On September 17, a one-day seminar focused on activities for the conservation of the Dalmatian pelican in Bulgaria took place in Ruse.
The workshop aimed to present the current status of the breeding population of the species in the country, the ongoing conservation measures, information activities, and campaigns dedicated to the pelican, as well as to discuss future actions needed to ensure the species’ secure future. The event was organized by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), with the support of the Regional Environmental and Water Inspectorate (REWI) in Ruse, and as part of the “Pelican Way of LIFE” initiative.
The seminar, held at the REWI Information Center in Ruse, gathered 25 experts from various stakeholders, including representatives from Nature Parks, Regional Environmental Inspectorates, the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBER-BAS), Regional History Museums, State Forest Enterprises, municipalities, hunting and fishing associations, tourism organizations, business representatives, and environmental NGOs.
The meeting began with a welcome speech by Svilen Ceshmedzhiev from BSPB, who thanked the experts for their participation and interest in the event. Nevena Ivanova from IBER-BAS then presented one of the new projects the scientists are working on, in which Lake Srebarna plays a key role – the project for the enhancement of the “Bulgarian Long-Term Ecosystem Research Network” (LTER-BG), part of the National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure 2020-2027. The meeting continued with Veselin Koev from the Directorate of Persina Nature Park in Belene, who presented the activities for the restoration of the Dalmatian Pelican’s nesting grounds on Persin Island. Following that, Svilen Ceshmedzhiev shared interesting facts about the species’ biology, the current status of nesting colonies in the Kalimok-Brushlen Protected Area, Persin Island, and Lake Srebarna, as well as activities related to bird ringing and satellite telemetry, which are also part of the “Pelican Way of LIFE” initiative. The conflict with fish-eating birds was also addressed.
The afternoon session was opened by Momchil Petrov from REWI Ruse, who provided additional information about the conservation efforts for the species carried out at Lake Srebarna. The participants then discussed joint future conservation activities and informational campaigns to ensure a secure future for the majestic Dalmatian Pelican in Bulgaria.
Special attention was given to the ecological disaster that affected the Dalmatian Pelicans in Greece in the spring of 2022, caused by a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza (bird flu), as well as to the work on constructing artificial nesting platforms, research and monitoring methods, blood sampling, ringing of young birds, satellite telemetry, the conflict with fish-eating birds, joint patrolling schemes, cases of collisions with power lines, and the installation of diverters in the most dangerous sections of the electricity grid. Potential large infrastructure projects along the Danube River were also discussed. Additionally, the participants explored various informational and educational activities aimed at raising public awareness of the pelicans.
The actions on species conservation are carried out within the framework of the “Pelican Way of LIFE“ initiative (LIFE18/NAT/NL/000716), coordinated by Rewilding Europe and funded by the LIFE Programme of the European Union and Arcadia Foundation, and with the assistance in Bulgaria of the Whitley Fund for Nature.