Seabird LIFE Project

Map of the general location of the project area

The project actions are implemented at 17 Special Protection Areas (SPA) and their adjacent marine areas where the largest national populations of the Mediterranean Shag and Audouin's Gull are found.

  

Collection of oceanographic data

The distribution of seabirds at sea and particularly their foraging areas depend on various oceanographic meteorological and biological parameters. In order to improve delineation of the marine IBAs the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) is collecting a series of oceanographic, fisheries meteorological data which effect the use of marine areas by seabirds. The types of data include:

• Bathymetry
• Sea surface temperature (SST)
• Sea surface salinity (SSS)
• Chlorophyll(Chl-a)
• Wind direction and strength
• Distribution of main seas prey species

These data are then correlated with the records of seabirds at sea in order to delineate marine IBAs.

Examples of oceanographic data:

Sea surface temperature (SST)	Sea surface salinity (SSS)	Wind direction and strength

Data analysis for the designation of marine IBAs

The final stage of designation of marine IBAs consists of the management and analysis of aforementioned datasets, namely:

• Locations of seabird colonies,
• ESAS records,
• Coastal counts (from land) and coastal census (from sea) records,
• Telemetry data,
• Bird ring recoveries,
• Oceanographic, biological and fisheries data. Based on these datasets four types of marine IBAs are designated
  
  • Seaward extensions of the seabirds colonies in the existing terrestrial IBAs
  • Coastal and inshore marine areas hosting concentrations of seabirds
  • Pelagic areas hosting concentrations of seabirds
  • Migrations hotspots

In order to manage and analyze data, relevant database are developed and used. They are compatible with GIS (Geographic Information System) environment and statistical models to allow for spatial and temporal data analysis. In the end marine IBAs are designated on the basis of the Birdlife International criteria for marine IBAs. The inventory of marine IBAs for the Mediterranean Shag and the Audouin’s Gull in the project sites will be compiled by the end of the LIFE project in 2012.

Results:

Within the framework of the project a series of databases have been adapted and developed to manage data on:

- Seabird colonies
- ESAS
- Coastal counts and coastal census
- Telemetry and Oceanographic and biological data

All the data that have been collected until summer 2012 are being managed in the aforementioned databases and analyzed by statistical analysis and modelling to determine marine distribution of seabirds. In total 39 potential marine IBA sites have already been identified and delineated based on the distribution and size of seabird colonies, recorded marine distribution of seabirds, telemetry data and habitat modelling and application of BirdLife International IBA criteria.

Examples:

Recorded distribution of the Mediterranean Shag in the marine area around Fournoi (N. Aegean)

Water depth at Mediterranean Shag’s foraging sites indicating foraging in shallow coastal water.

Distance of Mediterranean Shag’s foraging sites from the nearest colonies indicating foraging at distances up to 7.5km.

MaxEnt model in telemetry data acquired from Audouin’s Gull s breeding on Leipsi. Apart from foraging in radius of up to 10km around the colony, Audouin’s Gulls also feed in coastal waters of Turkey.

A proposed marine IBA in the Northern Dodecanese.

The islands and islets of the Aegean and Ionian Sea give shelter to the majority of Greek seabird populations, providing them with ideal nesting, resting and wintering sites.Due to human activities, the areas available to seabirds on larger and inhabited islands have been reduced to a minimum. Therefore, the only terrestrial habitats suitable for seabirds left are uninhabited islands and islets. However, even these are not free from direct or indirect human impacts having, in many occasions, negative effects on seabird populations.

Among the main objectives of the LIFE project is the mitigation of rat (Rattus sp.) predation, one of the most important threats to Mediterranean Shag and Audouin’s Gull. Rat predation on seabird eggs, nestlings or even adult birds is a phenomenon common throughout the world, which leads to reduced breeding success or even worse, to abandonment of colonies. Rats are an alien invasive species in Greece, and can have negative effects not only on seabirds, but also on the rest of native fauna and flora including small mammals, birds, reptiles, invertebrates and endemic plants. Therefore, removal of rats from uninhabited islets is one of the necessary prerequisites for the restoration of ecological equilibrium in island ecosystems, bringing also long-term benefits to native animal and plant species.

