Senegal
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A multiple exposure of three photos shows the flurry of activity in a pre-roost gathering of Montagu's harriers. Khelcom, Senegal.
Every year, thousands of wildfires burn across the arid grasslands of the Sahel. Some fires are ignited by lightning strikes, but they are also actively used to convert land for agriculture. Here, a wildfire stretching several kilometers rushes across grassland near Khelcom, Senegal, driven by strong wind.
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Agriculture is intensifying throughout the Sahel. Insect and songbird populations drop as a result of the loss of trees and shrubs to arable land. This has a particularly negative effect on the Montagu's Harrier, which relies on these animals for food. Kaolack, Senegal.
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Khelcom, Senegal
Montagu's harriers spend six months of the year in the Sahel. This female forages by a lone baobab tree. Khelcom, Senegal.
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A female Montagu's harrier is fitted with a GPS-backpack in Khelcom, Senegal.
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Khelcom, Senegal
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Almut Schlaich and Ben Koks fit a male harrier with a GPS-backpack on the savannah of Khelcom, Senegal.
A live grasshopper next to Montagu's harrier pellets in the hands of Ben Koks. Fatick, Senegal.
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Well over a thousand Montagu's harriers gather at one of the largest roosts ever recorded. Roosts typically don't exceed 200 birds and many are much smaller still. Khelcom, Senegal.
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A male Montagu's harrier is carefully fitted with a GPS-backpack in Khelcom, Senegal.
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Millions of grasshoppers are driven together in an ever darkening cloud as fire rushes across the grassland. Khelcom, Senegal.
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A Peul (also known as Fula) sheppard grazes his herd near Khelcom, Senegal. Some conservationists fear that the Islamic marabout who have obtained the political power in this region use fires to drive out the Peul, who traditionally graze their cattle on these lands.
A village chief accepts a T-shirt sporting a Montagu's harrier. Without the approval of local communities it would not be possible to carry out research in this region. Khelcom, Senegal.
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