Bird conservation news

Albania still a death trap for migrating birds?

Since March 2014 there has been an absolute ban on bird hunting in Albania. Officially. But in fact masses of migrating birds are still being shot by poachers. In his article “ Killing field for Migrating Birds“ in the online magazine „Yale Environment 360“ Phil Mc Kenna reports on the the situation he saw in Albania.

Mystery Adriatic Flyway

Only a few years ago, even among experts the Western Balkans was a blank area on the map of bird migrations. But today we know that millions of birds use this route twice a year to migrate between their breeding and their wintering grounds. The film “Adriatic Flyway” is vividly and impressively depicting, what threats the migratory birds are facing on their journey, why it is so important to preserve the valuable wetlands along the Eastern Adriatic as resting grounds for cranes, ferruginous ducks and others, and why there’s every reason for hope.

See the film on vimeo

Crime Scene Adriatic Coast

The protection of the migrating birds was the central focus of the Second Adriatic Flyway Conference which took place from 1st to 3rd October in Albania. More than 70 experts from 20 countries congregated for the conference in Durres.

Dangerous journey to the wintering grounds

Millions of birds migrate along the so-called Adriatic Flyway from Central, Northern and Eastern Europe or Siberia across the Adriatic Sea to Africa. But every year the eastern Adriatic region becomes a death trap to far more than two million migratory birds.

Pelicans heading for a record

The Dalmatian pelicans of Lake Skadar National Park are providing further good news: Already 48 pelicans that hatched this year are now swimming on Lake Skadar. That’s the highest number for 37 years. It was in 1977 that a comparable breeding success was observed for the last time.

Baby boom on Lake Skadar

„For a long time, this is the most successful breeding season for Dalmatian pelicans on Lake Skadar.” This statement of joy by scientist Andrej Vizi of the Natural History Museum of Montenegro came after he and his colleagues counted 28 fledged pelican chicks during their last monitoring tour in April.

National Geographic reports on Albania’s ban on hunting

Recently, Albania decided to ban hunting throughout the whole country for two years. The government wants to take advantage of this period in order to better protect migratory birds and other wildlife against poaching.This landmark decision was to a considerable extent inspired by an article by bestselling author Jonathan Franzen published in National Geographic.

Albania decides to ban hunting for two years

Albania decides to ban all hunting throughout the whole country for two years. This initiative was announced already two weeks ago by the Albanian Minister of the Environment Lefter Koka. Recently it was communicated to the public that the Parliament now passed this moratorium on hunting.

Small Measures with Big Effect

Good news comes from one of the bird hunting hot spots on the Balkans. In the beginning of October, bird watchers counted ten times as many birds on the Svitava Lake as one year earlier. Svitava Lake is located in the nature and bird reserve Hutovo Blato, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosnian part of the Neretva Delta.

Strengthening the Stork Conservation Network

From August 7th to 10th, 2013, the Slovenian Stork Village Velika Polana hosted the 10th annual conference of the European Stork Villages network. About 40 participants from 10 countries met up to develop solutions for the future of stork conservation.