In the last days of September, the 4-days Danube volunteer conservation camp took place in the Persina Nature Park in Bulgaria. It was the first educational and practical training, organized for university students by the Park Directorate. 20 volunteers came from Konstantin Preslavsky University of Shumen and Local High schools from Belene and Svishtov.

The team of the Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS) developed a lovely kit of educational materials to teach Greek pupils about the biology, behavior and features of the Dalmatian pelican, but more importantly, about the threats the species is facing and the need for its protection.

23 Great white pelicans and 15 Dalmatian pelicans were found dead during the field survey of the power lines, made by the Bulgarian Society for Birds Protection (BSPB) in Bulgaria. The experts recommend taking immediate mitigation measures to prevent the further deaths of these rare birds.

The Green Fund with its Board Decision No. 1242.4/2022 co-finances the LIFE18 ΝΑΤ/NL/000716 – “Pelican Way of LIFE” initiative for the year 2022 with the total amount of €15,000.00 for the implementation of the Hellenic Ornithological Society / BirdLife Greece actions.

The total population of the Dalmatian pelican in Romania was severely affected by an epidemic of bird flu, at the beginning of this year’s nesting season. Moreover, the disease has caused mass mortality among pelicans in several areas of the Balkans. Greece, for example, has lost almost 40% of its total population of Dalmatian pelican, and cases of high mortality have also been recorded in Albania, as well as in Montenegro.

At the end of August, the “Atanasovsko Lake” conservation camp united nearly 60 volunteers in their care for nature and birds. It was organized for the 33rd time by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) in Bulgaria within the Pelican Way of LIFE initiative.

The team of the Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS) recently assessed the powerlines at selected points within the Messolonghi Lagoon and Amvrakikos Wetlands National Parks to find out which of them are dangerous for Dalmatian pelicans. 50% of the investigated powerlines appeared to be risky for birds.

Romania took part in the spring international counts of the Dalmatian pelican. In the country the action was coordinated by the Romanian Ornithological Society. The results show that the population of the Dalmatian pelican has been strongly affected by the bird flu.

Unfortunately, 2022 turned out to be an unkind year for the Dalmatian pelican of the Balkan Peninsula. In the spring, more than 2,000 adults from breeding colonies in Greece and the Danube Delta in Romania died as a result of avian influenza (the so-called bird flu). This resulted in nearly 40% decrease of the population of the species in the area!

The 5th South-East European pelican census took place in May 2022. For one day, hundreds of volunteers and scientists simultaneously visited 95 wetlands in Greece, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey where they counted a total of 3,823 Dalmatian pelicans and 3,496 Great white pelicans.