Over 163.000 waterbirds counted

The Red-throated Loon depends on intact resting places.

© Bruno Dittrich

The riverine landscapes of Mur, Drava and Danube count among the most important resting and wintering refuges for waterbirds in Europe; this has again been demonstrated in this year's International Waterbird Census (IWC), which took place in January 2012, registering over 163.000 waterbirds, that means eight times more than required by the Ramsar Convention for the protection of waterfowl habitat, in order to be listed among the Wetlands of International Importance.

In addition to the large number of waterbirds, the IWC also registered a remarkable diversity of species; nine bird species alone were represented with over one percent of their regional or global population within the census area, such as the Red-throated Loon, the Greater White-fronted Goose and the Great Egret. Furthermore, 223 White-tailed Eagles were counted along the three rivers.

On good grounds, the riverine landscapes of Danube, Drava and Mur, which are exceptionally rich in species, shall be protected as a transboundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in future. This plan however stands in sharp contrast to the project of the shipping industry to regulate the river Danube on a 53 km-long section along the border between Croatia and Serbia. Should this project be approved, the core area of the future Biosphere Reserve and the world's first one spanning five countries, would be affected severely.

EuroNatur and its partners demand from the Croatian Government to decline the Environmental Impact Assessment and to provide for the conservation of these significant riverine landscapes along the rivers Mur, Drava and Danube without compromises. The result of this year's IWC have once again confirmed their vital ecological importance.

Link to the joint press report of the organisations participating in the IWC

Learn more about the activities of EuroNatur for the protection of the riverine landscapes along the rivers Drava and Mur

 

How you can help

Donation

Future needs nature. EuroNatur cares for it. Please use your possibilities to help. With your donation you will make an effective contribution to a more livable environment.

Sustaining membership

EuroNatur focuses on long-term nature conservation projects instead of quick fixes. With your regular donations, you give us the planning security we need.

News

Skavica mega dam: Albanian court to scrutinise special law for U.S. contractor Bechtel

++ Constitutional complaint filed by NGOs accepted for trial ++ First milestone in fight against one of Europe’s largest reservoirs ++ Thousands of…

Growing opposition to Albanian airport

++ Bern Convention calls on Albania to stop airport construction near Narta Lagoon ++ Project in Vjosa Delta endangers thousands of migratory birds ++…

EU Commission targets the wolf

Ursula von der Leyen warns of allegedly "dangerous wolves" - nature conservation organisations criticise misleading statements and dubious data…

Romanian forests: EuroNatur calls for a logging moratorium

+++ Open letter to Commissioner Sinkevičius calls for a logging moratorium in protected areas to end destruction of Romanian forests +++ Fourth…

Controversial airport construction in Albanian protected area casts shadow as far as Munich

++ Operating company Munich Airport International (MAI) is linked to illegal Vlora airport ++ Construction to take place in protected area of special…

Swimming for the monk seal

The Croatian free water swimmer Dina Levačić has been swimming in potential monk seal territories. Her campaign is aimed at drawing attention to the…

Wolf Offspring confirmed in the Black Forest

++ Photo trap image from the community of Schluchsee provides evidence of offspring ++ First wolf pack in over 150 years in Baden-Württemberg ++

Stork Village meeting in Tykocin, Poland

It was an anniversary celebrated in style: For the 20th annual meeting, representatives of the European Stork Villages met for the first time in the…

A slight sigh of relief for the Dalmatian pelicans

The Dalmatian pelicans at Lake Skadar are breeding successfully. This is all the more gratifying because last year's breeding season was disastrous.