In the heart of autumn, the Archipelago Institute continues its parallel actions to protect the rare nature of the Aegean. Again, we turn our attention to the uninhabited islets and islets – the real Aegean diamonds – that support rare biodiversity of international environmental importance.
These days, utilizing the collaboration, know-how and new technologies of our Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norwegian University of Life Sciences) collaborators, we monitor bird migration in islets, but we focus primarily on assessing and responding to anthropogenic impacts, such as the erosion caused by overgrazing, but also the illegal hunting that has been on the rise in recent weeks even in the most remote areas of Greece.
As the summer season goes away, life in the Aegean is returning to normal, which is particularly important for wildlife, following the severe nuisance of the tourist season.
https://www.facebook.com/Archipelago.gr/videos/358836508041818/
Utilizing modern passive surveillance technology in conjunction with specialized software developed by Norwegian University researchers, we are able to monitor both nesting behavior and the ecology of this rare species, day and night in general, while minimizing daylight. the nuisance caused by human presence.
As part of this investigation, a hawk was given to give his chicks plastic food. This alarming behavior recorded on an uninhabited rock island demonstrates the dramatic extent of plastic pollution in the Greek seas. The consequences are dangerous not only for wildlife but also for humans! Read the scientific announcement in the Marine Pollution Bulletin scientific journal below https://archipelago.gr/…/plastic-mistaken-prey-colony-breed…/Eleonora’s Falcons surveillance camera
Archipelagos Institute in collaboration with scientists from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, since 2013, continues the innovative action of monitoring the nesting behavior of the rare Eleonora’s falcon (Falco eleonorae). Every spring they migrate from Madagascar to the Mediterranean and mainly to the Aegean, where 2/3 of the global population of this rare species are nesting. Research focuses on small uninhabited islands of the Permanent Wildlife Refuge of Arki and N. Patmos. Using contemporary technology of passive monitoring, with special software developed by researchers at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, we are able to monitor the nesting behavior of falcons, as well as the ecology of the species, day and night. , eliminating the disturbance that human presence would cause.
Using camera traps the falcons have been found providing plastic waste to dependent nestlings, confusing it for food. This unusual behavior recorded on an uninhabited islet provides very worrying evidence of the dramatic extent of plastic debris pollution in the Greek Seas. The consequences are dangerous not only for wildlife but also for humans! Read the related publication in the scientific journal Marine Pollution Bulletin. https://archipelago.gr/…/plastic-mistaken-prey-colony-breed…/
