EuroNatur and its Serbian partner organisation the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia have long been working towards it, and now the first step has been taken: The Serbian parliament has approved a law allowing the country to join the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).
Coots, popular prey of poachers in many regions in the Balkans, will soon be able to rest more safely in Serbia.
© Dietmar NillSerbia could soon be safe for Europe's waterfowl on their way to Africa. The parliament in Belgrade has approved the application for accession to AEWA. From North Cape to the Cape of Good Hope, the treaty protects waterfowl species on their migration routes. By ratifying AEWA, Serbia, which is located on the Adriatic Flyway and passed by numerous migratory birds, would be committing itself to taking action to protect migratory waterfowl and their habitats. Bird hunting still plays an important role in large parts of Serbia and every year leads to the loss of tens of thousands of birds. Although there are still a few small formal hurdles to overcome before the agreement comes into force in Serbia, the first major step in the process has now been taken.
You can learn more about EuroNatur's migratory bird protection projects here.