A memorandum has recently been signed between the UNEP-administered Secretariat of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) and the Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP) with the aim to foster a wide international collaboration for the conservation of the spectacular Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus).
It is fitting that a Greek NGO will play a leading role in coordinating the implementation of the International Action Plan because Greece is the third most significant country in the world for the species. Lesser Prespa Lake hosts one of the largest breeding colonies of the Dalmatian Pelican on Earth. Starting in 1985, the Hellenic Ornithological Society / BirdLife Greece implemented conservation actions for the Dalmatian Pelican and in 1990 SPP pioneered in studying and safeguarding the species. In 2018 the two NGOs drafted the International Action Plan for the Dalmatian Pelican, which includes all the necessary actions across the species’ range in Eurasia.
The Dalmatian Pelican is one of the largest inhabitants of the Eurasian wetlands and one of the two rarest pelican species in the world. Today, it is classified as “Near Threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List because it has suffered from severe threats over the past century, such as the degradation of wetlands, direct persecution and mortality due to collisions with power lines. The international team of experts will coordinate and evaluate the implementation of the Action Plan through meetings, workshops and exchange of best practices, with the aim to limit these threats.
“We are excited to join forces with dozens of experts, governments and civil society organizations around the world to address the threats to this endangered species. Our goal is to mobilize governments to fully implement the agreed measures and actions,” says Dr. Giorgos Catsadorakis, Conservation Advisor on behalf of the SPP, who is also the chairman of the Pelican Specialist Group of the IUCN.
“The Hellenic Ornithological Society / BirdLife Greece fully supports this strategic initiative. The Dalmatian Pelican is a flag species of the Greek wetlands and has been a long-standing conservation target for HOS / BirdLife Greece since its foundation in 1982, and the first conservation project for the species, until today. We can safeguard the future of the species, one of the most impressive inhabitants of Eurasian wetlands, with coordinated efforts and decisiveness”, says Panos Kordopatis, Conservation Coordinator of HOS / BirdLife Greece.
Κοινό Δελτίο Τύπου της Εταιρίας Προστασίας Πρεσπών & της Ελληνικής ΟΡΝΙΘΟΛΟΓΙΚΗΣ Εταιρείας