For the reasons described above, the present LIFE project aims to the removal of rats from at least five island or islet complexes within the project areas hosting important Mediterranean Shag or the Audouin’s Gull colonies, covering a total land surface area of at least 400-500 ha. These rat removals are expected to significantly improve the breeding performance of the Mediterranean Shag and the Audouin’s Gull on the national level.

Removal of rats is time-consuming and costly, both in financial resources and human effort. Therefore potential rat removal sites must be prioritized prior to rat removal operations in order to ensure optimal ecological benefits for a given cost. The prioritization is based on information such as presence or absence of rats, the level of rat predation on seabird colonies, presence of other mammals and in general other fauna, type of vegetation and vegetation coverage of the islands, human presence and activities, accessibility of the islands both to people and rats, geographical and topographical characteristics of the islands, etc. Taking into account all these parameters and the estimated cost of rat removal operations, every islet and complex of islets is evaluated using cost-benefit analysis to determine those where the ecological benefits are the greatest, given the cost.

Subsequently, for each high priority islet or islet complex, the removal method is designed and implemented to ensure an effective removal of rats and safety of other species, including seabirds. The removal of rats is followed by a systematic monitoring of the target islets to study the progress of the rat removal, its effect on the entire ecosystem and particularly on the seabirds breeding success. This monitoring must last at least one year before an islet can be declared rat-free.

On the other hand, prevention of rat invasion or rat reinvasion on rat-free islands is as important as their removal. For this reason, contingency measures are taken for all islands where rats have been removed, accompanied by an information campaign for the general public as well as specific social groups (e.g. fishermen, shepherds, tourists and others).

It should be noted that the removal of rats within the framework of the present project comes as the continuation of successful pilot rat removal operations of the LIFE-Nature project“Conservation of Falco eleonorae in Greece”, which proved the multiple benefits that rat removal provides to birds, other native fauna and the vegetation of the islets.

Results:

The first step in the prioritization of the islands for potential rat removal operations was the design of the prioritization method. The method is based on the Brooke-Hilton cost-benefit analysis and was further adapted to the Greek conditions and the needs of the LIFE project. Based on this method, required information was collected for the islands and islets in the project sites. Finally, prioritization analysis was carried out for 83 islet and island complexes hosting colonies of the Mediterranean Shag and/or Audouin’s Gull. The first 20 islet complexes with the highest priority of rat removal belong to the following regions:

The implementation of rat removal operations started on islets in Skyros in September 2010. Until autumn 2012, rat removal has been carried out on 19 uninhabited islets within 8 islet complexes where post-eradication monitoring is still in progress.

Throughout the entire duration of rat removal and during post-removal monitoring, the presence of rats is monitored with the use of bait stations, where bait consumption is checked on a daily basis. The example below demonstrates the progress of rat removal:

Progress of rat removal on selected islet of Skyros

In addition, rubbish dumps will be shutting down in the following years, meaning an important decrease in food sources for the Yellow-legged Gull populations. Although, in the long term, this will probably lead to a decrease in the population numbers, in the short term, it will probably lead to an increase in the pressure on other seabirds this species competes with or predates on. The impact of this process on other seabird species can be avoided, or at least decreased, through the implementation of suitable management measures.

The objective of this action is to test different methods of population control for the Yellow-legged Gull at selected project sites, aiming to improve breeding success of other seabird species, such as Audouin’s Gull and Mediterranean Shag. These methods should reduce the species breeding success, which in combination with the shutting down of rubbish dumps will consequently induce a decrease the species population in the area; the latter will have a positive effect on the breeding conditions of other seabirds.

