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Collaboration between all the states and bodies that share the Prespa lakes basin has always been a key long-term strategic goal of the Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP). Without this it is difficult for any one side alone to achieve the effective protection of the natural ecosystem and biodiversity, the effective management of common resources, particularly water, and the sustainable well-being of local communities. The more specific goal...

Public concern for landscapes that are rapidly changing around us due to developments in crucial sectors such as agriculture and energy has been answered by the Council of Europe through the European Landscape Convention. In our country, however, who is engaged in the discussion for landscape management and in which way? What are the policies that affect the landscape? How do we conceive the landscape that we experience on a...

23rd June 2022 is a historic day for Prespa, with the long-anticipated inaugural meetings of the Prespa Park Management Committee and the Working Group on Water Management taking place in the Pyli Information Centre by the shores of Lesser Prespa Lake in Greece. Representatives from the European Commission, the three states sharing the Prespa lakes, local authorities, NGOs and management bodies for the protected areas lying within the Prespa Park,...

Two more removal operations of dead pelicans were carried out this week at Prespa National Park. On April 11 and today, April 15, a total of 277 Dalmatian pelican (DP) carcasses were collected from Lesser Prespa Lake’s colonies and roosting sites. Likewise in the previous operations, the carcasses were transported to a fixed-facility incinerator, that appropriately handles such infectious waste. 1,420 DP carcasses have been collected so far at Prespa,...

The avian flu continues to kill Dalmatian pelicans (DP) in Prespa, charting a destructive course through the rest of Greece’s pelican colonies too. The situation is unprecedented in terms of its scale and duration and the impact to DPs is devastating. Another 200 DPs were recorded dead in a week’s time at Lesser Prespa Lake and a new operation is now set up to remove the additional carcasses. Already 1,143...

Through its valuable network of collaborators and friends, the SPP has managed to document the development of the severe avian influenza outbreak across wetlands of northern Greece. The tragic death toll has risen to a total of 1,861 Dalmatian pelicans (DP) and 5 great white pelicans in a total of 12 wetlands in northern Greece. The Prespa colony accounts for 76% of the DP deaths (1,413 individuals). Another 15% (283...

The avian influenza outbreak in the Dalmatian pelican colony of Lesser Prespa Lake shows signs of slowing down, as temperatures rise, still it has led to 1,300 pelican deaths so far.1,143 carcasses of Dalmatian pelicans were removed from the lake in a demanding operation that lasted one week and has almost been completed. The sight of so many dead pelicans in full breeding plumage is striking and very sad. Yet,...

Herewith we would like to inform you about the development of the avian influenza outbreak in the Dalmatian pelican colony of Lesser Prespa Lake. The number of deaths is sadly still increasing, but efforts to collect the carcasses commenced this week, and thus it is expected that with the reduction of the viral load on the colony, the spread of infection to other pelicans will be reduced.According to the last...

An avian influenza outbreak is currently in progress at the Prespa National Park, in the Lesser Prespa Lake Dalmatian pelican (DP) colony, severely affecting the DP population.Mass mortality events started about a week after the first DPs had arrived in Prespa from their wintering grounds in NE Greece and W Turkey. The first 11 deaths of adult DPs in full breeding plumage were recorded on 17/02. The number increased to...

Wetlands are our “life insurance” against the combined climate & biodiversity loss crises, but we keep neglecting them!...