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Desert Locust Bulletin 437 (February 2015) [EN/AR]

Countries
Sudan
+ 47 more
Sources
FAO
Publication date

General Situation during February 2015
Forecast until mid-April 2015

The Desert Locust situation remained serious along the Red Sea coast in Sudan and Eritrea during February where control operations were carried out against numerous hopper bands, adult groups and swarms. Smaller scale operations were undertaken in Saudi Arabia. Locusts that escape detection or control will form adult groups and small swarms that are likely to move to the Eritrean Highlands and the interior of northern Sudan and Saudi Arabia. If locusts reach the interior of Saudi Arabia and the Nile Valley in northern Sudan, breeding could commence by April. Elsewhere, ecological conditions improved in the spring breeding areas of Northwest Africa and Southwest Asia where small-scale breeding is likely.

Western Region. The situation remained calm in February as no locusts were reported in the region. During the forecast period, low numbers of adults are likely to appear in the spring breeding areas south of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria, and perhaps in the northern Western Sahara, northern Mauritania and in southwest Libya. Small-scale breeding is expected to occur as temperatures warm up and if rains fall.

Central Region. Numerous hopper bands and adult groups formed during February as a result of winter breeding on the Red Sea coast of Sudan and Eritrea. Aerial and ground control operations increased in Sudan while ground operations were in progress in Eritrea where immature swarms formed on the central coast. As vegetation dries out on the coast, more adult groups and small swarms are likely to form that are expected to move inland to the Eritrean Highlands and the Nile Valley in northern Sudan. Limited ground and aerial operations continued on the central Red Sea coast in Saudi Arabia against hopper bands and adult groups. As vegetation dries out, small groups of adults are likely to form and move to the interior where small-scale breeding will occur if rains fall. Isolated adults are likely to be present in a few places along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden coasts in Yemen.

Eastern Region. The situation remained calm and no locusts were reported during February. Light rains fell in parts of the spring breeding areas in southeast Iran and southwest Pakistan should allow for limited breeding during the forecast period.