Before any management measure can be implemented, a full assessment of all suitable methodologies and appropriate locations must be carried out, and the population control of the Yellow-legged Gull is no exception. Therefore, existing methodologies already implemented in other regions of the Mediterranean are tested in order to select and execute the most suitable ones. At the same time, HOS carries out an assessment of Yellow-legged Gull colonies in all project sites in order to select those where the population control will be implemented.

The assessment of an islet addresses both the number of Yellow-legged gulls and their impact on other seabirds, and the suitableness of the islet for the implementation of the control method. After this, the selected methods will be implemented and their effectiveness monitored, giving special attention to their impact on the Yellow-legged Gull but also on Audouin’s Gull and Mediterranean Shag.

This action will provide the knowledge, know-how and experience on the implementation of population control methods needed to successfully apply this management action in the near future in other areas for the conservation of other seabird species and biodiversity of Greek islands and islets.
 

Results:

The assessment of the existing population control methods for the Yellow-legged Gull has evaluated different methods included within the following categories: 1) methods involving the management of Yellow-legged Gull nesting sites, 2) methods involving the control of adult Yellow-legged Gull numbers, and 3) methods involving the control of Yellow-legged Gull breeding success.

This assessment showed that the best methods are those controlling breeding success, such as removal or oiling of eggs.

On the other hand, the assessment of islands and islets involved 144 uninhabited islets with Yellow-legged Gull colonies within the project sites. 13 different parameters were taken into account, including size and location of Yellow-legged Gull, Audouin’s Gull and Mediterranean Shag colonies, total population of each species in each region, distances among colonies, level of predation/competition of the Yellow-legged Gull with other species, presence and management of Yellow-legged Gull food sources (e.g. rubbish dumps, fishing) in the area, etc. Finally, a cost-benefit analysis was applied to determine where the ecological benefits are the greatest, giving as a result a list of high priority colonies where the Yellow-legged Gull population control method should be implemented.

The following table shows the 20 top priority colonies:

The first pilot actions for the population control of Yellow-legged Gull were already implemented in spring 2010 on an islet in Thasos, and three islets in Skyros. In total, the action involved 256 Yellow-legged Gull nests, out of which only four eggs hatched. This means the action had a 99% of success. In 2012 a pilot action of Yellow-legged Gull’s breeding performance control continued on islets of Kythera and Thasos which also host colonies of the Audouin’s Gull and Mediterranean Shag. In total 479 nests were treated preventing hatching of 1064 Yellow-legged Gull’s eggs.

For hundreds of years fishermen and seabirds have been sharing the sea, as collaborators, rather than competitors. However, the introduction of modern fishing gear and practices, and their increasing use has disturbed this balance at the expense of seabirds. Seabird mortality by accidental trapping in fishing gear (seabird bycatch) is a worldwide phenomenon which has been identified to be among the major threats to seabirds together with overfishing and degradation of marine habitats.

The Aegean and Ionian Sea, as the rest of the Mediterranean Sea, are no exception in this matter. In Greece, all seabird species including those of conservation concern, such as the Mediterranean Shag and the Audouin’s Gull, are victims of seabird bycatch. Although the problem is well known in Greece, up until present LIFE project, no systematic assessment of bycatch has been carried out, meaning that the extent of accidental trapping of seabirds in the fishing gear, and therefore its impact on the national populations of seabirds species have not been yet determined.

 

Therefore, the present LIFE project is aiming to assess the extent of seabird bycatch, as well as its temporal and spatial variations in the wider marine areas of the project sites in the Ionian and Aegean Sea by means of on-board observations andquestionnaires, to fishermen.

This information will be evaluated in order to determine the main factors affecting seabird bycatch and to propose, in collaboration with fishermen, alternative fishing gear and practices that reduce the risk of seabird bycatch. For this purpose, a series of meetings with fishermen and an information dissemination campaign will be carried out.
 

Results:

The collection of data for the assessment of seabird bycatch is being implemented by the TEI of Ionian islands in the Ionian Sea and by the HCMR in collaboration with HOS and MOm in the Aegean Sea.

