The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the CMS Raptors MOU was established at the Second Meeting of Signatories to the Raptors MOU in October 2015.
A new membership of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the CMS Raptors MOU was established at the Third Meeting of Signatories to the Raptors MOU in July 2023.
The purpose of the TAG is to serve and assist the Signatories in the effective implementation of the Raptors MOU, including the Action Plan.
The Coordinating Unit of the Raptors MOU will serve to receive and transmit requests from the Signatories for advice from the TAG. Members of the TAG serve in their capacity as specialist individuals rather than as representatives of Governments or organizations with which they also may be affiliated.
Please refer to the full Terms of Reference for TAG.
Read the latest TAG report covering the period 2015 - 2023 here.
The current composition of the TAG can be found in CMS Notification 2023/022.
Meet the members of the TAG below and learn more about their interest in raptor conservation.
Mr. Andre Botha, Chair
Co-Chair, Vulture Specialist Group and Manager, Vultures for Africa Programme, Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa
Dr. Mátyás Prommer, Vice-Chair
Nature Conservation Expert, Tilad Environmental Consultancy, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Dr. Karen Aghababyan
Legal Adviser to the Minister of Environment, Armenia and Executive Director, BirdLinks Armenia, Armenia
Dr. Arianna Aradis
Senior Researcher, Bird Migration Research Area, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Italy
Dr. Nyambayar Batbayar
Director, Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia, Mongolia
Dr. Ralph Buij
Senior Scientist, Animal Ecology, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands and Africa and Asia Program Director, The Peregrine Fund
Dr. Imad Cherkaoui
Associate Professor, Institut Scientifique de Rabat (University of Mohamed V), Morocco
Dr. Neil Deacon
International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey and President, BirdLife Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
Prof. Des Thompson
Principal Adviser on Science and Biodiversity, NatureScot, United Kingdom
Mr. Ohad Hatzofe
Head Avian Ecologist, Division of Science & Conservation, Israel Nature & Parks Authority, Israel
Dr. Vicky Jones
Flyways Science Coordinator, BirdLife International, United Kingdom
Ms. Fadzai Matsvimbo
Preventing Extinction Programme Coordinator, BirdLife International, Africa Secretariat, Kenya
Dr. Campbell Murn
Head of Conservation and Research, Hawk Conservation Trust, United Kingdom and Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, United Kingdom
Dr. Darcy Ogada
Africa Program Director, The Peregrine Fund, Kenya
Prof. Mohammed Shobrak
Consultant & Board member at the National Centre for Wildlife, Saudi Arabia
"Vultures are an amazing group of species, they fascinate me."
Dr. Munir Virani
Chief Operative Officer at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Raptor Conservation Fund, United Arab Emirates