Medemia argun

The global population is divided in several sub-populations, with the most important (>90%) part of the population occurring in northern Sudan. The global population of Medemia argun is estimated at ca 7,400 individuals in the middle of the 2000s.

In Egypt, only 32 individuals were counted at Dungul Oases in 2007 (Ibrahim and Baker 2009). At the other known sites, the number of palms is unknown at the same period. The seven known sub-populations are recently reported to be very small and fragmented with only one individual at Wadi El Quleib, Wadi Umm Gir, Wadi Neigit, Wadi Difeit, Mishbih (H. Ibrahim pers. obs. 2015), two individuals at Nakhila Oasis (H. Ibrahim pers. obs. 2009) and 23 palms at Dungul Oasis (H. Ibrahim pers. obs. 2013). At Dungul a sub-population decline is observed between 2007 and 2013, with the number of palms falling from 32 to 23 palms, although there is no evidence of this decline being human-induced. However, intensification of human presence in the wadi have been observed, increasing the risk of human impacts (Ibrahim and Baker 2009) and the recruitment of juveniles appears to be limited due to rare rainfall. Thus, it is not unreasonable to assume that if rains become less frequent due to climate change, juvenile recruitment will become more limited.

In northern Sudan, 27 individuals were counted at Wadi Delah in 1995 (Gibbons and Spanner 1996) and around 1,000 individuals were reported at Wadi Shigrib in 1996 (Gibbons and Spanner 1999). It is known that Medemia argun has been reported to occur at 11 other sites, but to date, field observations are missing for these sites. However, observing satellite images from Google Earth and Bing Maps dating from 2005/2006, important stands can be seen along the reported wadis (Wadi Shigrib, Wadi Rebeida, Wadi Idirbib, South of Jebel Shiger, Wadi Abu Araga, Wadi Terfawi and Wadi Gamaikwan). Based on these satellite images, counting all visible palms, the Sudanese sub-population is estimated to count ca 7,370 individuals in 2005/2006. As in Egypt, it is inferred that less frequent rainfall due to climate change might limit the recruitment of juveniles. Although important unfragmented sub-populations have been observed on satellite images (2005-2006), intense gold mining activities have developed in the area since the 2000s, leading to the felling of palms and serious habitat destruction and degradation. Indeed, it is inferred that mining activities are currently causing important sub-population size decline and a severe fragmentation of the remaining sub-populations. Moreover, as the species is dioecious, high fragmentation of the population might affect its reproduction.