Observation on board of vessels of large pelagic fishery during 2009
active fishing days by area. (Small ring represents one fishing day)/ HCMR	Fishing effort (in hooks) per area ((Small ring represents 500 hooks))/ ΕΛΚΕΘΕ

Until the summer of 2010, 127 fishing trips with on-board observers have been carried out in all major fishing areas of the Aegean and Ionian Sea.

Additional information is being collected through questionnaires for fishermen (pdf )

Preliminary results of seabird bycatch assessment in the Ionian Sea, presented at the 3rd International Eurasian Ornithology Congress –Mytilini-Greece, April 2010.

Planning Workshop for the Identification of Marine IBAs and Seabird Monitoring, 6th-8th March 2009, Athens

The 1st project workshop was organized in Vravrona (near Athens) on the 6th-8th March 2009, and was focused on the improvement of information exchange between the project team and other national and international experts on seabird conservation. Although the main objectives of the workshop were to improve networking and exchange of knowledge and expertise between organisations and individuals involved in the protection of seabirds and the designation of Marine IBAs, it also intended to use the expertise of the workshop participants to finalize the methods involved in the designation of Marine IBAs in the framework of the present project. A total of 44 participants, both from Greece and abroad, took part in the workshop. The workshop’s agenda was divided in four main subjects: (1) general survey methods, (2) species specific methods, (3) conclusions and (4) fieldwork plan for 2009 regarding Marine IBAs. Participants from Greece included project staff and national seabird conservation experts. Participants from abroad included experts in the field of seabird surveys, Marine IBAs and seabird conservation, as well as the representatives of other Birdlife partners that are planning the implementation of similar projects in their countries (i.e. Slovenia, Bulgaria). The results and conclusions of the workshop provided the baseline guidelines, information and methodologies for the implementation of the project actions. Contacts with workshop participants continued after the workshop in order to finalize seabird methodologies and to exchange technical information regarding the implementation of project actions.

Workshop programme pdf

List of participants pdf

Workshop for the study and conservation of seabirds, February 2010, Istanbul

HOS not only carries out research and conservation actions in Greece, but also promotes the implementation of similar projects in other countries. In particular, it promotes networking and cooperation with those foreign ornithological organizations and research institutions from neighbouring countries also aiming at the conservation of seabirds. In this context, a meeting was held in Istanbul, organized by Doğa Derneği (BirdLife partner in Turkey) and attended by HOS and BSPB (BirdLife partner in Bulgaria). The main objective of this meeting was the exchange of knowledge and rendering of know-how from HOS’ part. This meeting also marked the beginning of coordinated and common actions among the three organizations for the study and conservation of seabirds.

HOS carried out a basic training on the main seabird survey methods, including two practical sessions at the Bosphorus, both from sea and from land.

Workshop Presentations: pdf

Project’s closing workshop took place in Athens, on the 3-4^th December 2012 and was attended by 46 participants including representatives of the project partners, Greek NGOs, BirdLife partners, seabird experts from Greece and abroad, Management Bodies of the Marine National Park of Alonnisos Northern Sporades and Karpathos – Saria. Additionally, the workshop was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Energy & Climate Change and the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, which are competent for the issues on Protected Areas/ Natura 2000 Network and fisheries in Greece, respectively. Participation of representatives of the Ministries and the Management Bodies is considered to be of vital importance for optimal utilization of project outputs e.g. marine IBAs inventory, results of bycatch assessment, conservation measures such as rat eradications and gull control by the competent authorities.

