Following a successful first session, the RESSOURCE project is launching a second session of its free online training course dedicated to waterbirds of North Africa and the Sahel. Available in French on the IUCN-PAPACO (Programme on African Protected Areas and Conservation) MOOC-Conservation platform, this course offers an advanced introduction to the identification of waterbirds in the area and to census techniques.
A comprehensive training programme
The MOOC-RESSOURCE offers six modules (about 40 hours of training) with exceptional educational content: more than 5,000 photographs of birds, 219 species identification sheets, 40 educational videos and 23 video interviews with experts. The course explains why wetlands and waterbirds are of interest; it gives a voice to those working to protect them across the northern half of Africa; it teaches participants how to identify no fewer than 210 species; it introduces various techniques for counting bird populations; and it explores how to analyse, promote and benefit from the results of this work.
The aim is to create a network of qualified observers for wetland conservation.
A MOOC recommended by the participants!
Over 97% of those who attended the course recommend following this MOOC! Of the 1,600 enrolled, 172 obtained their certificate. The others can re-enroll this year if they wish.
Reviews from our students:
“I found this course very useful. The skills I learnt on the MOOC and was able to put into practice […] include understanding how to identify birds based on their morphology and behaviour, as well as being able to count them. Nature is simply extraordinary, and ornithology proved it to me!”
Fatou Cissé Thialaw, a student on the Ornithology module of the OCD Master’s programme, who has completed the MOOC ‘Identifying and Counting Waterbirds of North Africa and the Sahel’
« Pour l’identification des familles, des oiseaux : le MOOC m’a permis d’élargir mes connaissances dans ce domaine. J’encourage les écogardes du Doudj, les agents des parcs nationaux, mais aussi les étudiants à suivre ce MOOC. »
Mohamedine Seck, eco-guard at the Doudj National Bird Park
A major conservation challenge
The wetlands of North Africa and the Sahel are home to millions of waterbirds, both migratory and resident. These species play a vital role in local ecosystems and contribute directly to the food and financial security of many communities in the area. As pressure on these fragile environments increases, the development of networks of trained observers is becoming a priority for their conservation.
Useful information
This second session will run from 15 September 2026 to 31 May 2027. In addition to the educational content, it includes access to forum areas where participants can interact with the training team and follow the course at their own pace.
This year, to improve accessibility, the content will be available for download so that it can also be accessed offline.
Developed by the RESSOURCE project in collaboration with the Tour du Valat and the French Office for Biodiversity, this project is supported by the FFEM and the European Union.
Register on the MOOC-conservation platform. [1]
MOOC trailer