Migratory bird protection project: Bird Protection Camps Sicily

The migratory bird hotspot on Sicily

On the south-east coast of Sicily, between the port of Pozzallo and the village of Pachino, is a wetland area covering almost 480 hectares with three large freshwater lagoons: Pantano Cuba, Pantano Longarini and Pantano Bruno.

By 2013, earlier property speculation, severe interventions in the water balance of the lagoon landscape, unlawful dumping of waste, uncontrolled use of agricultural chemicals, illegal bird trapping, hunting tourists from Italy and Malta and local fish poachers had largely devalued and destroyed this immensely important migratory bird hotspot.

The favoured bird prey of the poachers

For many years in autumn and winter, hunters and poachers illegally shot thousands of strictly protected duck species such as Shoveler, Pintail and Teal in the wetland of the Pantani region wetlands. Even endangered species such as the Ferruginous Duck and Marbled Duck were not safe from their guns. Illegal hunting tourists from Malta shot strictly protected bird species such as Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Booted Eagle, and even Common Crane and Greater Flamingo out of the sky or in the lagoons. Strictly protected waders were also caught in illegal mist nets on the lagoon's shores.

Strategic migratory bird protection project

The financial support of our Swiss sister foundation of the same name in Basel and many thousands of committed donors has enabled the purchase of 390 ha (3.900.000 m²) of wetland area with the Pantano Cuba and Longarini lagoons. Our Bird Guards ensure that the bird sanctuary is no longer a bird graveyard.

Since November 2013, both foundations have invested almost 4.0 million euros in donations for land purchase and extensive biotope rehabilitation and biotope development measures. Our reward from nature for this commitment is 242 documented bird species, 130 of which are migratory. The Foundation will continue to pursue consistently further land purchases and extensive biotope renaturisation measures!

Pantani – bird protection camp operations

During the three-month bird protection camp operations of our Foundation in our migratory bird protection area Pantani Cuba & Longarini, our 3 full-time and up to 8 volunteer bird guards watch over tens of thousands of migratory birds so that they can now search for food and regenerate undisturbed in the former bird hunting area. It is especially gratifying that the number of migratory bird species that now winter here again has increased continuously over the past few years.

Courageous bird of prey protection camps

In the mountainous regions of south-western Sicily, the Bonelli's Eagle, a species found only in the mountainous areas of Southern Europe and Northern Africa, is critically endangered. This is due to the activities of unscrupulous bird poachers, who profit from the persistently high demand from dubious bird of prey lovers for birds from the wild. In the last 15 years alone, the Bonelli's Eagle breeding pair population in Sicily has plummeted by 50%!

Every spring, raptor poachers from Southern Europe set out for Sicily to plunder the eyries of Bonelli's eagles and other raptor species. For exorbitant prices, they sell illegally stolen raptor eggs and chicks to falconers in Southern Europe and well-heeled raptor lovers in European and Arab countries.

From the end of February to mid-June annually, up to 40 voluntary bird conservationists guard the nests of Bonelli's eagles and other endangered bird of prey species. They also observe their courtship behaviour, nest-building activities, the rearing of chicks, and the successful migration of young birds. Only the continual presence of the activists can guarantee undisturbed breeding and the successful rearing of the young. This has not escaped the attention of the poachers, who now pinpoint the positions of the activists, and study their routines, to find a suitable time and place for their illegal nest robbery.

Life is not easy for bird protection activists in Southern Europe

In Sicily, our Pantani migratory bird sanctuary commitment, the regular protection measures for raptor nests and the promotion of the Messina wildlife rescue station in the Peloritani mountain range on the Strait of Messina far from endear us to elements of the local population. Time and again, we are confronted by property speculators, nest robbers and bird poachers who threaten to sabotage our work and wantonly damage our property. Nonetheless, we are strategically committed to long-term, well-considered and consistent measures in Sicily to protect migratory birds effectively.

We invest up to 14,000 euros annually for the travel costs, basic accommodation and improved equipment for the voluntary Bird Guards in our Pantani Cuba & Longarini bird sanctuary. This sum also includes the annual expenses for some 40 bird conservationists on Bonelli's Eagle eyrie duty and protection of other bird of prey nests in South-western Sicily.

Please support our bird protection camps on Sicily with your donation!