Closing workshop presentations

Scientific publications

10^th International Conference of Seabird Group held in Bruges, Belgium. 27-30 Μarch 2009

Preliminary results of monitoring the breeding performance of the Cory’s Shearwater on Strofades Island Complex (Ionian Sea, Western Greece). Karris G., Xirouchakis S., Grivas K., Dimalexis T., Fraguedakis-Tsolis S., Sinos G. & Sfendourakis S. pdf

11^thInternational Congress on the Zoogeography, Ecology and Evolution of Eastern Mediterranean -11^th ICZEGAR-), 21-25 October 2009, Irakleio, Crete

Elements of Breeding Biology and estimation of reproduction success in a N. Aegean colony of the seabird Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii. Thanou E., Christidis A., Giokas S., Sfenthourakis S. & Fraguedakis-Tsolis S. pdf

3 ^rdInternational Eurasian Ornithology Congress –IEOC-), 8-10 Απριλίου 2010, Mytilini

First data on seabird by-catch from the Greek gillnet and long-line fishery (Ionian Sea, western Greece). G.Karris, K. Poirazidis, D. Tziertzidis, D. Vourgaris, J. Fric, D. Portolou & S. Sfendourakis pdf

Brief Report on European Seabirds at Sea (ESAS) recordings in Greece. K. Gaganis, J.Fric, T. Dimalexis, P. Dendrinos, M. Panayiotopoulou, S. Zakkak pdf

Comparison of modeling approaches for estimating abundance patterns of seabirds in the N. Aegean Sea using ESAS data. S. Zakkak, M. Panagiotopoulou & J.M. Halley pdf

5^thPanhellenic Congress of Ecology «Ecological processes in space and time », 7-10 October 2010, Patra

Audouin’s Gull population in Greece 10 years after. D. Portolou, V. Saravia Mullin, J. Fric, Α. Evangelidis & Τ. Dimalexis pdf

A failed breeding period for the Mediterranean Shag in Northern Aegean.Ε. Thanou, Α. Christidis, J. Fric, S. Giokas, S. Sgendourakis & S. Fraguedakis – Τsolis pdf

Application of ESAS methodology for the estimation of distribution, abundance and behavioural patterns of seabirds in the North Aegean Sea. Sylvia Zakkak, Master Thesis pdf 

8th Conference of the European Ornithologists’ Union, 27-30 August 2011, Riga, Latvia

Does by-catch pose a threat to seabirds in the Ionian Sea (Eastern Mediterranean)? A quantitative research of local fisheries – J. Kalfopoulou, Z. Kitsou, G. Karris, K. Poirazidis & J. Fric pdf

3th MEDMARAVES Pan-Mediterranean Symposium, October 2011, Alghero, Sardinia

The breeding population of Audouin’s Gull Larus audouinii in Greece – V. Saravia, D. Portolou, A. Evangelidis, K. Gaganis, A. Manolopoulos & J. Fric pdf 

Conservation actions for the Mediterraneran Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis and Audouin’s Gull Larus audouinii in Greece, including inventory of relevant marine IBAs - Jakob Fric, Roula Trigou, Panagiotis Dendrinos, Georgios Karris, Panagiota Peristeraki and Tasos Dimalexis presentation

10^th Panhellenic Symposium of Oceanography and Fisheries, May 2012, Athens

Evaluation of seabird by-catch mortality as a conservation threat in the Southern Ionian Sea (Eastern Mediterranean) - Karris G., Fric J., Kitsou Z., Kalfopoulou J. & Poirazidis K pdf

 “International Workshop on Island Natural Restoration”, May 2012, Corvo island, Azores

- Island natural habitat restoration on Greek islands – J. Fric 

12^thInternational Congress on the Zoogeography, Ecology and Evolution of Eastern Mediterranean -11^th ICZEGAR-), 18-22 June 2012, Athens

- Foraging distribution and behaviour of the Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii) in the Aegean Sea – J. Fric, V. S. Mullin, A. Evangelidis, K. Gaganis, D. Portolou, T. Kastritis pdf

-Identification of Marine Important Bird Areas (Marine IBAs) for the Mediterranean Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii) and Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii) in Greece - . J. Fric, A. Manolopoulos, P. Dendrinos, P. Kasapidis, P. Peristeraki, G. Karris, 1T. Kastritis pdf
 

6^th Panhellenic Congress of Ecology "Ecological Research in Greece: Trends, Challenges and Applications". 4-7 October 2012, Athens

