Over the past two months, two Dalmatian pelicans tagged with GPS transmitters have died. At the end of January, the young female pelican Stella was found dead in the area of Lake Mandrа near Burgas in Bulgaria, and a few weeks later, in the area of Lake Golovița in Romania, located north of the city of Constanța, the body of the adult female pelican Plamena was discovered. In both cases, the cause of death was entanglement in fishing nets, likely followed by drowning of the birds.

Successfully initiating for the fourth consecutive year, the Dalmatian pelicans have nested in the “Kalimok-Brushlen” Protected Area and other wetlands of Bulgaria.

In late 2023, experts from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds and Elektrorazpredelenie Yug EAD made history by installing reflective markers for birds, known as diverters, along a 20 kV overhead power line. This groundbreaking initiative, the first of its kind in Bulgaria, utilized drone technology for the installation.

A few weeks ago, the Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS) completed another successful tagging and ringing mission in the National Park of the Messolonghi – Aitoliko Lagoon. The bird, named ‘Lilo’, has become the latest member of the team of Dalmatian pelicans tagged with a satellite transmitter within the Pelican Way of LIFE initiative in Western Greece.

As part of the Pelican Way of Life initiative, an educational campaign is being implemented by Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS) in Messolonghi, Greece, aiming at raising awareness among students about the importance of wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability. The campaign comprises three main components, including school visits, online meetings, and field visits, all designed to engage students actively in learning about environmental issues and conservation efforts.

The winter monitoring of Dalmatian pelicans occurred in December as part of the Pelican Way of LIFE initiative. Coordinated by the Romanian Ornithological Society, the monitoring in Romania engaged 13 teams, covering the wintering areas utilized by Dalmatian pelicans.

In late December, a joint team of experts and volunteers from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) and a representative of the Tutrakan Tourism Development Association carried out activities to enhance nesting conditions for the protected Dalmatian Pelican in the Kalimok-Brushlen Protected Area.

A collaborative effort involving the Danube Delta National Research and Development Institute (INCDDD), the Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR), and the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration (ARBDD) successfully fitted six Dalmatian pelicans with GPS-GSM satellite transmitters during late November and early December.

As the year draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on the triumphs and challenges that the European Dalmatian pelican population encountered in 2023. Being a symbol of thriving and interconnected wetlands in Europe, this keystone species remains reliant on dedicated conservation efforts.

In a strategic move, Persina Nature Park has initiated the construction of a new nesting platform for Dalmatian pelicans in Peschina marsh on Persin Island. The decision follows the destruction of two existing platforms during autumn, attributed to adverse weather conditions.