Saoura were reported to be flooded between Bechar and Beni Abbes. Elsewhere, no significant rainfall was reported. Conditions are expected to be generally unfavourable for locust breeding but there may be enough sparse vegetation in parts of southern Algeria and the extreme south-west of Morocco to allow locust survival.

In Eastern Africa, heavy rains fell on the Red Sea coast of Sudan between Port Sudan (54 mm) and Tokar on 18 December where conditions continue to be favourable for breeding. It is likely that good breeding conditions extend further south along the coastal plains into Eritrea as far as Tio as a result of rainfall and runoff from the highlands. In Djibouti, light showers fell on the coast east of the capital. In northern Somalia, green vegetation was reported in several places along the escarpment and coastal foothills.

In the Near East, moderate rains fell during the second week of December along most of the Red Sea coast of Egypt, including southern areas near the Sudanese border, and on the coastal plains of Saudi Arabia at Jizan. Consequently, breeding conditions should be improving in most of these areas. In Yemen, conditions continue to be favourable for breeding along the northern and central Red Sea coast as well as in places along the coastal plains east and west of Aden. Light rains fell at mid month in some coastal and interior areas of northern Oman.

In South-West Asia, moderate showers fell in a few places in coastal (Jiwani, 50 mm) and subcoastal (Turbat, 37 mm) Baluchistan, Pakistan during the first half of December. Light rains fell in the northern interior at Nushki (5 mm) and Quetta (7 mm) during the same period. Elsewhere in the region, dry conditions prevailed.

Mauritania 2,902 ha (December)

In early December, the small hopper groups and bands that were present south of Akjoujt (1945N/1421W) and south of Atar (2032N/1308W) during the previous month continued to mature, reaching densities of up to 80 hoppers per sq. m., and to fledge, forming adult groups at densities up to 12 locusts per sq. m. Ground control operations continued against the bands, treating 2,902 ha during the first two dekads. By the third dekad, no further hoppers were reported in the breeding areas and control operations had ended. Most of the adult groups moved northwest into southern Inchiri and north towards Tiris Zemmour while a few persisted near the breeding areas south of Akjoujt and Atar. Reports from the north at the end of the month suggested that low numbers of adults had arrived in Tiris Zemmour where they were seen near Zouerate (2244N1221W) on the 27th and near Bir Moghrein (2510N/1135W) on the 31st while others were continuing to move into the region.

No reports received.

No reports received.

No reports received.

No reports received.

Further details of locusts reported in the south during November indicate that individual solitarious adults were present in Oued Tamanrasset (2158N/0414E) and at three places near Djanet (2434N/0930E) in the south-east during the month. No reports were received for December.

Low numbers of adults will persist and slowly mature in the south near Tamanrasset and Djanet. Additional adults and perhaps a few small groups could appear from Mauritania in the north-west near Tindouf during periods of warm southerly winds.

Morocco

No reports received.

No reports received.

No reports received.

On 1-2 December, very low numbers of mature adults were reported on the Red Sea coastal plains at four places near Suakin (1908N/3717E) and Port Sudan (1938N/3707E). During the second half of the month, similar populations were found at an additional seven places in the same area as well as in the wadis south of Suakin, in Tokar Delta and in the Red Sea Hills near Tomala (2003N3551E).

No Desert Locusts were reported during December.

Scattered immature adults were present at one location on the escarpment between Hargeisa (0931N/4402E) and Berbera (1028N/4502E) on 2 December and at another location south-east of Bosaso (1118N/4910E) on the 4th.

No reports received.

No surveys were carried out during December.

No reports received

No surveys were carried out during November and December.

No locusts were seen during surveys carried out on the Red Sea coastal plains and in the Western Desert during December.

No reports received.

No surveys were carried out during December.

No reports received.

No locusts were seen during surveys carried out in December on the south-eastern coastal plains near Jask and Chabahar and in the interior near Iranshahr and Kerman.

No locusts were reported during the second half of November and during the first half of December.

No locusts were reported during the second half of November and during December.

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.

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.

Locust activities in Peru. The Locust Group is providing assistance to Peru under a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) project for control of the Peruvian Locust (Schistocerca piceiferons peruviana). The project was approved in December for two years to provide technical and contractual assistance, materials, supplies and equipment, and training.