-Genetic structure and patterns of differentiation of black rat (Rattus rattus) in island-islet complexes of Greek Seas. Tsaparis D., Fric J., Kristoffersen J.B., Karris G. & Kassapidis P. (in greek) pdf

-Qualitative and  quantitative evaluation of the awareness level of the visitors of the information kiosk in Zakynthos, in the framework of the LIFE07 NAT/GR/000285 project, Ziarka D., Martinis Α., Karris G., Kambasi Α., Trigou V. 2012. (in greek) pdf

-Evaluation of the abundance and distribution of three seabird species in the Northern Aegean Sea:  what is the importance of the area for their conservation? Zakkak S., Panagiotopoulou Μ., & Halley J.M. (in greek)  pdf

19th Benelux Congress of Zoology, Integrative biology “From ecology to molecules”. Université Libre de Bruxelles. Bruselles, 19-20 October 2012

-Spatiotemporal distribution and behaviour of three common seabird species in Laganasgulf and Argassi (SE Zakynthos, Ionian Sea, Western Greece). Drechsel F., Karris G., Kokkali A., Voulgaris M.D. & Poulicek M pdf

Communication and dissemination

Project’s mobile exhibition

MOm, in collaboration with HOS, has created a mobile information exhibition specially designed to be on show at the project’s areas ports during the fieldwork trips. During the summer, the project’s research team sails in the “Odysseia”, MOm’s vessel, around the islands of the north Aegean. The mobile exhibition includes 6 panel exhibits: “The Audouin’s Gull”, “The Mediterranean Shag”, “The valuable small uninhabited islets”, “Actions in the Greek islands”, “Seabirds of the Greek Seas”.

Porto Koufo, Chalkidiki	Molyvos, Lesvos	Myrina, Lemnos
Skyros	Mytilini	Psara port

Eressos, Lesvos	Sigri, Lesvos	Myrina, Lemnos – July 2011
Skiathos – July 2011	Limenas, Thasos	Limenaria, Thasos

Special exhibition in Alonnisos Information Centre

In addition to the projects mobile exhibition, a second exhibition was set and operated in MOm’s Information Centre in Patitiri, the main port of the National Marine Park of Alonnisos Northern Sporades. In the Information Centre’s facilities, a special thematic corner was devoted to the project and the two target species. The exhibition included three exhibit panels containing texts and photographs that present key information on the biology and ecology of the two target species and the seabirds of the Aegean Sea, the importance of the uninhabited islets of the Aegean and basic information on project’s rational, activities and expected results. Furthermore, information material such as leaflets and posters, was also available for the visitors.

A special thematic corner devoted to the project in MOm’s Information Centre in Alonnisos © MOm

Operation of an info kiosk in the central square of the town of Zakynthos

Under the framework of the public awareness campaign in Zakynthos and the Ionian Sea, every year, from May until October, an information kiosk is operated by the TEI of Ionian Islands in the central square of the town of Zakynthos (Democracy square). The kiosk is operated in a daily basis by the students of the department of Environmental Technology and Ecology of TEI, working on volunteer basis. Project information material is available in the kiosk, as well as additional info. More than 18.000 people visited the info kiosk from June 2010 until October 2011 and were informed for the LIFE Project and seabird conservation.

Project information kiosk in Zakynthos.

Awareness on board!

Since the summer of 2011, the Attica Group is supporting project public awareness actions by making available information material upon seabirds, the LIFE project and the importance of island and marine environment to the passengers travelling on all vessels of Blue Star Ferries and Superfast Ferries to the Cyclades, Dodecanese and Crete.

The passengers of the Attica Group’s vessels sailing together with seabirds in the Aegean archipelago, have the opportunity to observe pelagic seabirds at open sea (Cory’s Shearwaters, Yelkouan Shearwaters and if lucky European Storm Petrels) and coastal seabirds when approaching land (Audouin’s Gulls, Mediterranean Shags and Yellow-legged Gulls). A leaflet available at the reception desk will help passengers recognise seabirds and at the same time allow them to contribute to the census of seabird population in Greece, by filling in a special observation form, attached to the leaflet and handing it in at the reception desk or posting the observations at the seabird project’s website.

Project leaflets and promo poster available in the reception of the Blue Star Ferries vessels sailing to Cyclades	Backlit banner in one of the Blue Star Ferries vessels sailing to Cyclades

Distribution of project information material at selected sites in island and coastal areas of Greece

Project information material is distributed to more than 45 sites in island and coastal areas all over Greece (public authorities, educational institutions, travel agencies, private companies)

Map of the sites with available project information material
Project banners at the port of Antikythira	Project banners in city hall of Fournoi

Special events/ Presentations

Presentation in Skyros – August 2009
Poster invitation for the Presentation in Skyros

Special event in the island of Fournoi for the celebration of the World Environment Day– June 2011
Special event in Fournoi island, June 2011		Presentation during the event in Fournoi island (June 2011)

Presentation for seabirds and the uninhabited islets in collaboration with the Offshore Sailing Club of Lesvos – Mytilini, June 2011
Presentation in Mytilini, Lesvos in collaboration with the local Offshore Sailing Club		Puclic awareness during the special event in Mytilini, organised in collaboration with the local Offshore Sailing Club

Special Event in Floisvos-Athens for the Celebration of the World Environment Day– June
Information stand in Floisvos, Athens – June 2011		Seabird-watching in Floisvos, Athens – June 2011

Participation in the Folktale Festival in the island of Kea – July 2011
Public awareness in the Folktale Festival in the island of Kea - July 2011

Participation in the Myth and Folktale Festival in Lemnos – August 2011
Info stand in Lemnos, during the Myth and Folktale Festival, August 2011		Poster invitation for the 3rd Myth and Folktale Festival in Lemnos

Participation in the British Birdwatching Fair (August 2010, 2011)
Visitor information during the British Bird Fair

Screening of the project video to the “Open Cinema” event in Samothraki Island – August 2011
Screening of the project video to the “Open Cinema” event in Samothraki Island – August 2011

Information kiosk in Messologi - Central Greece in collaboration with the local Sailing Club, August 2011
Information kiosk in Messologi - Central Greece, August 2011

Participation at Ecofestival, Athens - November 2011
Visitor information during the Ecofestival - Athens, November 2011 © R. Trigou/ HOS

Media publications

Plenty of publications have been published in local, national and international media during the length of the project, aiming to inform the public on the project species, the conservation actions implemented in the project’s framework, as well as other issues related to seabird conservation, such as the algal boom in the north Aegean, etc. In addition, there is continuous reference to the project and the development of its actions in all of HOS’ regular publications (Oionos magazine, e-onos newsletter, HOS Conservation Review, etc).

Example of publications:

Athens News Agency-Macedonian Press Agency/ The Northern Aegean Sea becomes hostile for the Mediterranean Shags

National Press “TO VIMA”/ Algal Bloom responsible for the disappearing Mediterranean Shag

BirdLife community/ Audouin’s Gull breeding population in Greece rapidly declined in the last ten years

National Press “TO VIMA”/ Sailing with Seabirds

National Press “ETHNOS”

National Magazine “ΟΙΚΟ” of KATHIMERINI National Press/ Animals in Danger: The Audouin’s Gull

HERALD TRIBUNE/ Drive Highlight Threat to seabirds pdf

National Press “ETHNOS”/ Seabirds in danger pdf

National Press “ETHNOS”/ SOS for Audouin’s Gull pdf

National Press “NEA”/ Audouin’s Gull: the flag species of the Aegean Sea pdf

National Press “Eleftheros Typos”/ The suspended step of Audouin’s Gull pdf

Local Press “Rodiak”/ Alliance for the seabirds of the Aegean Sea pdf

Thasos Local Press «Thasiaki»/ The island of Thasos protects its seabirds pdf

Thasos Local Press «Thasion Gi»/ The island of Thasos protects its seabirds pdf

Real News/ Death traps for seabirds pdf

https://www.kavalanet.gr/enimerosi/news_static/1256237767.php

https://www.thassos-nature.gr/?q=node/82

https://walking-greece.ana-mpa.gr/articleview2.php?id=10754

https://www.evdomi.gr/pub/starcms/repository/static/articles/ar_45013_1.asp

MOm magazine - Issue 45 pdf

"NOVA BEST" magazine- Issue Νο 6 - 2010/ Seabirds of the greek seas pdf

Environmental education

The Environmental Education kit “Audouin’s Gull and the Mediterranean Shag take us on a journey to the Greek archipelagos” is addressed to teachers and students who wish to get familiar with the Audouin’s Gull and the Mediterranean Shag and the rest of the seabirds of the Greek seas. Together with the seabirds, students and teachers will travel in the archipelagos in order to meet the unique nature of the Aegean and Ionian Sea.

This kit is mainly addressed to children from the last grades of primary school, as well as high school, but includes activities for older kids as well. The kit consists of env. education avtivities, an information booklet for educators (and anyone else who shows interest!), a Power Point presentation as well as an informative leaflet and posters of the project’s target species. The environmental education material will be further enriched with a short 20 minute documentary on seabirds and the LIFE Project.

The kit follows the same line of a previous environmental education kit created for the LIFE project for the conservation of Eleonora’s Falcon in Greece, which already addressed the issues of seabird and island ecosystems conservation, and in general the protection of the outstanding ecosystem of the Aegean Sea.

Environmental Education activities included in the kit:

· A seabird but which seabird?
Seabird identification key

- Make your own seabird colony
Drawing for the familiarization of the seabird identification characteristics.

· Become a seabird!
Creation of seabird masks

· The Audouin’s Gull and the Mediterranean Shag fly over Important Seabird Areas
Drawing of Marine Important Bird Areas

· Lunch for seabirds!
Audouin’s Gull and Mediterranean Shag mobile making and food habits investigation.

· Names, names, names!!!
Seabird name game

· The seabird flock
Chearful activity mimicking seabird calls

· The Cory’s Shearwater floor game
Floor game to get to know the life of pelagic seabirds

· Seabird by-catch – seabird spinning
Seabird by-catch problem and solution card game

· Misspelling seabirds
Cheerful seabird name game puns

· Round and round the bait
Seabird by-catch children’s game

· The smudger
Endangered Greek sea animal card game

· Seabirds: so similar yet different
Memory game for the special characteristics of seabirds

· “Kalikatzou”, “Varvaki”, “Kepfos” and other seabird local names
Local birdlife folklore elements

· Seabird by-catch research
Questionnaire based research on seabird by-catch on fishing gear

· Time for some reading!
Reading and commentary on writing dedicated to gulls

· Marine Important Bird Areas! Yes, but in action….?
Depiction of problems on a map – alternative solution investigation

· Mediterranean Shags and fishermen in despair!
Talk on the overall understanding of an issue

· Scaling Wind Farms
Debate for Wind Farms (pros and cons)

· Islets without peace
Matching of human activities with potential consequences on sensitive species

 

The Environmental Education material is only available in greek.

For more information please contact HOS (+30 2108227937, +302108228704, Mrs Ioanna Kontozisi – Env. Education Officer, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Project posters:

Projects posters for the Audouin’s Gull and the Mediterranean Shag

Special  media publications:

 - Magazine “Aerostato” of the Ministry of Culture of Greece/ Seabirds: the stars of the summer

 

Summer environmental education workshops

In Zakynthos...

Summer environmental education workshop in Zakynthos – August 2012

In Syros…

Summer environmental education workshop in Syros – August 2011

In Milos…

Summer environmental education workshop in Milos – August 2011

In Lemnos…

Summer environmental education workshop in Lemnos – August 2011